European Union Policies for the Evaluation of Universities

Abstract

EU universities play a crucial role in addressing challenges by fostering innovation, competitiveness, and societal progress. To ensure the quality of higher education institutions, the EU has refined its university evaluation policies, particularly in the areas of quality assurance (QA) and accreditation.
Research assessment in EU universities has also been under scrutiny, with concerns about the inappropriate use of bibliometric indices and rankings. The EU has made efforts to promote Open Science and establish a new European Research Area, focusing on qualitative evaluation and responsible use of quantitative indicators. The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) has presented an agreement to reform research assessment, emphasizing peer review and discouraging the use of rankings.
International university rankings continue to influence perceptions of university quality. In response, the European Commission introduced U-Multirank as a multidimensional alternative that considers teaching, research, knowledge transfer, international orientation, and regional engagement. However, U-Multirank is relatively unknown and lacks media resonance.
The impact of initiatives like CoARA and U-Multirank remains uncertain. EU universities must continue to adapt to these evolving evaluation mechanisms as they strive to meet the diverse challenges facing the region.