National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation
The National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (, ANECA) is the authorised agency of the Spanish government whose aim is to provide external quality assurance for the Spanish higher education system and to contribute to its constant improvement through evaluation, certification and accreditation. ANECA was created as a foundation in 2002 by the Cabinet of Spain under the Universities Organic Act, and it has the status of Autonomous agency. It is a member of the European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education (ECA). Mission. ANECA's mission is to coordinate policies for quality  assurance (QA) in Spanish universities. Such policies are aimed at fitting the university to the market. Through the evaluation reports it publishes, leading to certification and accreditation, ANECA aims to measure the performance of public-sector higher education according to objective criteria and transparent processes. Its ultimate aim is that the quality of university provision should be guaranteed and publicised, securing the universities' integration into the European Higher Education Area. Structure. The ANECA foundation comprises its management ("Gerencia"), a Governing Council ("Consejo Rector") which includes the Secreatry-General for Universities, and several advisory councils ("Comisiones de Asesoramiento"). Its current director  is Mercedes Siles Molina, appointed in February 2019. Former Directors have been Ismael Crespo Martínez (founder, 2002–2004), Francisco Marcellán (2004-2006), Gemma Rauret (2006-2009), Zulima Fernández Rodríguez (2009-2012), Rafael van Grieken Salvador (2012-2016) and José Arnáez Vadillo (2016-2019). The governing statutes lay down that the Director shall be appointed for a three-year term by the Governing Council on the instance of the Minister of Universities. The structure of the agency is: Governing bodies. Governing Council. The governing council is the corporate governing body responsible for controlling and monitoring ANECA's activities, and for maintaining stakeholders  in higher education informed of these, as provided for in the Statutes and other current legislation. The council has nine members. Participation by major stakeholders has been encouraged in higher education through representatives from different affiliated bodies: students, the Conference of the Social Bodies of Spanish Public Universities, trade unions and the national Confederation of Business Organisations, as well as a Regional Administration representative with responsibilities in university education. Director. The director is a unipersonal executive body tasked with the ordinary management of ANECA. The director is appointed by the Governing Council, thus further strengthening independence. Activities. ANECA carries out  training, evaluation, certification and accreditation in the following fields, using internationally applied procedures and evaluation criteria: Autonomic agencies. Regional agencies with similar functions to ANECA have been set up within the autonomous communities.