Getting certified

Please see here for more information on how to apply for CeQuInt and the associated costs.

The self-evaluation report forms the basis for the assessment and the interviews during the site- visit. The self-evaluation report should provide information with regard to the corresponding standards and criteria of this framework. The report should not duplicate or extensively copy from existing documentation. The original documentation may be included as an annex.

The information provided by the self-evaluation report should be sufficient to supply the panel with the necessary information to understand the level of attainment across a standard’s entire spectrum. This understanding can then be tested and amended during the site-visit.

Templates for self-evaluation reports of programmes and of institutions are available here.

The assessment of the quality of internationalisation includes a site visit. The panel is expected to interview the management, teaching staff, students, external stakeholders, and staff responsible for internationalisation activities (international officer, exchange coordinator, international students mentor, etc.).

The goal of the assessment report is to present considerations and to give feedback to the programme or institution. You can see more about Templates for assessment reports of programmes and of institutions here.

For each criterion, the assessment panel presents (objective) findings and (subjective) considerations. Here, the panel is also expected to explicitly identify shortcomings and exemplary or good practices. Identified good practices will be published here.

For each standard, the assessment panel presents an overall conclusion. Here the panel substantiates its assessment on the basis of the criteria by which the standard is defined. This overall conclusion finishes off with a judgement.

A programme or an institution is proposed to receive the Certificate for Quality in Internationalisation when at least three standards are assessed as good or excellent and no standard is assessed as unsatisfactory.

The decision-making process consists of the following phases:

1. The assessment report of the panel is handled by the ECA member agency that coordinated the assessment. If possible for the agency, a formal decision regarding CeQuInt is taken by the ECA member agency.

2. The applying higher education institution (the applicant) sends the assessment report and the positive decision (if available) of the ECA member agency to the ECA Secretariat (secretariat@ecahe.eu), thereby requesting to receive the ECA Certificate for Quality in Internationalisation.

3. After receiving the assessment report the ECA Secretariat checks whether the initial application requirements of the ECA Certification Group are fulfilled. The Certification Group is the standing committee of ECA being responsible for the methodology and decision-making regarding the ECA Certificate.

4. After due process by the ECA Certification Group, the ECA Secretariat informs the applicant and (in case of a positive outcome) publishes the relevant information and assessment report.  The award of the Certificate is formalised once the assessment report is published here. The decision-making phase should normally be completed within 6 weeks after the ECA Secretariat receives the payment of the application fee.

In most cases the decision regarding CeQuInt is taken by the ECA member agency and the applicant will have to lodge an appeal to the decision with the agency, following the appeals procedure of the agency. If the decision is taken by the ECA Certification Group then the applicant will have to lodge an appeal to ECA (secretariat@ecahe.eu). For this purpose ECA has established an appeals procedure and appeals committee.