New NESET Report Unveils the Synergy of Quality Assurance and the Social Dimension in European Higher Education

In it’s most recent publication, the Network of Experts on the Social Dimension of Education and Training (NESET) presents its latest report, delving into the intersection of quality assurance and the social dimension in European higher education. Titled “Linking quality assurance and the social dimension of higher education: literature review and mapping national practices” was crafted by experts Ninoslav Šćukanec Schmidt, Ana Skledar Matijević and Zvonimir Anić, offers a comprehensive exploration of the relationship between these critical facets within national higher education systems, with a specific focus on the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Education Area (EEA).

Before explaining the possible links between these two policy areas, the report provides a comprehensive overview of the development of quality assurance, followed by an overview of the development of the social dimension within the EHEA and EEA. These overviews inform the third chapter of analysis, which refers to the potential intersections or points of contact between the two policies, and highlight open questions that require further consideration. The fourth chapter of the report demonstrates to what extent and in which ways policymakers in selected countries have incorporated the principles of the social dimension into their national quality assurance systems and procedures. Lastly, the main conclusions are provided at the end of this report, together with policy recommendations on how quality assurance and the social dimension of higher education could reinforce each other.