Since it was created in 2013, only 5 universities have been awarded this certificate, awarded by the European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education (ECA)
The European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education (ECA) has awarded the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU UCH) the Certificate for Quality in Internationalization, CeQUINT, highlighting the University’s international and intercultural outlook and the quality of its internationalization programmes. This certificate, first created in 2013, is awarded for a period of five years and can be renewed after a further assessment.
There are two types of certificate: institutional internationalization, referring to the University as whole,and programme internationalization, which is awarded for a specific study programme. CEU UCH has received the institutional award.
For this award, the ECA assesses institutions with regard to five standards: intended internationalization, regarding how goals are set, shared, and monitored and how these improve quality for students; action plans, regarding how the goals are to be achieved and how people across the institution are involved in these activities; implementation, concerning systems, management and achievement of objectives; enhancement, regarding the use of quality assurance systems and internal and external stakeholder involvement; and governance, regarding responsibilities, effectiveness and responsiveness to internal and external inputs. CEU UCH has been assessed as being excellent in the standards concerning action plans, implementation and governance, and as good for intended internationalization and enhancement.
Renewed commitment to internationalization
As part of the CEU UCH’s internationalization strategy, which has has recently been updated and presented by the Vice-Rector, Alfonso Díaz, 23 COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects are currently taking place with 942 student participants. The aim of these projects is to ensure that all students have an international educational experience over the course of their studies. The CEU UCH Vice-Rector for Internationalization and his staff are also leading other initiatives such as the Alumni Ambassadors project, which aims to support our 2500 international students, 31% of the total student body at the University.
To achieve its internationalization objectives this year, CEU UCH has submitted its application for inclusion in the US Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid programme; it has created an international learning pathway as part of the University’s emerging microcredentials system; and, in October, it will host in Valencia the International Virtual Exchange Conference (IVEC) 2022, the largest international academic event concerning virtual exchange. The latter is an opportunity for staff from universities from across the world to come together to discuss and promote the use of technology and of new multicultural approaches to education.
