ENQA was involved as a partner in the European project “Supporting Quality in e-learning European NeTworks” (SEQUENT) coordinated by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). The project received funding under the Lifelong Learning programme / Erasmus Accompanying Measures sub-action.
TERM/DURATION
1 October 2013 to 30 June 2015 (21 months)
PARTNERSHIP
The consortium of the project was composed of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) as the coordinator and the European Foundation for Quality in e-learning (EFQUEL) and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) as partners.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Project aim
The “SEQUENT” project aimed to promote excellence in the use of ICT in higher education, with a clear goal to prepare European Universities in line with the European Modernisation Agenda and to make higher education in Europe fit better to cross-border collaboration initiatives in the implementation of innovative and ICT enhanced partnerships. To this end, the project based itself on models that were developed by previous EU-funded projects and other internationally recognised models that enhance the quality of ICT in higher education. The project raised awareness within the European higher education community on the importance of a mainstreamed ICT uptake through project events and the partners’ large memberships.
Target groups
The main direct target groups were universities, quality assurance agencies, governments and other relevant stakeholders (EU, EUA, ESMU etc.)
Specific objectives
In order to achieve its overall aim, the project had the following specific objectives:
• Convince governments, universities and QA agencies of the necessity to have a QA approach for e-Learning provision.
• To raise awareness on Open and flexible learning among higher education institutions and networks in the form of lobby activities, profiling and conference presentations throughout the mainstream education channels.
• Further disseminate instruments for different applications of QA and a clear summary of the available method and to promote UNIQUe and E-xcellence as examples of these instruments, promoted towards the same or different stakeholders (sometimes overlap).
• To support universities in the adoption of a QA and e-Learning strategy, through dissemination and training activities.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
The project had the following main outcomes:
• A comprehensive show case booklet will be published with the selected excellence examples collected from higher education institutions. The booklet will serve as inspiration and as supporting material for future training and consultancies activities during and after the project lifetime
• Curriculum of a master class training session on QA in open and distance learning
• Training handbook on “Quality Assurance for Open and Flexible Learning in Higher Education”
PROJECT EVENTS
The following events took place during the project:
• Two European Conferences on Excellence in ICT enhanced higher education where expert speakers will be involved and the results of the project that are to date achieved within the project activities will be presented
• Information sessions at university networks, for a audience of HE representatives
• Training event on the topic of excellence in ICT enhanced Higher Education (European Master Class Training)
• Dissemination events
The SEQUENT website is available here.