Academic Cooperation Association ACA

Overview

The Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) is an independent, membership‑based international think‑tank and platform dedicated to fostering the innovation and internationalisation of higher education across Europe and beyond. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, ACA connects national agencies responsible for international student mobility, joint programmes and policy support. According to uniRank, ACA “is a European non‑profit organisation that focuses on promoting internationalization and cooperation in higher education” and it is widely recognised as one of the key voices in European higher education policy.

History and Legal Framework

ACA was formally established in June 1993, initiated by the British Council, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Netherlands-based NUFFIC. The founders recognised the growing complexity and scale of European Union programmes in education and saw the need for a unified European platform to support national agencies in coordinating their internationalisation efforts.

In 1998, ACA extended its membership beyond EU & EFTA countries to the wider European region, enabling Central and Eastern European national agencies to become full members.

Legally, ACA is constituted as a not‑for‑profit «AISBL/VZW» under Belgian law (the Code of Companies and Associations). Its Statutes set out the legal framework for governance, liability, membership and dissolution, ensuring compliance with Belgian corporate‑nonprofit regulations and EU transparency rules.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

ACA holds a dual mission:

• Platform Function: To serve its national‑agency members as a venue for peer‑learning, exchange and coordinated action, advocating collectively before European institutions and national governments.
• Think‑tank Function: To generate research, analysis, policy briefs and position papers on key topics in international higher education.

Its vision is to enable European higher education systems to become more open, inclusive, innovative and globally competitive by leveraging mobility, joint programmes and renewed quality frameworks.

ACA’s key objectives include:

1. Strengthening member institutions’ strategic capacity to internationalise.
2. Informing and shaping European and global policy on cooperation in higher education.
3. Facilitating the design, monitoring and evaluation of mobility and joint‑programme initiatives.
4. Serving as a knowledge gateway on trends such as digitalisation, inclusion, sustainability and new mobility formats.

Governance, Structure and Independence

The Statutes establish a three-tier governance model:

• General Assembly: The highest decision‑making body, composed of all full and associate members. Only full European members have voting rights. It convenes twice annually to approve budgets, elect the President and Administrative Council and oversee strategy.
• Administrative Council: Up to seven elected representatives from full members, including the President, Vice‑President and Treasurer. It meets at least twice a year to guide policy and oversee the Secretariat. Current leadership (2025) includes President Gro Tjøre (Norway) and Vice-President Stephan Geifes (DAAD).
• Secretariat: Based in Brussels and headed by Director Irina Ferencz (since 2008), the Secretariat manages day‑to‑day operations, communications, publications, project management and events.

ACA maintains full operational and financial independence from any single national government or the European Commission, notwithstanding that it receives support (e.g. for co‑funded work under the Erasmus+ Programme). Its ability to critique and advise European policy bodies demonstrates its autonomous role.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

ACA does not perform institutional or programme accreditation itself. Instead, it supports quality assurance and evaluation through:

• Research and peer-learning on evaluation methodologies, mobility impact and joint programme governance.
• Capacity‑building (e.g. ACAdemy workshops, thematic peer groups) for national agencies responsible for accreditation or evaluation.
• Consultancies commissioned by governments, agencies or institutions for design and evaluation of cooperation policies.

While some of its members are national bodies with formal accreditation mandates, ACA’s role is advisory and analytical—aimed at promoting good practice, transparency, inclusion and international benchmarking.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ACA comprises around two dozen full members from European national agencies responsible for higher education internationalisation and a small number of associate members beyond Europe (currently including agencies from the United States, Canada and Asia). Through its membership, ACA bridges national higher education systems and European/global policy frameworks.

It actively collaborates with European institutions—such as the European Commission (EACEA), the European Parliament, the Bologna Follow‑Up Group—and plays a visible role in debates on EU initiatives like the European Universities Networks, Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe.

At the global level, ACA is linked to UNESCO‑related forums, regional higher education associations and allied think tanks, consolidating its broad network of partnerships.

Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

Over the past five years, ACA has sharpened its focus around four strategic priorities (2023‑2027 Strategy):

• enhancing the capacity of member agencies to support digital and sustainability transitions;
• advancing inclusive access to international mobility and study opportunities;
• strengthening ACA’s advisory role to the EU; and
• harnessing and disseminating emerging data and policy trends.

Its outputs—such as the ACA Think Pieces series on digitalisation, inclusion and the post‑COVID global context—have been influential in shaping debates on blended mobility and equity in European higher education. ACA’s position paper on the European Universities Initiative helped define priorities for excellence, regional balance and collaboration across borders.

ACA’s events (notably the ACA European Policy Seminars and Strategic Summits) attract rectors, national policymakers, international office leaders and EU officials, amplifying its impact and shaping the future of mobility policy and joint curriculum development.

Summary

The Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) is a Brussels‑based, legally independent not‑for‑profit think tank and cooperation platform, connecting national agencies responsible for internationalisation of higher education across Europe—together with a few global associates.

Founded in 1993, ACA combines the practical platform functions needed by national agencies with strategic policy analysis, publications and advocacy. While not a formal accreditation authority, ACA strengthens quality assurance by promoting peer learning and advising member agencies.

Its governance model ensures accountability, shared leadership and credibility. With strong credibility, direct engagement with EU bodies and a sharp focus on digital, inclusive and sustainable international higher education, ACA is positioning itself to influence future generations of mobility, policy and global collaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Academic Cooperation Association?
  The ACA is a European think tank and membership platform for national agencies that fund and support higher education internationalisation, headquartered in Brussels.
• When was ACA founded and why?
  ACA was established in 1993 by the British Council, DAAD and NUFFIC to respond to the expanding EU higher education programmes and to create a European platform for national agencies to coordinate internationalisation.
• Where is ACA legally based?
  ACA is a not‑for‑profit «AISBL/VZW» registered under Belgian law and operates according to its own Statutes in compliance with Belgian regulations.
• Who can become a member of ACA?
  Full membership is open to national-level internationalisation agencies or organisations in European countries, while associate membership is available to similar organisations outside Europe.
• Does ACA accredit universities?
  No—as a think tank and platform, ACA does not itself conduct accreditation or formal institutional evaluations. Some members do have accreditation functions independently.
• What kind of outputs does ACA produce?
  ACA publishes research reports, policy briefs, its newsletter *Education Europe* and several thematic series such as the *ACA Papers* and *ACA Think Pieces*. It also organises high‑level seminars and training workshops.
• How is ACA funded?
  ACA is funded through member fees, consultancy / project contracts and occasionally European co‑funded activities (e.g. under Erasmus+). It maintains operational independence despite EU project support.
• Who does ACA collaborate with?
  ACA collaborates with the European Commission, member‑state ministries, other think tanks, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) structures, national agencies and global partners to advance inclusive and forward‑looking international higher education policies.

Organization Name

Academic Cooperation Association

Acronym

ACA

Year of Establishment

1/06/1993

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

International

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

15, Rue d'Egmontstraat
Bruxelles
1000 Brussels Belgium

Phone

+32 (2) 513 2241

Fax

+32 (2) 513 1776

Austria

• Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD)

Belgium

• Vluhr International

Croatia

• The Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMEUP)

Czech Republic

• Dům zahraniční spolupráce, Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (DZS)

Estonia

• Education and Youth Board of Estonia (HARNO)

Finland

• Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)

Germany

• German Academic Exchange Service - Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)

Greece

• State Scholarships Foundation (IKY)

Hungary

• Tempus Public Foundation (TPF)

Iceland

• The Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís)

Italy

• Uni-Italia

Netherlands

• Nuffic - The Dutch Organisation for Internationalisation in Education

Norway

• Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK dir)

Poland

• Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA)

Portugal

• Erasmus + Portuguese National Agency, Education and Training (A.N E+EF)

Serbia

• Foundation Tempus

Slovakia

• SAIA, n.o. (The Slovak Academic Information Agency)
• Slovak Academic Association for International Cooperation (SAAIC)

Slovenia

• The Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS)

Spain

• Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education (SEPIE)

Sweden

• Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR)

Switzerland

• Movetia - The Swiss National Agency for Exchange and Mobility
• Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

Academic Cooperation Association's Facebook page

X (Twitter)

Academic Cooperation Association's X page

LinkedIn

Academic Cooperation Association's LinkedIn profile

YouTube

Academic Cooperation Association's YouTube channel

Instagram

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Wikipedia Article

Academic Cooperation Association's Wikipedia article

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