The Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA) successfully held its 4^th Annual Conference on 29 September 2026 in Prishtina, under the theme “Internal Quality Assurance in Higher Education Institutions: From Evaluation to Quality Culture”.

The conference brought together representatives of higher education institutions, quality assurance agencies, European organizations, public institutions, students and other relevant stakeholders to exchange perspectives on how external evaluation and internal quality assurance can contribute to institutional learning, continuous improvement, accountability, and the development of a sustainable quality culture in higher education.

The conference was opened with welcoming remarks by Prof. dr. Avni Berisha, President of the State Council of Quality (SCQ), together with Mr. Hajrulla Çeku, Minister of Education and Science, and his excellency Georg Schnetzer, Austrian Ambassador to Kosovo. The host institution was presented by Mr. Arianit Krasniqi, Acting General Director of KAA.

A particular highlight of the conference was the participation of distinguished representatives of European quality assurance organizations and agencies. Anna Gover, Director of ENQA, addressed European perspectives on the role of quality assurance agencies in strengthening quality culture, while Prof. Hasnije Iliazi, former President of the SCQ, reflected on the development of KAA’s approach to internal quality assurance, accreditation and monitoring.

A Recognition Award from the State Council of Quality (SCQ) was presented to the former Director General of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), Mr. Naim Gashi, in appreciation of his “extraordinary contribution to the development and international recognition of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency”.

The first panel “The Role of Quality Assurance Agencies” brought together senior representatives from quality assurance bodies in North Macedonia, Slovenia, Albania, Hungary, Belgium, and the European quality assurance community. Discussions focused on how external evaluation can reinforce institutional accountability while at the same time supporting improvement, autonomy, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based quality enhancement.  The second panel, “Institutional Good Practice in Internal QA,” presented institutional experiences from universities and colleges in Kosovo and across Europe. Particular attention was given to governance arrangements, engagement of students and staff, programme monitoring, data-informed decision-making, self-assessment, and the integration of quality assurance into institutional strategy.

The conference concluded with a summary of the main messages and reflections on the way forward, including priorities for strengthening internal quality assurance systems and further cooperation between higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies in Kosovo.

KAA extends its sincere appreciation to SHER – Sustainable Higher Education and Research in Kosovo, the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Council of Quality, the entire KAA team, as well as all speakers, moderators, participants, institutional representatives, students, and partners whose contribution made the conference a success.