National Agency for the Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation

Overview

The National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (Spanish: Agencia Nacional de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación, ANECA) is Spain’s national agency entrusted with external quality assurance for the higher education and research sectors. Operating under the Ministry of Universities, ANECA oversees evaluation, certification and accreditation of Spanish universities, official degree titles and teaching and research staff. According to uniRank, ANECA was founded in 2002 as a public, independent agency and plays a central role in ensuring the quality of higher education in Spain and promoting the international recognition of its institutions and programs.

1 Historical and Legal Framework

ANECA traces its legal origins to Article 32 of the Organic Law on Universities (Ley Orgánica 6/2001, de 21 de diciembre), which mandated the creation of a national quality agency. It was formally established by Royal Decree in July 2002 as a foundation under the Ministry. Its mandate was later consolidated and expanded by the Ley 15/2014 (public sector rationalization), merging responsibilities of the former Comisión Nacional Evaluadora de la Actividad Investigadora (CNEAI) into ANECA, which became an autonomous public entity in January 2016. ANECA operates within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), aligning national procedures with ESG 2015 standards and Spanish Royal Decrees regulating degree verification and accreditation.

2 Mission, Vision and Objectives

ANECA’s mission is to promote and assure the quality of the Spanish university system through rigorous but fair evaluation, accreditation and transparency. Its vision focuses on fostering a modern, credible and internationally recognised higher‑education system aligned with the standards of the EHEA.

• Mission: Support continuous improvement and public accountability in Spanish universities through quality assurance functions.
• Vision: Position Spain as a hub of excellence within the European and global academic community.
• Key objectives:
  • Evaluate new and existing official university degree programmes (VERIFICA);
  • Certify internal Quality Assurance Systems through institutional accreditation (ACREDITA) and system audits (AUDIT);
  • Award institutional and teaching staff accreditation (e.g. for tenured and contracted positions);
  • Provide decision‑makers and the public with reliable quality indicators;
  • Support policy, equity and transparency in university governance.

3 Governance, Structure and Independence

ANECA is governed by a Consejo Rector (Governing Board), chaired ex officio by the Secretary‑General for Universities, which sets strategic policy and oversees activities. The board appoints the Director‑General—a high‑ranking executive tasked with day‑to‑day management. Since the 2016 reform, the agency operates as an autonomous public body with its own legal personality, budget and staff. ANECA is organised into two main divisions—(i) Evaluation of Programmes and Institutions and (ii) Evaluation of Teaching and Research Staff—each supported by technical and advisory committees composed of academics, students, practitioners and administrative professionals.

4 Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

As Spain’s principal accreditation authority in higher education, ANECA implements a multi-pronged framework based on European standards:

1. Degree accreditation (Verifica): Evaluation of new and modified official bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes to grant or renew accreditation for national and European validity.
2. Institutional accreditation (Acredita) and QA system certification (Audit): Review of university‑wide internal quality systems to award institutional credibility or compliance.
3. Staff accreditation: Evaluation of merits for appointment or promotion to professor, tenure-trackor contract roles under national academic criteria.
4. Cyclical reviews: Accredited degrees are reassessed every six years to verify continued compliance; staff accreditations likewise expire after fixed intervals.

This comprehensive evaluation model ensures accountability at the levels of programme content, teaching quality, institutional governance and staff performance, while supporting alignment with EHEA guidelines and national legislation.

5 International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ANECA holds full membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and is listed in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). It also is a member of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) and the Ibero‑American network SIACES, with which it collaborates through evaluator exchanges, mutual benchmarking and joint training initiatives.

ANECA has participated in European pilot projects to align QA standards and cross‑border mutual recognition and it supports the integration of Spanish micro‑credential frameworks and new forms of teaching innovation into ENSA norms under EU strategies for the European Education Area.

6 Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

ANECA’s influence extends across several strategic areas shaping the future of Spanish universities:

• Programme approval gatekeeper: ANECA is now the first mandatory evaluator for any new official degree, giving it a decisive role in shaping academic offerings nationally.
• Staff recruitment standards: Accreditation is required for examination entry into university teaching corps (e.g. tenured professor), affecting career trajectories.
• Micro‑credentials and modular learning: ANECA’s new guidelines for micro‑credentials (framework issued 2022) position it at the centre of lifelong learning and digital innovation.
• Transparency and open data: Public databases on accreditation outcomes and internal quality performance deepen accountability in higher education.
• Policy advisory role: ANECA’s reports inform higher education policy decisions at regional, national and EU levels, including funding, sustainability and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals.

7 Summary

The Agencia Nacional de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación (ANECA) serves as the cornerstone of external quality assurance in Spain’s higher education system. Established in 2002 and restructured into an autonomous agency in 2016, ANECA realises a multi-layered accreditation system covering degree programmes, institutional QA systems and academic staff. Its tools and procedures comply with EU–EHEA frameworks and Spanish law, bolstered by international recognition and membership in ENQA, EQAR, INQAAHE and SIACES. By safeguarding public trust, enabling academic mobility and steering reform agendas, ANECA continues to shape the evolution of quality, transparency and international standing in Spanish universities.

8 Frequently Asked Questions

• What is ANECA?
  ANECA is Spain’s national quality assurance agency responsible for evaluating, certifying and accrediting universities, degree programmes and faculty performance under national and European guidelines.
• When was ANECA created?
  ANECA was created in 2002 as a foundation under the 2001 Universities Law and was transformed into an autonomous public agency in 2016 to consolidate evaluation and research accreditation functions.
• Is ANECA legally independent?
  Yes. Although supervised by the Ministry of Universities, ANECA is an autonomous body governed by its own board and director—as mandated by Royal Decree 1112/2015—and acts on the principles of legality, objectivity and transparency.
• How often are degrees and programmes reaccredited?
  Official degree titles must be re-evaluated every six years to maintain accreditation and continued legal recognition within Spain and the European Higher Education Area.
• Does ANECA accredit universities directly?
  ANECA does not accredit institutions per se, but it certifies that universities comply with state-defined accreditation criteria via the Acredita and Audit procedures to guarantee institutional quality systems.
• Which international networks is ANECA part of?
  ANECA is a full member of ENQA, registered in EQAR and active in SIACES and INQAAHE, cooperating with global and European QA agencies to harmonise benchmarks and evaluator training.
• What is ANECA’s role in evaluating university professors?
  ANECA evaluates candidates for both tenured and contract teaching positions—e.g., university professor or tenure‑track titles—through formal accreditation procedures that are prerequisites for national competitive recruitment.
• How does ANECA affect student programme choice?
  By publishing information on accredited programmes and evaluation outcomes, ANECA helps prospective students make informed decisions and promotes mobility, comparability and recognition across the EHEA.
• Does ANECA review micro‑credentials?
  Yes. Since 2022 ANECA has issued a framework for the quality assurance of digital micro‑credentials in the Spanish university system, aligning with EU policy on modular education and lifelong learning.