ACCUA participates in the 12th Meeting of Quality Assurance Technical Units of Andalusian Universities, organised by the University of Jaén

The Agency’s Director highlighted the importance of building a relationship of mutual trust among institutions working towards the shared goal of assuring the quality of higher education

The Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA) took part in the 12th Meeting of Quality Technical Units of Andalusian Universities, organised by the University of Jaén and held on 28 and 29 April 2026. The event served as a forum for the exchange of experiences, discussion, and reflection among technical staff from the quality assurance technical units of Andalusian universities, alongside ACCUA personnel and members of university governing teams.

The programme was structured around a series of presentations and panel discussions addressing the main current challenges facing internal and external quality assurance systems in higher education. Miguel Agudo Zamora, Head of the Institutional Accreditation Area at ACCUA, presented an overview of the state of institutional accreditation in Andalusia and the challenges faced by both universities and the Agency in relation to the timelines established by the revised Royal Decree 640/2021, as amended by Royal Decree 905/2025. The morning concluded with a roundtable on quality management in joint programmes, involving academic leaders from several Andalusian universities, which highlighted the complexity and specific challenges associated with this type of provision.

During the afternoon of the first day, sessions focused on practical tools and experiences, including a presentation on the DOCENTIA programme delivered by Esther Megía Serrano, technical staff member at ACCUA. She explained how the programme operates and encouraged universities to adopt it, emphasising its benefits in ensuring the competence and professional development of university teaching staff. The day concluded with a panel on good practices in evaluation, showcasing initiatives related to user experience in libraries and the use of focus groups involving students, academic staff, and employers.

The second day introduced a forward-looking perspective, with particular attention to the impact of artificial intelligence on quality assurance evaluation, as well as the analysis of employability data sources and mechanisms for active engagement with employers. The meeting concluded with a closing address by Miguel Aguilar Urbano, Director of ACCUA, who outlined future perspectives for quality assurance in Andalusia. He emphasised the need to strengthen institutional cooperation and trust among system stakeholders, enabling quality assurance agencies to evolve from a primarily supervisory role towards that of a trusted partner.