<< Background >>During the last decade, the interest in quality assurance in education has been at the heart of the educational policy. The development of robust quality assurance systems is vital in order to develop high quality and inclusive education in the European education area. It has also been important to support promotion of shared values and the European dimension of teaching. Higher education focuses on knowledge, theory and thinking skills, while vocational education focuses on job-specific skills.Higher education plays a fundamental role in supporting social cohesion, economic growth and global competitiveness. Given the desire of the European societies to become increasingly knowledge-based, higher education is a crucial factor of socio-economic and cultural expansion. In parallel, a growing need for skills and competences, entails higher education to react in new ways. A key goal of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), (2015), Brussels, Belgium) is to contribute to the common understanding of quality assurance for learning and teaching across borders and among all stakeholders. High quality and innovative vocational education and training systems provide people with skills for labor, personal development and citizenship, which supports them to adapt to, and deliver on, the twin digital and green shifts, to handle emergency situations and economic shocks, while also supporting economic growth and social cohesion. Thus, providing them with skills assisting them contract or produce jobs according to the labor market demands.The European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for VET (EQAVET) (Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the establishment of a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training OJ C 155, 8.7.2009, p. 1–10) is designed to promote better vocational education and training by providing authorities with common tools for the management of quality. Its aim is to recognize qualifications and competences received by learners through different countries or learning environments, in a way to promote modernization, mutual trust and mobility in VET. In January 2019, the DG-EMPL published the Study on EU VET instruments (EQAVET and ECVET) to examine their influence and their relationship with other EU instruments, and consider if and how the instruments can build on what has been achieved so far and increase their future impact.Regarding the latter, the EU set out potential approaches of both EQAVET and ECVET to increase alignment with HE<< Objectives >>The overall aim of this project is to explore the applicability of elements included in the ESG in the EQAVET framework and vice versa. At the moment, there is no systematic exchange between the two systems, despite the fact that there are certain similarities between them. The QA-HEVET project builds upon the transnational approach through predecessor projects in the EQAVET field, such as EQAVET in Practice, QSE-VET, QC-VET implemented by members of the project team, which have been exploring, testing and implemented tools and guidelines in the EQAVET framework for improved VET practice. This experience is to be transferred in the HE field. The already developed tools are used as a basis to investigate how an alignment between the two frameworks could be implemented. The main target groups of QA-HEVET are, therefore:From VET perspective: VET providers, national associations of VET providers, national VET authorities, National Quality Assurance Reference Points (NRPs).From HE perspective: HEIs, national Associations of Institutions in Higher Education, national HEI authorities, agencies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.The main objectives of the project are:1. Explore the two European frameworks, focusing in their implementation in national levels, with regard to quality assurance assessment in both vocational education and training and higher education.2. Examine the possible implementation of good practices of the ESG methodology in the EQAVET methodology and vice versa.3. Provide recommendations for potential alignment of the two frameworks.4. Provide combined tools to quality assurance practitioners of both systems for implementing the ESG and EQAVET frameworks.<< Implementation >>In order to accomplish the above objectives, the QA-HEVET project foresees the following implementation activities: The ESG and the EQAVET frameworks are analyzed both at a European and at a national level. Their characteristics are defined and their differences, similarities, strengths and weaknesses are analyzed. Focus groups are being realized to investigate the actual implementation of the quality assurance frameworks at institutional level. The activity concludes with a comparative study of the results identifying best practices. The following tasks are implemented during this activity:T1.1 Study of ESG and EQAVET framework at a European levelT1.2 Definition of the characteristics of the different national quality assurance schemes for both HEIs and VETsT1.3 Analysis of the differences, similarities, strengths and weaknesses of ESG and EQAVET framework and their implementation frameworks in the partner countriesT1.4 Focus groups realizationT1.5 National and European Report developmentT1.6 Comparative study finalizationBased on the previous activity’s results, a self-assessment tool for HEIs and VET Providers is created to assist them in investigating their quality assurance processes. Recommendations on aligning the ESG and EQAVET systems are elaborated and consultation meetings at a European level follow, in order to collect feedback on the recommendation study. The final version of the recommendation study is produced. The following tasks are implemented during this activity:T2.1 Creation of the self-assessment tool methodology and Quality Attention AreasT2.2 Field analysis of the quality assurance systems in practice in the project countries through visits to HEIs and VETsT2.3 Elaboration of the recommendation study T2.4 Consultation meetings with EQAVET and ESG experts at a European level T2.5 Final version of the recommendation studyThe Quick scan tool is updated based on the previous two activities. A variety of tools is incorporated in the tool to fit the needs of both VET providers and HEIs in assessing the quality standards in an effective and productive manner.The following tasks are implemented during this activity:T3.1 Mapping needs of Quick-scan tool & Quality Indicators T3.2 Incorporating HEI related information and tools T3.3 Development and implementation of necessary updates in the Quick scan tool T3.4 Testing the tool by sample of providers and HEIs in each partner country T3.5 Finalizing the Quick scan tool and making it available online Moreover, management, monitoring and dissemination activities are also performed. A1 Coordination activities such as signing of agreements, meetings, coordination emails, reporting; A2 Quality assurance activities such as development of quality assurance guide, project meetings evaluation and project key performance indicators monitoring.A3 Sharing and promotion activities such as composition of sharing and promotion activities strategy, development of project website, composition brochures, composition and dissemination of press releases, social media posts, newsletters, interim and final dissemination report, etc.Project coordination and management follows a holistic approach considering sustainability of project activities. The project is implemented aiming both to create value and impact, but in an ethical, fair and environmental considerate way. Ensuring that the project is sustainable is a team effort and rules for ensuring the project sustainability (such as preference for environmental friendly transport, favoring of electronic dissemination media, green procurement suggestions, data management compliance, etc.) are included in the project operational specifications.<< Results >>The work plan leads to the achievement of the following project results:PR-1 Comparative Analysis of HEI and VET quality assurance systems, which investigates similarities in the technical features of these two frameworks both in European and national level and identifies the best practices.PR-2 Recommendations for moving to an aligned quality assurance system and creation of a self-assessment tool methodology for quality assurance practitioners in both education fields.PR-3 Quick scan tool for VET Providers and HEIs to support them in enhancing their institution wide commitment, policy and action plan on continuous improvement.Besides the final results of the project, mentioned above, several other outcomes are going to derive from the project implementation. The partners will have the chance to widen their network through the dissemination and pilot activities of the project as well as its final conference. They will also have the chance to gain experience from the project implementation and use of tools. Furthermore, the project aims in facilitating key agencies’ work such as CEDEFOP as they will be able to draw on the practical experience of the project and be able to analyze what works, and what doesn’t work, in practiceA range of information sources will be available post-project, such as a dedicated project website for individuals, groups, and networks to review and obtain information.Moreover the project will raise awareness on the importance of QA in education and at the same time provide tools that any educator and/or institution may use for improving the QA of educational services. However what should be mentioned as one of the most important expected outcomes of the project, is that by the end it will have addressed a number of key issues on aligning EQAVET and ESG.