Candidacy status granted to Maastricht School of Management (MSM)

04-April-2024

ATHEA Quarterly Newsletter - Spring 2024

Word from our Executive Director

Dear ATHEA Community,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of our quarterly newsletter! As CEO of ATHEA, I am honored to address our members and share updates on our organization's progress, initiatives, and future plans. I have been advocating with you since the first day of ATHEA almost 10 years ago!

In the picture you can see our original Board of Commissioners… oh so many years ago! Because of these dedicated experts and the input of insititutional partners such as Peregrine Global Services, ATHEA is recognized as a driving force in higher education accreditation, and we are committed to building a legacy of excellence. In today's ever-evolving higher education landscape, our role in ensuring quality assurance and promoting academic excellence is more crucial than ever.

Your contributions as members are invaluable in shaping the future of higher education accreditation. I encourage you to stay engaged, share your insights, and actively participate in the various initiatives and activities organized by ATHEA.

Together, we can continue to drive our mission forward and ensure ATHEA remains at the forefront of excellence in higher education accreditation. Thank you for your continued support, dedication, and commitment to excellence.

I hope to see all of you in Amsterdam this June for the Annual General Assembly!

Best regards,

Oliver Olson

Executive Director ATHEA

European Commission presents a blueprint for a European degree

The European Commission has adopted a groundbreaking package of proposals aimed at fostering deeper collaboration among higher education institutions across Europe, ultimately leading to the creation of a European degree.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of a more integrated and internationally recognized higher education landscape.

The Transformative Power of Higher Education: Alexander's Journey

In higher education, accreditation shapes the educational landscape and drives transformative change. Alexander's journey through the Business School Netherlands MBA program showcases how accreditation goes beyond validation, fostering personal growth and driving real change in individuals and society.

Business School Lausanne (BSL) first institutional accreditation

We are thrilled to announce a great achievement at Business School Lausanne (BSL) as they have obtained their first institutional accreditation. This recognition is a testament to their unwavering dedication to academic excellence, sustainability, and student-centered learning.

Newly appointed Chair of the Board of Commissioners

We are delighted to welcome Camila Cepeda Morgade as the newly appointed Chair of the Board of Commissioners (BoC) at ATHEA. The Commissioners, serving as the independent decision-making body, are tasked with evaluating accreditation requests and determining the accreditation status of our member institutions. With Camila at the helm, we trust that the Board will steadfastly maintain the highest standards of quality assurance and accreditation.

Read more: LinkedIn

Celebrating 20 Years: Peregrine Global Services

Two decades ago, Peregrine Global Services began with a bold vision: to transform education through leadership and quality assessment. Today, they continue to revolutionize academic evaluation, empowering institutions to enhance student outcomes. As a founding partner of ATHEA, Peregrine has been instrumental in shaping higher education quality.

Congratulations on 20 years of impactful innovation!

European Higher Education Area (ESG) training for staff members

Our staff members recently participated in a comprehensive 2-day workshop aimed at preparing us for the next phase of our EQAR registration journey. The workshop focused on equipping our team with the necessary knowledge and skills related to the "Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area" (ESG), specifically focusing on parts 2 and 3 of the standards, setting a solid foundation for our EQAR registration process.

Nominations Open for ATHEA Board of Commissioners

We're thrilled to open nominations for the Board of Commissioners at ATHEA, offering our members a unique chance to shape the future of higher education accreditation. The Board plays a crucial role in evaluating accreditation candidates against the European Standards and Guidelines (ESGs), ensuring the highest academic quality and integrity.

We're seeking passionate candidates dedicated to our mission and vision, with experience in teaching, research, student support, or quality assurance. Eligible candidates must be affiliated with a member school and endorsed by their institution. Please note that current voting members of the Accreditation Commission cannot hold positions on the Board.

Nominations should be sent to boc@athea.org by Friday, April 5th. We encourage all eligible members to seize this opportunity and contribute to advancing higher education accreditation with ATHEA.

Annual reports members

We are pleased to report that we have received all annual reports from our members. The submission of annual reports is a crucial aspect of our accreditation process, providing valuable insights into the ongoing activities, achievements, and challenges faced by our member institutions.

These reports play a pivotal role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement within our accreditation framework.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Jelena Roborgh-Mitrovic, Manager Accreditations, Odgerel Batmunkh, Manager Projects & Members and our dedicated members for their unwavering support and contributions to this essential process.

EQAR Registration update

Starting this year, ATHEA has taken significant steps forward in our EQAR listing application process. We formally started this journey by signing a contract with ASIIN to manage the self-study for our application. This marks a crucial step towards achieving EQAR recognition and underscores our commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality assurance in higher education.

We are now transitioning into Phase 2, Self-Assessment and Gap Analysis where we will conduct a comprehensive analysis of our internal quality assurance processes, review existing documents and procedures, and assess them against the ESG standards, enabling us to enhance our readiness for EQAR registration.

We are fully committed to maintaining transparency and keeping you updated throughout this journey.