. ""'•.>£*.-. COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 02.02.1998 
COM(97) 707 final 
97/0121 (SYN) 
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tit "' Amended proposal for a 
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 
CONCERNING EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN QUALITY ASSURANCE IN 
HIGHER EDUCATION 
-/"J < (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a(2) 
of the EC Treaty) 
"&"t* 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Following the Parliament's opinion as expressed at the First Reading on 18 November 
1997, the Commission presents to the Council, in accordance with Article 189 A, 
paragraph 2 of the EC Treaty, a modified proposal for a recommendation. This text 
reflects two main groups of modifications: 
a group of amendments designed to provide useful clarifications and greater 
precision in relation to the original proposal; 
another group of amendments reinforcing the proposal, notably in relation to the 
diversity of education systems, the autonomy of higher education institutions and 
the invitation to Member States to participate actively in the creation of a 
European network for quality assurance. 
The Commission's modified proposal preserves the same overall structure and the same 
objectives as its original proposal, but certain provisions have been developed and 
clarified. 
Of the amendments proposed by the European Parliament, almost half have been 
accepted by the Commission. 
The amendments considered problematical fall into the three following categories. 
1) Amendments relating to certain matters of principle that constitute the basis for 
the proposal 
A number of amendments. aim to eliminate the references to the 
Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment and 
to the White Paper "Teaching and Learning". However, the references to 
these White Papers, cited in the preamble to the Commission's original 
proposal, form part of the justification for Community action in this field. 
A series of amendments propose a presentation in summary form of the 
principles that should characterise the national systems of quality assurance, 
the different stages of the quality assurance exercise, and the actors involved 
in each stage. Because this is a relatively new domain, the Commission 
prefers to retain the analytical approach including an explanation of the 
essential features, rather than the summary description proposed by 
Parliament. 
One amendment would eliminate the link between quality assurance and the 
labour market needs. This link, however, is important for the employability 
of graduates. Also, the legal basis of the proposed recommendation includes 
article 127 of the Treaty, in which article the labour * market needs are 
explicitly referred to. 
£. 
2) Amendments raising questions that are outside the scope of the proposal 
involvement of the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe 
directly in the development of procedures for quality assurance and in the 
creation of the network. This poses a problem, because a reference to third 
countries in a Community instrument is not allowed. Moreover, only some of 
these countries participate in the relevant Community programmes. 
introduction of a recommendation to the Member States to establish systems 
for quality assurance in the field of research. 
3) Amendments introducing superfluous additions or developments, or alternative 
formulations that do not improve the original text 
transferring or repeating parts of the legislative text in the preamble and vice-
versa. 
repeating the aspect of the autonomy of the higher education institutions. 
Amended proposal for a 
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 
CONCERNING EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN QUALITY ASSURANCE IN 
HIGHER EDUCATION 
ibi iO 
PROPOSITION INITIALE DE LA COMMISSION PROPOSITION MODIFIEE SUITE A L'AVIS DU PARLEMENT 
EUROPEEN DU 18 NOVEMBRE 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, arc1 
particularly Articles 126 and 127 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, 
Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 189c of the Treaty 
Whereas a high quality of education and training at all levels is an objective for all 
Member States and whereas the Community is requested to contribute to its 
achievement by promoting coopération between Member States and, if necessary, by 
supporting and supplementing their action while fully respecting their responsibility 
for the content of teaching and the organisation of the education and training systems 
and their cultural and linguistic diversity; 
Whereas the Council stated in its conclusions of 25 November 1991 that improving 
the quality of teaching in higher education is a concern shared by each Member State 
and by every higher education institution within the European Community; whereas 
in view of the diversity of methods used for quality assessment at national level, 
national experience could be complemented by European experience provided by a 
limited number of pilot projects aimed at establishing and strengthening cooperation 
in this area; 
Whereas through developments and activities in the Member States as well as through 
transnational cooperation and the mobility of students and teaching staff (particularly 
in the framework of Community programmes such as SOCRATES and especially its 
ERASMUS chapter) the awareness of European higher education institutions of the 
need to be able to judge the quality of studies available in other countries and to 
compare it with that of studies available within their own systems lus been 
substantially raised; 
Whereas one of the main issues of the Commission memorandum on higher education 
highlights that the former view of a vertical quality hierarchy of educational 
institutions whose qualifications are traditionally considered as different entrance 
tickets to society is becoming increasingly obsolete: whereas the emphasis todav is 
more on quality across the whole of education and within each institution: whereas 
quality should be guaranteed at all levels and in all seclon, with differences only in 
terms of objectives, methods and educational demand; whereas there is support for the 
introduction of efficient and acceptable methods of quality evaluation which are based 
on European cooperation and transnational exchange of experience and which 
emphasise the importance of quality assurance for strategic management as well as its 
cultural dimension: THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty,establishing the European Community, and particularly 
Articles 126 and 127 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, 
Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 189c of the Treaty 
Whereas a high quality of education and training at all levels is an objective for all 
Member States and whereas the Community "is requested to contribute to hs 
achievement by promoting cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by 
supporting and supplementing their action while fully respecting their responsibility 
for the content of teaching and the organisation of the education and training systems 
and their cultural and linguistic diversity; 
Whereas the Council stated in hs conclusions of 25 November 1991 that improving 
the quality of teaching in higher education is a concern shared by each Member State 
and by every higher education institution within the European Community; whereas in 
view of the diversity of methods used for quality assessment at national level, national 
experience could be complemented by European experience provided by a limited 
number of pilot projects aimed at establishing and strengthening cooperation in this 
area; 
Whereas through developments and activities in the Member States as well as through 
transnational cooperation and the mobility of students and teaching staff (particularly 
in the framework of Community programmes such as SOCRATES and especially its 
ERASMUS chapter) the awareness of European higher education institutions of the 
need to be able to judge the quality of studies available in other countries and to 
compare it with that of studies available within their own systems has been 
substantially raised; 
Whereas one of the main issues of the Commission memorandum on higher 
education highlights that quality should be guaranteed at all levels and in all 
sectors, with differnces only in terms of objectives, methods and educational 
demand: whereas there is a support for the introductionof efficient and acceptable 
methods of quality evaluation wiiich are based on European cooperation and 
transnational exchange of experience and which emphasis* its role and cultural 
dimension; 
Whereas a Commission study on the state of quality assurance in the Member States 
revealed that the new systems of quality assurance had certain points in common; 
whereas the two pilot projects conducted subsequently were based on these core 
elements of existing national systems; whereas they tested the common method 
successfully and showed that the actors in the field are all eager to pursue the 
exchange of experience during the reorganisation of higher education in general and 
the development of quality assurance in particular; 
Whereas higher education institutions have not only to meet the educational and 
professional requirements of n world-wide 'knowledge society', hut also to address 
sreinl problems nationally: whereas they aim to guarantee the quality of teaching by 
developing new initiatives (individually or on a collaborative basis within higher 
education associations) in order to give the services they provide the required 
attributes; Whereas, due to differing education svstems in the Community, the term "higher 
education institution", as used in this Recommendation, covers all types of 
institutions which offer Qualifications or diplomas at that level, whatever such 
establishments mav be called in the Member States: whereas this definition is used 
in the decision establishing the SOCRATES programme; 
Whereas a Commission study on the state of quality assurance in the Member States 
revealed that the new systems of quality assurance had certain points in common; 
whereas the two pilot projects conducted subsequently were based on these core 
elements of existing national systems; whereas they tested the common method 
successfully and showed that the actors in the field are all eager to pursue the 
exchange of experience during the reorganisation of higher education in general and 
the development of quality assurance in particular, 
Whereas higher education institutions have to meet the new educational and social 
requirements of a world-wide "knowledge society" and the resulting developments: 
whereas they aim to improve the quality of teaching by developing new initiatives 
(individually or on a collaborative basis within higher education associations) aimed at 
giving the services they provide the required attributes; 
<f 
Whereas in view of the ever greater constraints of global competition as well as of 
m^c education, authorities in all Member States face the task to tailor higher 
criHCaiinn systems and their relationships to state and society in ways which respect 
existing academic norms and values, and reinforce the autonomy and responsibility of 
higher education institutions; 
Whereas the discussion of the Commission communication of 13 February 1994 has 
demonstrated that all Member States are currently considering introducing or 
overhauling systems to improve mutual recognition of academic or professional 
qualifications; whereas quality assurance in higher education can contribute to the 
necessary flexibility and help to modernise higher education institutions; 
Whereas the White Paper Growth, Competitiveness and Employment identifies as a 
weakness at European level the lack of an open education area in the Community 
resulting from an insufficiently transparent system of qualifications;'h considers the 
wealth of nations to be increasingly based on the creation and exploitation of 
knowledge and states that the key elements in competitiveness include the quality of 
education and training as well as the way in which corporate strategies are able to 
react to the changes in society; 
Whereas the White Paper on Teaching and Learning and the premise of the 'learning 
society", on which it is based, stresses the role of education and training as the "main 
•vehicles for self-awareness, belonging, advancement and selffidfilmenf, and that the 
"individual's place in relation to their fellow citizens will increasingly be determined 
by their capacity to learn and master fundamental knowledge"; as the social and 
cultural functions of education and training on the one hand and their economic 
functions on the other are indivisibly linked, demands in terms of the quality of 
education and training are correspondingly multidimensional and vitally important for 
all European citizens; 
Whereas the Commission Green Paper on obstacles to transnational mobility 
highlights the difficulties encountered by students wishing to pursue their studies on a 
transnational basis and stresses that this type of mobility is essential for an education 
of high quality which can enable individuals to meet European and international 
standards and to take advantage of freedom of movement within the Community; Whereas the technological and economic changes and their consequences for ifo 
labour market pose new challenges for higher education institutions under increasingly 
difficult conditions, including a growing number of students accompanied hv a 
shortage of financial resources: and therefore higher education institutions are requin-.; 
to ensure that students obtain a future-oriented education and to prepare thçrn 
appropriately for the requirements of the labour market: whereas if these challenge»; 
are to be met traditional academic norms and values must be the subject of refleyrjnn 
and the autonomy of higher education institutions must be reinforced: 
Whereas the discussion of the Commission communication of 13 February 1994 has 
demonstrated that all Member States are currently considering introducing or 
overhauling systems to improve mutual recognition of academic or professional 
qualifications; whereas quality assurance in higher education can contribute to the 
necessary flexibility and help to modernise higher education institutions; 
Whereas the White Paper Growth, Competitiveness and Employment identifies as a 
weakness at European level the lack of an open education area in the Community 
resulting from an insufficiently transparent system of qualifications; it considers the 
wealth of nations to be increasingly based on the creation and exploitation of 
knowledge and states that the key elements in competitiveness include the quality of 
education and training as well as the way in which corporate strategies are able to react 
to the changes in society; 
Whereas the White Paper on Teaching and Learning and the premise of the "learning 
society", on which it is based, stresses the role of education and training as the "mam 
vehicles for self-awareness, belonging, advancement and selffuhfUmenf', and that the 
"individual's place in relation to their fellow citizens will increasingly be determined 
by their capacity to learn and master fundamental knowledge*; as the social and 
cultural functions of education and training on the one hand zod their economic 
functions on the other are indhisibry linked, demands in tcnns of the quality of 
education and training are correspondingly multidimensional and vitally important for 
all European citizens; 
Whereas, pursuant to articles 126 and 127 of the Treaty, promoting mobility is a 
declared objective of the Community, whereas the Commission's Green Paper on 
obstacles to transnational mobility examines the principal \*r°il, frfrninistrative and 
practical obstacles encountered by students wishing to studv in another Member 
State and proposes measures to improve mobility: whereas h sresses that this type 
of mobility is essential for an education of high quality which can enable 
individuals to meet European and international standards and L? take advantage of 
freedom of movement within the Community; 
Whereas quality assurance svstems varv from one Member Ssce to another, since 
the size, structure, financial environment, institutional characteristics and 
pedagogical self-image of higher education institutions also differ whereas the 
quality assurance svstems should remain flexible and actable to new 
circumstances arising as a result of further developments b th-e structure and 
objectives of higher education institutions 
HEREBY RECOMMENDS TO MEMBER STATES: 
A. to establish, within their responsibilities for the organisation of their 
higher education sterns, transparent quality assessment and quality 
assurance systems with the following aims: HEREBY RECOMMENDS TO MEMBER STATES: 
A. to establish, in stria accordance with their responsibilities for the 
organisation of their higher education systems, their constitutional and 
budgetary requirements and the principle of the amonomv of higher 
education institutions, transparent quality assessment and quality' assurance 
SNstems with the following aims: 
n. to safeguard the quality of higher education within the specific 
economic, social and cultural context of their countries while taking 
due account of the European dimension and of international 
requirements: 
to help higher education institutions use quality assurance 
techniques as steering mechanisms to rromotc organisational 
flexibility lor permanent improvement in a rapidly changing 
environment; 
to underpin European and world-wide cooperation in order to 
benefit from cadi other's experience for the accomplishment of the 
two foregoing tasks; 
to base systems of quality assessment and quality assurance on the 
following principles: to safeguard the quality of higher education within the specific 
economic, social and cultural context of their countries while taking 
due account of the European dimension and of the ranidlv changing 
world: 
to encourage and help higher education institutions to use quality 
assurance techniques as a means of better meeting the requirements 
of a rapidly changing environment within the framework of the 
comprehensive education and research mandate of educational 
establishments in general: 
to underpin European and world-wide cooperation in order to 
benefit from each other's experience for the accomplishment of the 
two foregoing tasks; 
to base systems of quality assessment and quality assurance on the 
following principles: 
S 
Autonomy and independence of the bodies responsible for quality 
assessment and quality assurance 
These bodies should be autonomous and independent in relation to the 
political authorities and to the higher education institutions themselves 
in relation to procedural and methodological matters. 
Relating evaluation procedures to the profile of institutions while 
respecting their autonomy 
Quality assessment and quality assurance procedures should involve 
questions of institutional self understanding, especially how they define 
their aims and objectives, be it at the level of the institution, of the 
department or of the discipline, in order to allow for diverse educational 
responses to different societal needs. 
Internal and external procedural elements 
All quality assessment and quality assurance procedures should consist 
of an internal, self-reflective component and an external component, 
based on the appraisal of external experts.. 
Involvement of all the players 
The internal element should involve all the relevant players within the 
institution in the process of self-reflexion, especially teaching staff and 
administrators in charge of academic and professional guidance, as 
well as students. Autonomy and independence of the bodies responsible for quality 
assessment and quality assurance 
These bodies should be autonomous and independent in relation to the 
political authorities and to the higher education institutions themselves 
in relation to procedural and methodological matters. 
Relating evaluation procedures to the profile of institutions while 
respecting their autonomy 
Quality assessment and quality assurance procedures should involve 
questions of institutional self understanding, especially how they define 
their aims and objectives, be it at the level of the institution, of the 
department or of the discipline, in order to allow for diverse educational 
responses to different societal needs. 
Internal and external procedural elements 
All quality assessment and quality assurance procedures should consist 
of an internal, self-reflective component and an external component, 
based on the appraisal of external experts.. 
Involvement of all the players 
The internal element should involve all the relevant players within the 
institution in the process of self-reflexion, especially teaching staff and 
administrators in charge of academic and professional guidance, as well 
as students. 
The external element should be a process of cooperative consultation 
and advice between independent experts from outside and players from 
within the institution. 
Alumni, social partners, professional associations and other interested 
social groups could be included in the expert groups in order to bring 
relevant social and professional criteria to bear. 
It is recommended to include foreign experts from other Member States 
in the groups of external experts. They can contribute to quality 
assessment and assurance by providing experiences from abroad 
relating the observed processes to standards prevailing in other 
countries and by fostering cultural understanding. 
Publication of evaluation reports 
Reports on quality assessment and assurance procedures and thefr 
outcomes should be published in a form appropriate to each Member 
Slate and should provide a source of good reference material for 
cooperation partners and for the interested public. 
C. to ensure that follow-up measures arc taken at national or regional or 
oilier level in order to enable higher education institutions to implement 
their plans for improving the quality of studies and for integrating 
graduates into the labour market more effectively. 
D. to ensure that high priority is given by public authorities and by the 
management of higher education institutions to continuous exchange of 
experience and cooperation in quality assessment and quality assurance 
with other Member States, as well as with international organisations 
and associations active in the field of higher education; 
II. AND. TO THIS END, REQUESTS THE COMMISSION : 
to support the establishment of a "European Quality Assurance 
Network" of bodies responsible for quality assessment and quality 
assurance, designated by the Member States, and of organisations and 
associations within the European Community with quality assessment or 
quality assurance experience in the field of higher education; 
The tasks of this "Network" could include: The external element should be a process of cooperative consultation 
and advice between independent experts from outside and players from 
within the institution. 
Alumni, social partners, professional associations and other interested 
social groups could be included in the expert groups in order to bring 
relevant social and professional criteria to bear. 
It is recommended to include foreign experts from other Member States 
in the groups of external experts. They can contribute to quality 
assessment and assurance by providing experiences from abroad 
relating the obsened processes to standards prevailing in other 
countries and by fostering cultural understanding. 
Publication of evaluation reports 
Reports on quality assessment and assurance procedures and their 
outcomes should be published in a form appropriate to each Member 
Slate end should provide a source of good reference material for 
cooperation partners and for the interested public. 
C. to ensure that follow-up measures are taken at national or regional or 
other level in order to enable higher education institutions to implement 
their plans for improving the quality of studies and for integrating 
graduates into the labour market more effectively. 
D. to ensure that high priority is given by public authorities and by the 
management of higher education institutions to continuous exchange of 
experience and cooperation in quality assessment and quality assurance 
with other Member States, as well as with international organisations and 
associations active in the field of higher education; 
AND TO THIS END REQUESTS THE COMMISSION AND THE 
MEMBER STATES: 
1. to support the expansion and completion of the existing structures for the 
creation of a "European Quality Assurance Network" of bodies 
responsible for quality assessment and quality assurance, designated by 
the Member States, and of organisations and associations within the 
European Community with quality assessment or quality assurance 
experience in the field of higher education; 
The tasks of this "Network" could include: 
«? 
exchange of information and experience through European 
conferences, workshops and by using rj£\y. technologies; 
b) technical assistance to individual Member State authorities in 
implementing concrete projects for establishing or improving 
quality assessment and quality assurance procedures and 
mechanisms; 
c) assistance to groups of higher education institutions from 
different Member States who wish to cooperate in quality 
assessment or assurance, particularly in the framework of the 
"Thematic Networks" under the ERASMUS Chapter of the 
SOCRATES programme; 
d) other assistance to higher education institutions including 
information on new methodological developments and examples 
of good practice, facilitating contact with international experts by 
forming a "pool" or preparing a "tool kit" of methodological 
instruments for obtaining information necessary for quality 
assessment and quality assurance procedures; 
e) linking quality assurance with other Community activities 
developed especially in the framework of the SOCRATES and 
the LEONARDO DA VINCI programmes, or with the 
recognition of qualifications at European level; 
f) preparation of methods to achieve better integration of graduates 
in the European labour market; 
The "European Quality Assurance Network" will be eligible for 
financial support in the framework of the SOCRATES and the 
LEONARDO DA VINCI programmes, subject to their objectives and 
normal procedures. A tangible business sector involvement in the 
assurance of quality in higher education is necessary for the latter, but is 
also desirable for SOCRATES; 
UL 
to present evety two years reports to the Council, to the European L 
Parliament and other relevant institutions of the European Community 
on the development of quality assessment and quality assurance systems 
in the Member States agj on cooperation activities at European level; 
in the light of these reports, to submit appropriate proposals to 
strengthen quality' assurance in higher education. a) exchange of information and experience, for example, through European 
conferences, workshops and by using modem information and, 
communication technologies; 
b) technical assistance to individual Member State authorities in 
implementing concrete projects for establishing or improving quality 
assessment and quality assurance procedures and mechanisms 
assistance to groups of higher education institutions from different 
Member States who wish to cooperate in quality assessment or assurance, 
particularly in the framework of the "Thematic Networks" under the 
ERASMUS Chapter of the SOCRATES programme; 
d) other assistance to higher education institutions including information on 
new methodological developments and examples of good practice, 
facilitating contact with international experts, for example, by forming a 
"poo!" or preparing a "tool kit" of methodological instruments for 
obtaining information necessary for quality assessment and quality 
assurance procedures; 
e) linking quality assurance with other Community- activities developed 
especially in the framework of the SOCRATES and the LEONARDO DA 
VINCI programmes, or with the recognition of qualifications at European 
level; 
f) preparation of methods to achieve better integration of graduates in the 
European labour market; 
The "European Quality Assurance Network" will be eligible for financial 
support in the framework of the SOCRATES and the LEONARDO DA VINCI 
programmes, subject to their objectives and normal procedures ensuring 
openess and transparency. A tangible business sector involvement in the 
assurance of quality in higher education is necessary for the latter, but is also 
desirable for SOCRATES; 
AND REQUESTS THE COMMISSION 
to present every two years reports to the Council, to the European Parliament 
and other relevant institutions of the European Community' on the development 
of quality assessment and quality assurance systems in the Member States, on 
cooperation activities at European level and on the progress achieved with 
respect to the objectives referred to above: 
in the light of these reports, to submit appropriate proposals to strengthen 
quality assurance in higher education and cooperation among the Member 
States 
¥ 


ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(97) 707 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 01 15 16 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-727-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-29635-X 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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