Swedish National Agency for Higher Education

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Swedish: Högskoleverket) is the public authority that oversees higher education institutions (HEIs) in Sweden. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Agency) performs this task through a variety of mechanisms:

• Reviewing the quality of higher education
• Ensuring HEIs comply with relevant legislation and regulations
• Monitoring trends and developments in higher education
• Providing information about higher education
• Recognising qualifications from abroad.

The Agency's web site is at http://www.hsv.se/2.539a949110f3d5914ec800056285.html

Further details

See the specific section on Quality Assurance.

Quality assurance

It is the task of Högskoleverket (Swedish National Agency for Higher Education) to review the quality of higher education. This work includes:

• Evaluating subject areas (main fields of study) and study programmes
• Granting degree awarding powers
• Conducting quality audits of higher education institutions (HEIs)
• Presenting the award: Centre of Excellence in Higher Education
• Conducting thematic evaluations.

Purposes of quality assurance

• Individual students have the right to demand that their course or study programme is of a high standard.
• Employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors have a need for highly trained graduates.
• The general public is entitled to be assured that high levels of taxation result in high standards.
• In a global world, Swedish higher education must retain a high standard.

European perspective

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education's quality assurance policy has been developed in accordance with the European Network for Quality Assurance's (ENQA) Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. It is a member of ENQA.

The Agency's quality assurance system for the period 2007-12 is detailed in the report: 2008:4 R National quality assurance system for the period 2007-12.

There is also a specific document available (but not on the web) covering guidelines for quality assurance in e-learning.

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