Revision of the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) 2027

Public Consultation Now Open

Following the mandate given by Ministers in the Tirana Communiqué (May 2024), the authors of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) in the European Higher Education Area have formally launched the revision process. The updated ESG 2027 will reflect the evolving landscape of European higher education, ensuring that quality assurance frameworks remain coherent, future-oriented, and fit for purpose.

The final text of the ESG 2027 is expected to be approved by the Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG) in autumn 2026, and subsequently adopted by EHEA Ministers at the 2027 Ministerial Conference in Romania/Moldova.

EURASHE’s role in the revision

As one of the original co-authors of the ESG, EURASHE plays an active role in the current revision process, with representation in both the Drafting Group and the Steering Committee. This ensures that the perspective of Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) and the broader applied higher education sector is fully embedded into the renewed ESG principles, especially regarding practice-oriented learning, institutional diversity, work-based learning, and lifelong learning pathways.

The revision is coordinated by a Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the seven primary and cooperating authors. The process draws heavily on the results of the QA-FIT project, which collected evidence on how the ESG are implemented across Europe and identified areas for improvement.

Public consultation

On 17 November 2025, the Steering Committee published the first complete draft of the ESG 2027 and invites feedback from all stakeholders across the European Higher Education Area. The consultation package includes:

All input must be submitted exclusively via the online survey, which allows respondents to provide feedback standard by standard or at the level of each section. It is not required to answer every question, but the survey must be completed in a single session.

The deadline for submissions is 9 January 2026. Feedback sent by email or through other channels will not be considered.

Next steps

This is the first draft of the ESG 2027. In the coming months, the Steering Committee—together with the Drafting Group—will analyse all responses, refine the coherence and structure of the text, and develop the final version to be submitted to the BFUG in late 2026.

EURASHE encourages its members and stakeholders in applied higher education to participate actively in the consultation. Your input is essential in ensuring that the revised ESG continue to support quality, relevance, and innovation across the diverse higher education systems of the EHEA.