Malta’s higher education regulator clarifies ‘setback’ in bid for European recognition

The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) has issued a clarification following reports earlier today that it was “denied entry” into the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), a development that reportedly caused concern among private higher education providers in Malta.

Responding to the coverage by Times of Malta, the MFHEA explained that the outcome of its first-ever application to be listed on EQAR should not be interpreted as a failure, but rather as a normal part of an evolving quality assurance process.

“Inclusion in EQAR is voluntary but represents an additional layer of external validation,” the authority said, noting that the review found it to be partially compliant with some of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). This is a common outcome for agencies applying for the first time.

The MFHEA clarified that its recent 2024 review by ENQA (the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), which assesses agencies against the same European standards, confirmed that MFHEA meets the required quality assurance benchmarks, including the all-important criterion of independence.

This finding contrasts with EQAR’s own interpretation of the same review, which raised questions about the authority’s independence.

“In fact, EQAR’s observation on the standard of independence diverges from ENQA’s conclusion on the same matter, based on the same review,” MFHEA stated, adding that it continues to hold affiliate status with ENQA, as it has for several years.

Times of Malta’s report suggested that the EQAR decision had caused “turmoil” among private higher education institutions in Malta, raising fears that qualifications accredited by MFHEA could face obstacles abroad. In response, MFHEA acknowledged that there have been “isolated cases” of recognition issues in the past, but said these occurred before the EQAR review and are currently being addressed.

It emphasised that Maltese-accredited qualifications have been internationally recognised for over 15 years, a sign of the sustained credibility of the national quality assurance framework.

The authority framed its EQAR application as a proactive, voluntary step aimed at increasing transparency and aligning with European best practices. It signalled its intent to reapply when it has addressed the observations raised in the review.

“MFHEA reaffirms its dedication to ensuring that Malta’s further and higher education system maintains high standards of quality, independence, and international recognition,” the statement concluded.