The School of Engineering and the School of Economics and Business at UNAB certify their quality assurance system with ANECA

During the last week of November, the Spanish National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) informed Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) about the successful audit process of the Internal Quality Assurance Systems implemented in the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEN) and the Faculty of Engineering of this university.

Both academic units received the certification for the maximum period of 6 years. About this event, the UNAB President, Julio Castro, said that «this certification is very important for our university, as it attests to the quality of our processes and their implementation, which in simple words means that we have the systems to ensure excellence in the training that we committed to our students, in this case, from both faculties. This accreditation will also strengthen the international mobility of students, academics, and researchers from both academic units, facilitating partnerships with European universities with certified or accredited quality assurance systems».

Meanwhile, the Dean of Quality Assurance, Carmen Gloria Jiménez, emphasized that «after the audit process, ANECA highlighted the participation of students, academics, researchers, employers and graduates of both faculties, as well as the technical team of the different vice-rectorates that make up the UNAB. Clearly, this collaboration and commitment have been fundamental to achieving this important certification».

In this way, Universidad Andrés Bello has managed to certify the Internal Quality Assurance System in 6 of its 11 faculties, demonstrating its firm commitment to academic excellence. And, as Jimenez explains. The commitment is to accredit 100% of its faculties, a process on which it is working.

The SAIC is a model previously tested by the Spanish agency ANECA. This entity oversees the quality of higher education in Spanish and Latin American institutions through the evaluation, certification, and accreditation of teaching, faculty, and institutions. For more information you can visit: https://www.aneca.es/sistemas-garantia-interna-calidad-instituciones

Commitment to excellence

From the Faculty of Engineering, Dean Dr. Alejandro Caroca expressed his satisfaction with the result and the pride with which the community receives it, emphasizing that, unlike other quality assurance processes that focus more on the design and existence of processes and procedures, «this certification for a maximum of 6 years shows that as a Faculty we have advanced further, successfully implementing our Internal Quality Assurance System, complying with demanding criteria and guidelines established by the European Higher Education Area».

In this line, he assured that this achievement responds to the «strong commitment we have in the Faculty to advance in the strengthening of a culture with international quality standards,» which was obtained thanks to the permanent commitment of the collaborators, the active participation of students and teachers, and the excellent infrastructure and equipment available: «We are the first Faculty of Engineering in the country to be certified at the level of the European Higher Education Area, which is a tremendous achievement and great news for the UNAB community.»

For his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Dr. Miguel Vargas, said that this certification is «a credential that guarantees that the work done at FEN is of the level and quality required of a European institution. In this regard, he emphasized that «the work of the faculty’s teams is of a very high level of quality, and the commitment to this quality on the part of the professors and administrative staff is profound. We will continue to work in this way because we are motivated to deliver the best possible to our students».

Regarding the impact of this certification, both deans explained that it will open several doors to students, graduates, and academics in prestigious Higher Education Institutions in Europe, providing opportunities for growth and professional development. «It will allow us to deepen the relationships that we have built with international units, in this particular case in Spain and Europe, to have more and deeper agreements in terms of student exchange, the possibility of accessing double degrees, research links, among others,» explained the head of the FEN.

Dr. Caroca noted, «We will be able to generate new initiatives for the continuity of studies, double degrees, international internships, and joint research projects with leading European universities.