Invitation to work shadowing at EKKA
In cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, the Quality Agency for Higher and Vocational Education in Estonia (EKKA) would like to welcome colleagues from ASEM countries in Asia to Estonia with the purpose to learn from the European experience of quality assurance in higher education by participating in a short-term work shadowing in EKKA.
The competition is open for everyone working for organizations that are responsible for external evaluation of higher education (hereinafter referred to as Agencies) in Asia taking part in the ASEM Education Process.
During the maximum of two-week period of 1–15 May 2016, we would like to provide a possibility for at least two persons to visit our Agency, learn about our activities and – more specifically – participate as an observer in the quality assessment of a study programme group. We suggest that arrival in Estonia could be around the 1st of May and departure on the 15th of May 2016. Specific dates will be agreed at a later stage.
It is our hope that such an initiative will present an opportunity for the enhancement of cross-border experience, sharing of good practices in external evaluation of higher education and learning from each other, and will also lead to closer collaboration, for example, in terms of exchange of experts between the Agencies/countries and other ways of cooperation in the future.
EKKA will:
- present an overview of the external QA system and evaluation of higher education in Estonia;
- create conditions that allow to observe various ongoing and day-to-day activities in EKKA;
- ensure that the participant can observe the preparation work of an international expert team in quality assessment of one of the study programme groups and accompany the team as an observer during assessment visits to higher education institutions;
- provide counselling during the whole period of work shadowing;
- arrange and pay for the airline tickets;
- cover the cost of accommodation in the host country;
- pay work related transportation costs in the host country;
- cover the costs of breakfast and lunch during working days;
- help to make arrangements for a visa (if needed) and cover the related expenses;
- arrange interpretation service if needed;
- invite to get a glimpse of the capital and the Estonian culture.
The applying Agency must:
- be recognized in its country taking part in the ASEM Education Process in order to participate in the competition.
HOW TO APPLY & DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
All interested Agencies must submit the Application Form in Appendix 1 together with a cover letter signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, which should include approval granted to the applicant for participation in the project. The application form and the cover letter must be scanned and submitted electronically before the 15th of January 2016 at the email address tiia.bach@archimedes.ee.
ABOUT EKKA
EKKA was established on January 1, 2009, and continues the work of the Estonian Higher Education Accreditation Centre and the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council that operated from 1997 to 2008 as a structural unit within Archimedes Foundation.
EKKA conducts institutional accreditation of higher education institutions and quality assessment of study programme groups in Estonia. It also conducts expert analyses in order to grant higher education institutions the right to conduct studies as well as expert analyses of study programmes that are not yet registered in Estonia. Since 2010, EKKA also conducts accreditation of study programme groups of vocational education and training (VET) institutions. Since 2013, EKKA is listed in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). EKKA actively participates in international higher education and VET quality assurance networks, such as European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), The Central and Eastern European Network (CEENQA), The European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), and others. Members of EKKA staff are on the Board of INQAAHE and been elected as members on foreign Accreditation Councils.
More information about EKKA can be found on EKKA website.
CONTACT DETAILS
For further inquiries, please contact: Ms Tiia Bach, Assessment Coordinator, E-mail: tiia.bach@archimedes.ee, Office: +372 640 0455