Lessons Learned

Improving an External Quality Assurance System

This article aims to present the changes in institutional review that were introduced after running external quality assurance procedures for a number of years, the feedback from different stakeholders was taken into particular consideration. It analyses the scope for improvement within the context of the higher education system and quality assurance system in Lithuania, while highlighting key features of institutional review. It presents the changes that were introduced after receiving comments from participants of quality assurance. This analysis is intended for those working in quality assurance agencies and aims at improving their processes. Though common standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education area serve as a shared reference point for quality assurance, it is important to take each national context into consideration. The lessons learned by the Lithuanian Agency for Quality Assurance (SKVC) could help others who are engaged in external quality assurance to find new tools or enhance existing ones.