Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento, Dirección de Evaluación y Acreditación AAC-DEVA

Overview

The Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento – Dirección de Evaluación y Acreditación (AAC‑DEVA) —also referred to as the Andalusian Agency of Knowledge’s Directorate for Evaluation and Accreditation—is the regional quality assurance body responsible for evaluating and accrediting higher education and research activities in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. Established in 2011, it operates as an independent technical unit within the public Andalusian Agency of Knowledge (AAC). As of 1 March 2023, AAC‑DEVA’s functions are carried forward by the newly constituted Agencia para la Calidad Científica y Universitaria de Andalucía (ACCUA), the legal successor designed to strengthen independence and transparency.
Keywords: AAC‑DEVA, Andalusian Agency of Knowledge, evaluation and accreditation Andalusia, AACU, ENG‑QA Spain.

According to uniRank, AAC‑DEVA was established in 2011 as a non-profit public body operating at a local/regional level to support the evaluation and accreditation of universities and research centres in Andalusia.

1 Historical and Legal Framework

AAC‑DEVA was created under the Andalusian Law of Science and Knowledge (Law 16/2007, Article 27) and formally constituted by Decree 92/2011, of 19 April, later modified by Decree 1/2018, of 9 January. These norms empower the Directorate to carry out ex‑ante verification, institutional accreditation, programme accreditation, system certification and evaluation of research and teaching staff across the regional knowledge system. Implementation has been guided by Spain’s national regulations, including Real Decreto 1393/2007 and RD 420/2015, which set frameworks for verification and accreditation of official degrees.

2 Mission, Vision and Objectives

AAC‑DEVA’s core mission is to provide rigorous, transparent and autonomous quality assurance processes to support the improvement, recognition and social function of Andalusian higher education and research institutions. Its vision is to strengthen Andalusia’s alignment with the standards of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The Directorate pursues the following strategic objectives:

• Ensure that universities and higher-education centres meet national and European quality standards through institutional and programme accreditation.
• Support the implementation and certification of internal Quality Assurance Systems (Sistemas de Garantía de Calidad – SGCC) under the “IMPLANTA‑SGCC” programme.
• Ensure reliable review of new degree proposals, substantial programme modifications and re‑accreditation of existing titles.
• Accredit foreign language competencies where required for academic quality.
• Support teaching excellence through the DOCENTIA framework for evaluation and continuous improvement of faculty.
• Provide guidance and consultancy to institutions seeking quality improvement in research, innovation and teaching.

3 Governance, Structure and Independence

AAC‑DEVA functions as an independent administrative body under the Andalusian Agency of Knowledge (AAC), itself supervised by the regional Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación. Governance is exercised through:

• A Consejo Rector (Steering Board) of the Agency, which proposes and appoints the Director of Evaluation & Accreditation. The Director must be a career civil servant of recognised academic or scientific merit.
• A Directorate for Evaluation and Accreditation led by the Director, supported by evaluators, technical staff and regional disciplinary commissions.
• A Comité Técnico de Evaluación y Acreditación that reviews applications, develops evaluation guidelines and ensures consistency with legislation.

Legal statutes (particularly Article 16.3 of the AAC‑DEVA Statutes) and compliance with Ley 40/2015 (Spanish Public Sector Legal Regime) ensure procedural independence, clear criteria and limits on external political interference. The agency publishes its evaluation procedures, criteria and decisions publicly to maintain transparency and accountability.

4 Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

AAC‑DEVA oversees multiple types of evaluation in the Andalusian higher education and research system:

1. Ex‑ante verification: Evaluation of proposed new official programmes (Grado, Máster, Doctorado) before implementation, including assessment of curriculum, faculty, facilities and SGCC readiness.
2. Substantial modification review: Official degree changes (titles, curricula, modalities) undergo evaluation, with decisions issued via biennial open calls (e.g., Sept‑2021 and Feb‑2022) through disciplinary commissions.
3. Institutional Accreditation: Formal confirmation that a university centre meets broader criteria—including governance, internal quality systems, ethics, financial solvency—for initial recognition or continuation.
4. Re‑accreditation & monitoring: Periodic reviews of existing programmes and institutions, including annual follow‑up reports and outcome indicators.
5. Certification of QA Systems (IMPLANTA‑SGCC): Verification that internal quality assurance systems meet standards before being certified by resolution—enabling autonomy and integration with external accreditation frameworks.
6. Evaluation of research excellence and teaching (DOCENTIA): Assessing faculty achievements, pedagogic innovation, staff development and research productivity.
7. Foreign language accreditation: Confirmation of institutional capabilities to deliver instruction in required languages.

The Directorate follows EHEA-aligned ESG 2015 guidelines, integrates national regulations and publishes evaluation reports—both favourable and unfavourable—on its official platform for public scrutiny. For instance, in 2022, disciplinary commissions issued 37 verification reports and resolved 78 substantial modification applications through two evaluation phases.

5 International Cooperation and Network Memberships

AAC‑DEVA is a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and listed in the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) since 2009, with successful renewals including in August 2020. It participates actively in Spain’s informal network of quality agencies, REACU, alongside national ANECA and other autonomous agencies such as AQU (Catalonia), ACSUG (Galicia) and UNIBASQ (Basque Country).

The Directorate also maintains collaboration agreements with institutional European QA agencies and participates in mutual recognition initiatives within the EHEA framework, fostering benchmark-based staff exchanges, evaluator training and joint projects.

6 Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

The evolution of AAC‑DEVA into ACCUA holds significant implications for Andalusian higher education:

• Greater autonomy and accountability: ACCUA’s creation as an independent statutory agency aims to cement transparency in the appointment of evaluators, consistency in criteria and independence from political decision‑making.
• Institutional innovation: Certification of SGCC systems under IMPLANTA allows university centres to develop internal QA mechanisms, enabling greater innovation in accreditation pathways and internal governance.
• Program pipeline control: Through verification of new and modified degrees, the Directorate influences which academic fields expand or contract regionally, shaping regional workforce supply.
• Strategic alignment: Integration with EHEA ESG 2015 situates Andalusian institutions for greater international recognition and mobility.
• Heightened scrutiny: Recent criticisms from rectors’ associations have highlighted perceived rigidity and alleged inconsistent standards in evaluating new titles—especially contrasting treatment between private and public universities—pointing to a need for clearer guidelines and calibration among discipline-based evaluation commissions.

7 Summary

In sum, the Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento – Dirección de Evaluación y Acreditación has served since 2011 as Andalusia’s regional authority on higher education and research quality assurance. Guided by laws, decrees and European guidelines, its scope spans institutional and programme accreditation, research evaluation, certification of internal QA systems and foreign language accreditation. It is firmly embedded in ENQA, EQAR and Spain’s REACU network. In 2023 its mandate transitioned to ACCUA, designed to reinforce governance independence and strengthen public trust. Its work impacts the strategic development of regional universities, the creation of new programmes and Andalusia’s alignment with international standards.

8 Frequently Asked Questions

• What was AAC‑DEVA?
  AAC‑DEVA was the Directorate for Evaluation and Accreditation within the Andalusian Agency of Knowledge, overseeing accreditation and quality assurance for Andalusia from 2011 to 2023.
• What is ACCUA?
  The Agencia para la Calidad Científica y Universitaria de Andalucía (ACCUA) is the current statutory agency reinvigorating AAC‑DEVA’s mandate with enhanced legal independence and accountability.
• How does accreditation work in Andalusia?
  Institutions must undergo ex‑ante verification for new degrees, followed by programme modifications and institutional re‑accreditation every few years. Internal quality systems are certified through IMPLANTA‑SGCC procedures, aligned with legal guidelines.
• Is Europe involved in the process?
  Yes—AAC‑DEVA/ACCUA complies with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG 2015) and is registered with ENQA and EQAR as a formally recognised quality assurance body.
• Does the agency assess teaching staff?
  Yes—the DOCENTIA programme is used to evaluate and promote excellence in teaching, research and faculty development within regional universities.
• Can private universities be accredited?
  Yes—public and private universities in Andalusia undergo the same evaluation process for new titles and institutional accreditation, though recent critiques have questioned the consistency of applied criteria.
• What is the value of accreditation?
  Accreditation ensures that programmes meet national and European quality standards, enabling institutional recognition, student mobility, recognition of degrees and professional credibility.

Organization Name

Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento, Dirección de Evaluación y Acreditación
Andalusian Agency of Knowledge, Directorate for Evaluation and Accreditation

Acronym

AAC-DEVA

Year of Establishment

19/04/2011

Control Type

Public

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

Local or Regional

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA); International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Calle Doña Berenguela s/n, 3ª planta
Cordoba
14006 Andalusia Spain

Phone

+34 957 35 50 37

Fax

+34 957 35 50 39

n.a.

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

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X (Twitter)

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LinkedIn

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YouTube

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Instagram

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Wikipedia Article

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