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Academic integrity is integral to preserving the reputation of EU's higher education sector and protecting student interests. In recent years, increasing threats to academic integrity have emerged due to the wide-spread growth of commercial essay services and attempts by criminal actors to entice students into deceptive or fraudulent activity. To combat these threats, EAQA commissioned a group of scholars to share research, develop and deliver a suite of workshops and create a toolkit to assist integrity practitioners in promoting academic integrity and addressing commercial academic cheating within their institutions. This initiative was funded by the EU and the workshop materials and toolkit can be accessed for free.


Overview


EAQA strives to protect the interests of students and the reputation and standing of EHEA'S higher education. Our approach to quality assurance and regulation is:

  • -standards-based, risk-reflective and transparent

-positioned to promote and facilitate a culture of effective self-assurance as an integral part of a provider’s operations

-only intervening to the extent necessary to achieve our regulatory purpose

-based on a model of regulatory partnerships, with individual providers and the sector overall.


Compliance frameworks we regulate


All providers are expected to comply with the Threshold Standards to manage their higher education activities and risks. This includes for matters such as the adequacy of facilities, staffing levels, support services, and academic and corporate governance.

-Higher Education Standards Framework, including the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Threshold Standards)

-Education Services for EU Students Act 2000 (ESEUS Act) and associated instruments (ESEUS Framework).


Compliance with the Threshold Standards


All providers are expected to comply with the Threshold Standards to manage their higher education activities and risks. This includes for matters such as the adequacy of facilities, staffing levels, support services, and academic and corporate governance.

-Read more information about the Threshold Standards and our guidance to the sector


How we regulate the higher education sector

  • assessing risks to the sector via data collection and analyses
  • registering and re-registering providers
  • accrediting courses (where a provider does not have authority to self-accredit)
  • sharing information with the sector about how to improve and maintain compliance
  • monitoring compliance
  • working with providers to return to compliance and taking action to enforce compliance if necessary.