Quality Assurance Agency for the University System in Castilla y León

Overview

The Agencia para la Calidad del Sistema Universitario de Castilla y León (ACSUCYL)or Quality Assurance Agency for the University System in Castilla y León, is the officially designated external quality assurance body overseeing all officially recognised university programmes—public and private—within the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León, Spain. ACSUCYL evaluates degree programmes, institutional internal quality systems, research output and academic staff evaluation. It was legally established in 2001 and is listed in the uniRank directory as founded in 2004. ACSUCYL is headquartered in Valladolid and operates with administrative and financial autonomy.

History and Legal Framework

ACSUCYL was first constituted in 2001 as the external evaluation body for universities in Castilla y León. Its legal basis was reinforced by Law 12/2010 (28 October), which adjusted the agency’s structure and procedures to meet European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). Subsequently, Decree 15/2015 (19 February) approved the internal statutes and confirmed its status as a public‑law entity with private legal personality. The legislation ensures ACSUCYL’s independence, transparency and continuity in its mandate to safeguard academic quality.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

ACSUCYL’s mission is to guarantee and promote the quality of the regional university system, contributing to its continuous improvement and delivering value to society. Its vision is to position Castilla y León’s universities as reputable and competitive within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), supported by trusted instruments and transparent evaluation.

Its strategic objectives—set out in the 2021‑2025 Strategic Plan—include:

• Verification, accreditation and follow‑up of official degree programmes to ensure compliance with ESG.
• Certification of institutional internal quality assurance systems (e.g., the ELENCHOS programme).
• Evaluation of teaching staff performance aligned with the national DOCENTIA model.
• Assessment of research activity and its integration with teaching and societal development.
• Promotion of transparency, governance and stakeholder engagement via public reports.
• Strategic thematic studies and foresight on areas such as employability, sustainability and internationalisation.

Governance, Structure and Independence

Though created by the Regional Government, ACSUCYL operates with functional and procedural independence. It is governed by a Board of Directors that approves policy, strategy, budget and programmes. The Agency is headed by a Director appointed for a four‑year term. Advisory bodies include an Academic and Social Advisory Council representing universities, students, employers and civil society.

Operational execution is carried out by a set of expert commissions—responsible for teaching, research, programmes and institutional accreditation—composed of external peer reviewers. A separate appeals body guarantees procedural safeguards. Funding is secured via regional public budget and service contracts, but decision‑making remains autonomous and rule‑based.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role

ACSUCYL’s remit covers the full cycle of higher education evaluation:

• Ex‑ante verification of new official degree programmes (Grado, Máster, Doctorado) before enrolment is allowed.
• Ex‑post renewal assessment of programmes after six years for bachelor’s and doctoral degreesor four years for master’s degrees.
• Institutional accreditation via the ELENCHOS programme, certifying internal quality assurance structures and governance.
• Teaching performance assessment, aligned with the national DOCENTIA framework, to validate professors’ teaching excellence.
• Research evaluation to examine institutional research output, strategic integration and societal impact.
• Audit of degree modifications and follow‑through to ensure compliance with commitments.

Assessment involves self‑evaluation by institutions, external expert panels (including ≥ 1 student panel member per ESG), on‑site visits and binding evaluation reports published publicly on DEQAR. Panel decisions can be appealed through an independent commission attached to ACSUCYL’s governance system.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ACSUCYL has been a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) since 2010 and was first admitted to the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) in December 2009, with renewals following regular targeted reviews (most recently in 2024). ACSUCYL adopts the ESG framework for all activities and aligns with the European Approach for quality assurance in joint international programmes.

The agency participates in the Spanish Network of University Quality Agencies (REACU), working closely with ANECA (the national quality agency) and other regional agencies to harmonise accreditation procedures at national level. ACSUCYL also engages in training, peer learning and benchmarking with other European quality assurance agencies, contributing to comparative studies and best practice forums across the EHEA.

Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

As the sole mandated external evaluator in Castilla y León, ACSUCYL exerts deep influence on institutional practices and regional higher education policy. Its evaluations frame the approval of new university programmes—for instance, the 2026 Grado en Biotecnología at the University of Valladolid’s Yutera campus—and authorization of new satellite universities, such as the Centro Alfonso XII in Ponferrada.

ACSUCYL’s strategic foresight and themed analytical reports—on governance, employability, digital transformation and sustainability—feed into regional policy development and university reform. Public access to evaluation outcomes via DEQAR increases accountability and enhances trust among students and employers.

Looking ahead, ACSUCYL aims to:

• Strengthen its digital assessment tools and online quality dashboards.
• Support micro‑credentials and collaborative master’s programmes across borders.
• Embed social dimensions such as gender equity and sustainable development into accreditation criteria.
• Promote the use of impact indicators, including ESG 2025 revisions, across all quality assurance activities.

Summary

ACSUCYL is a legally constituted, autonomous quality assurance agency for the Castilla y León region in Spain. It oversees ex‑ante and ex‑post assessment of official degree programmes, institutional accreditation, teaching and research evaluation and ongoing monitoring. Governed by expert peer reviewers and operating in accordance with European ESG standards, ACSUCYL acts independently of political influence.

Membership in ENQA and registration on EQAR—with regular external review—ensures that ACSUCYL meets international quality assurance benchmarks. The agency’s active role in national coordination and strategic foresight places it at the centre of improving higher education quality, transparency and European recognition in Spain.

FAQs

• What is ACSUCYL?
  The Agencia para la Calidad del Sistema Universitario de Castilla y León is the official external quality evaluation agency for universities in Castilla y León, responsible for accrediting programmes and certifying institutional quality.
• When was ACSUCYL founded?
  It was legally established in 2001, although uniRank lists its foundation year as 2004.
• Does ACSUCYL accredit private universities?
  Yes. ACSUCYL accredits all official degree programmes offered by both public and private institutions operating within Castilla y León and may also evaluate institutions outside the region upon request.
• How long does accreditation last?
  Official degree accreditation typically lasts six years for bachelor’s and doctoral studies and four years for master’s programmes, with regular follow‑up reports required in between.
• Is ACSUCYL recognised outside Spain?
  Yes. ACSUCYL is a full member of ENQA and is registered in EQAR, which enables it to operate within the European Higher Education Area and follow the ESG framework.
• How can I view an ACSUCYL evaluation report?
  Evaluation outputs—degree accreditation decisions, institutional audit results and panel reports—are publicly available via the DEQAR database and ACSUCYL’s transparency portals.
• How is the agency governed?
  ACSUCYL is overseen by a mixed Board of Directors, advised by a socio‑academic Council, led by a Director appointed for four years and implements quality assessments via independent expert commissions. Operational decisions are insulated from political influence by law.
• What kinds of accreditation does ACSUCYL carry out?
  It conducts ex‑ante accreditation of program proposals, ex‑post renewal and follow‑up, internal quality system certification (ELENCHOS), teaching evaluation (DOCENTIA), research audits and evaluation of joint degrees under the European Approach.

Organization Name

Quality Assurance Agency for the University System in Castilla y León
Agencia para la Calidad del Sistema Universitario de Castilla y León

Acronym

ACSUCYL

Year of Establishment

2004

Control Type

Public

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

National

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Avda. de los Reyes Católicos No. 2
Valladolid
47006 Castile and Leon Spain

Phone

+34 983 411743

Fax

n.a.

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

Not available

X (Twitter)

Not available

LinkedIn

Not available

YouTube

Not available

Instagram

Not available

Wikipedia Article

Not available

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