Under current Swedish law, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) cannot conduct reviews abroad or recognise the results of other quality assurance organisations concerning Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs). This may lead to transnational joint programmes facing multiple reviews, and that Sweden risks losing influence. UKÄ proposes three measures to facilitate cross-border quality assurance.

Swedish universities have responded well to the increasing internationalisation driven by the European Commission and the ministers in the European Higher Education Area. Currently, nineteen HEIs participate in European University alliances, and two out of three HEIs either offer or plan to offer transnational joint programs. The report "Transnational Quality Assurance" examines the experiences of Swedish HEIs with quality assurance for European Universities and joint programmes. While HEIs see the benefits of deepening international cooperation, several challenges remain. These challenges often relate to differences in national regulations, but sometimes they also concern quality assurance. Based on the report’s findings, we propose the government initiate a review of:

1. Swedish regulations and procedures that hinder the implementation of joint programmes involving Swedish participants.
2. The possibilities for UKÄ to conduct reviews outside Sweden in accordance with the Bologna Process.
3. The possibility of Sweden recognising reviews conducted by other EQAR-registered organisations in line with the Bologna Process.

"Transnational quality assurance is facilitated by increased cooperation, and mutual recognition aligns with the Bologna Process's goals. At the same time, reviews should be adaptable to ensure precision. UKÄ has taken steps to achieve this in Sweden", says Oskar Kindberg, one of the report’s authors.

Without changes to Swedish legislation, UKÄ cannot conduct reviews abroad or recognize the results of other quality assurance organisations related to Swedish HEIs. This limitation risks preventing UKÄ from being selected as a quality assurance organisation by Swedish HEIs, which could lead them to refrain from coordinating European University alliances and joint programmes, and that Sweden will fall behind in this area.

Read the report "Transnational Quality Assurance". Pdf, 683 kB.