European higher education register comments on rejection of Maltese authority

The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) has commented on its rejection of the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority's (MFHEA) application for registration.

On Monday, the MFHEA issued a statement following reports that it was “denied entry” into the EQAR.

“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.

On Friday, EQAR said the Maltese authority was found partially compliant with eight out of 14 ESG standards, falling short of the requirements for registration. EQAR noted the decision followed an external review and an independent assessment by EQAR’s Register Committee.

EQAR also explained that while non-registration does not necessarily reflect on an agency’s credibility if it hasn’t applied, a rejected application shows insufficient compliance with ESG standards.

The organisation explained the implications of an agency not being registered on EQAR noted that these vary across member states. In some cases, registration is a legal prerequisite for agencies to operate, while in others it is used by national recognition centres or higher education institutions when assessing qualifications or forming international partnerships.