The city is hosting this important international event for the first time, organized with the support of the Canary Agency for Quality in University Education and Educational Evaluation (ACCUEE), a full member of ENQA since 2023. The Hotel Santa Catalina serves as the venue where experts from across Europe are exchanging experiences and addressing the challenges of educational quality.
The Minister of Education of the Canary Islands Government, Poli Suárez, opened the event alongside the director of ACCUEE, María Rosa Suárez, and the president of ENQA, Cristina Ghițulică. The event highlights the Canary Islands' contribution to European higher education, despite its geographical distance from the continent.
Poli Suárez emphasized the pride in hosting the event and the Canary Islands' willingness to contribute to the future of education by promoting exchange and collaboration. He stressed that educational evaluation should serve to improve people's lives, relying on rigorous information to correct weaknesses and advance towards higher quality.
María Rosa Suárez explained that the assembly strengthens ACCUEE's participation in the European Higher Education Area and contributes to the debate on the future of university quality assurance. She noted that it coincides with a key stage for the agency, which will undergo a new external evaluation and the renewal of its registration in the European Register of Quality Assurance Agencies for Higher Education (EQAR).
Under the theme 'Collaborate. Learn. Innovate.', the assembly focuses on cooperation between agencies, higher education institutions, and policymakers. Sessions include analyzing the relationships between agencies and universities, cooperation in transnational education, and presenting progress on European projects.
Statutory sessions for internal matters and the election of the board of directors and presidency are scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The meeting will conclude on Friday with discussions on evaluation procedures, sustainability in quality assurance systems, and strategic communication.
The choice of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as the host city is a recognition of ACCUEE's trajectory, making it the third Spanish city to host such an event. The Canary agency achieved full membership of ENQA in April 2023, following an international external evaluation that accredited the quality and independence of its procedures, allowing its incorporation into EQAR.
ACCUEE's scope also extends to non-university education, including Vocational Training, providing a broader perspective on the Canary educational system and contributing to the improvement of educational policies at various stages through rigorous evaluations.
The social program includes cultural activities to introduce participants to the archipelago's heritage, such as guided tours of Vegueta and receptions.
