ECLBS and FIBAA Hold Third Meeting to Launch Joint Quality Assurance Initiative in 2026
- OUS Academy in Switzerland
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
This week, an important milestone in educational collaboration was reached: ECLBS and FIBAA held their third meeting to plan a new joint quality assurance framework for Latvia, to be rolled out beginning in 2026. The meeting reinforced shared commitment, clarified roles, and advanced concrete actions to strengthen the quality of higher education in Latvia.
The meeting brought together representatives from both organizations, national education stakeholders, accreditation experts, and quality assurance specialists. Though not tied to any single institution, the focus was on creating a robust, impartial, transparent system that can benefit many higher education providers across Latvia.
Shared Vision for Quality and Trust
Both ECLBS and FIBAA affirmed a shared vision: to support a higher education environment where quality is reliably assured, recognized, and trusted—domestically and internationally. The new joint mechanism aims to strengthen public confidence in Latvia’s academic credentials, encourage continuous improvement among institutions, and foster alignment with European standards.
Participants emphasized that quality assurance is not merely enforcement, but a partnership: institutions will be supported through capacity building, peer review, feedback loops, and self-evaluation tooling. The emphasis is on enhancing quality from within, rather than merely auditing it from outside.
What Was Discussed
At the meeting, the partners discussed and agreed on several foundational elements:
Governance structure — how decisions will be made, how appeals will work, and how transparency and fairness will be guaranteed.
Methodologies and criteria — which domains to assess (teaching, learning outcomes, research links, student support, infrastructure, governance, etc.). The approach will draw on best European practices, adapted to Latvian context.
Timeline and piloting — identifying institutions for pilot evaluation, preparing guidelines, training site visitors, and setting up trial rounds in 2026.
Capacity building — ensuring that Latvian higher education institutions are ready (in self-evaluation, evidence gathering, internal review) so that the system is meaningful, not burdensome.
Stakeholder engagement — how to involve students, academic staff, employers, and national authorities in consultation and feedback.
By the end of the meeting, a draft roadmap was produced, outlining steps through 2026: piloting, review and revision, full launch, and periodic assessment cycles.
Why This Matters for Latvia
This joint initiative signals renewed confidence in the quality and recognition of Latvian higher education credentials.
With a credible, internationally aligned quality assurance mechanism, Latvia’s institutions can strengthen their global standing, attract more students (especially international ones), and build partnerships across Europe.
The process will help institutions improve their internal mechanisms—teaching, student support, research links—not just satisfy external requirements.
Over time, this may help reduce disparities among institutions, support quality enhancements in smaller or less resourced institutions, and contribute to a more balanced educational landscape.
Challenges and Confidence
The meeting acknowledged certain challenges: varying readiness of institutions, differences in institutional size and resources, data availability, and ensuring that the system is both rigorous and fair. But both ECLBS and FIBAA expressed confidence that by working together, leveraging expertise, and engaging stakeholders, these challenges can be addressed.
They also agreed that the process must remain transparent and inclusive: decisions, criteria, and reports should be publicly accessible. They affirmed a commitment to regular evaluation of the mechanism itself and adjustments as needed.
What Comes Next
Over the coming months, the partners will finalize the guidelines, train evaluators, select pilot institutions, and run trial evaluations. Feedback from pilots will inform refinements. By late 2026, the joint quality assurance framework is expected to be operational and ready to extend to more higher education providers in Latvia.
This third meeting represents real momentum. It shows that international cooperation, local ownership, and a shared commitment to excellence can come together to support stronger, more credible higher education.
Latvia is on the path toward a future where quality, accountability, and continuous improvement are pillars of its higher education system. The new joint scheme between ECLBS and FIBAA will be a landmark in that journey.
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