E-learning and open education quality – some European and national standards and regulations

Abstract

This article describes and analyses selected European and national standards and regulations concerning e-learning and open education quality, such as the World Declaration on Education, Bologna Process, European Higher Education Area in 2015: Implementation Report, ENQA’s report on “Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area”, UNIQUe, European Universities Quality in e-Learning, Information Package, EFQUEL Brussels, as well as a number of national regulations: Austrian, Czech, Irish and Polish. The author also discusses some research results, obtained within the framework of the international IRNet project. At the end an analysis is presented of the “new vision” of eLearning, based on educational aims and priorities, collaboration and community building, integration and partnership, with a strong innovation focus, which are likely to produce more convincing results. The author also looks at elements which were identified in Bergen as concerning the “Bologna process” vision of eLearning.