Resolution Calling on MFHEA to Restore its European Quality Assurance Status and Protect Students’ Right to Recognition

Background

Students have a fundamental right to study in higher education systems that are transparent, trustworthy and internationally recognised. Quality assurance is not merely a technical regulatory process; it directly affects student mobility, employability, academic progression, recognition of qualifications and confidence in higher education systems. The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) provide the common framework for internal and external quality assurance across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), supporting mutual trust, recognition and mobility between higher education systems [1]. The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) is the official EHEA register of quality assurance agencies that have demonstrated substantial compliance with the ESG [2]. Recognition of qualifications in Europe is also grounded in fair recognition principles, including those developed under the Lisbon Recognition Convention [3].

The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) applied for registration with EQAR on 14 April 2023, on the basis of an external review coordinated by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) [4]. EQAR’s Register Committee rejected the application [5] on 11 October 2024, and MFHEA’s appeal was rejected [6] on 14 March 2025. The rejection decision identified partial compliance with several ESG standards, including concerns relating to accreditation methodologies, consistency of procedures, peer-review processes, student involvement, publication of reports, outcome criteria and independence safeguards. The appeal decision confirmed that the Register Committee’s judgement was reasonable and proportionate.

The rejection does not legally invalidate Maltese qualifications, and MFHEA has stated that Maltese qualifications remain recognised and that the EQAR process was voluntary and improvement-oriented [7]. However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that the situation has no consequences for students. EQAR has clarified that registration is an important mechanism for demonstrating ESG compliance and for enhancing transparency, mutual trust and recognition in the EHEA [2][8]. The absence of EQAR registration following a rejected application can therefore create uncertainty for students and graduates by weakening confidence in the external quality assurance system underpinning Maltese-accredited qualifications.

Students in long-established public institutions may experience limited direct disruption, while students in private or lesser-known institutions, international students, and students relying on Maltese qualifications for further study, employment, professional access or migration abroad may face a higher risk of additional scrutiny, and issues with degree and ECTS acceptance internationally. In practical terms, students and graduates may be required to provide additional documentation, undergo case-by-case recognition procedures, or face delays when using their qualifications abroad, particularly where the awarding provider is not already well known internationally. Current and prospective students may also lack clear, public and comparable information about programme accreditation, external quality assurance outcomes, MQF/EQF levels, ECTS value, awarding arrangements and possible recognition risks.

Internationally, the MFHEA-EQAR situation risks weakening confidence in Maltese-accredited qualifications beyond Malta. EQAR registration functions as an important European trust signal for recognition bodies, universities, employers and professional regulators assessing qualifications from another country. Since MFHEA applied for registration and was rejected, with the appeal also unsuccessful, foreign institutions may apply greater scrutiny to Maltese-accredited qualifications, especially those awarded by private providers or institutions with limited international visibility. This may affect international students who chose Malta expecting their qualification to be portable across Europe, as well as Maltese students seeking postgraduate study or career opportunities outside Malta. The issue therefore goes beyond national regulation, it affects Malta’s credibility as a higher education destination, the international competitiveness of Maltese institutions, and students’ ability to rely on their qualifications with confidence across borders.

ESU and KSU believe that students must not be punished for shortcomings in national quality assurance or regulatory structures. Malta should therefore treat the restoration of full confidence in its higher education quality assurance system as an urgent student-rights and public-interest priority. The response must be transparent, time-bound and student-centred, avoiding both unnecessary panic and unjustified reassurance. KSU and other student representatives must be structurally involved in any reform process concerning MFHEA, quality assurance, accreditation, recognition and any future EQAR reapplication. ESU and KSU further believe that recognition difficulties should be monitored systematically and addressed through a dedicated student protection and recognition support mechanism, rather than being left to individual students after graduation.

ESU calls on the Government of Malta and MFHEA to:

1. Publish a clear public national action plan responding to the shortcomings identified in the EQAR rejection and appeal decisions, including deadlines, responsible bodies and measurable indicators.
2. Commit to a transparent pathway towards a focused review and future EQAR reapplication, based on implemented reforms rather than planned reforms alone.
3. Ensure that all higher education quality assurance procedures systematically involve external peer-review experts and trained student reviewers.
4. Guarantee KSU and student representative’s participation in quality assurance governance, programme accreditation, institutional review, follow-up processes and reform monitoring.
5. Publish accreditation reports, external quality assurance reports, decisions, conditions and follow-up outcomes in a transparent and accessible manner.
6. Clarify the respective roles of MFHEA’s Board, Quality Assurance Committee and other decision-making structures, including safeguards against conflicts of interest and political or institutional interference.
7. Strengthen legal and procedural safeguards protecting the independence of quality assurance decisions.
8. Establish a dedicated student support mechanism for students and graduates facing recognition difficulties abroad, including official documentation templates, direct liaison with recognition authorities and case-tracking.
9. Report publicly, at regular intervals, on reform progress, recognition cases and student-support outcomes.

[R1] ENQA, ESU, EUA, EURASHE, EI & EQAR 2015, Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), EQAR, EURASHE.
[R2] EQAR 2024, The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education, EQAR.
[R3] Council Of Europe 1997, Lisbon Recognition Convention – Higher education and research – www.coe.int, Higher education and research.
[R4] ENQA 2023, External review of MFHEA, ENQA.
[R5] ENQA 2024, Rejection of the Application by Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) for Inclusion on the Register, 20 May, EQAR.
[R6] EQAR 2025, Decision on the Appeal by Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) against the Decision to Inclusion on the Register, EQAR.
[R7] MFHEA 2025, MFHEA on Outcomes and Commitment to Quality Assurance, Malta Further & Higher Education Authority. [R8] EQAR 2025, EQAR statement on the outcome of MFHEA’s application, EQAR.

Reason & Seconders

Seconded by FAIRe & FAGE. KSU is proposing this resolution because students must be protected from any uncertainty surrounding the recognition, credibility and portability of Maltese qualifications. The loss of the Malta Further and Higher Education Authorities recognition from EQAR situation is not only a regulatory concern; it directly affects student mobility, employability, academic progression and confidence in Malta’s higher education system. KSU believes that students should not bear the consequences of shortcomings within national quality assurance structures. Through this resolution, KSU is calling for a transparent, time-bound and student-centred reform process, with meaningful student representation throughout. Our aim is to safeguard student rights, restore trust in Maltese higher education, and ensure that every student can rely on their qualification with confidence, both in Malta and abroad.