Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación de la Educación Superior ANEAES

Overview

The Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación de la Educación Superior (commonly known by its Spanish acronym ANEAES) is Paraguay’s national authority for evaluating and accrediting higher education institutions and study programmes. Established by law in 2003, ANEAES operates under the administration of the Ministry of Education and Culture but maintains technical and academic autonomy. As the only legally mandated agency of its kind in the country, it ensures compliance with both national standards and international quality conventions. According to uniRank, ANEAES plays a central role in enhancing Paraguay’s academic credibility and aligning Paraguayan higher education with global benchmarks.

1. Historical and Legal Framework

ANEAES was created under Ley N° 2072 del 13 de febrero de 2003 as the national accreditation and evaluation body for higher education. The law authorises the agency to conduct external evaluations, issue technical reports, accredit programmes and serve as a consultative body for institutions and State bodies. It also mandates public disclosure of accredited programmes. While administratively attached to the Ministry of Education and Culture, ANEAES possesses statutory autonomy: its decisions are made independently of political influence, reinforcing its technical legitimacy.

2. Mission, Vision and Objectives

ANEAES’s declared mission is to evaluate and accredit the quality of Paraguayan higher education systematically and transparently to drive continuous improvement across the sector. Its vision is to become a national and international reference in quality assurance, recognised for integrity, technical rigour and permanent innovation. Guided by principles such as confidentiality, competence, transparency and responsibility, the agency pursues the following objectives:

• External evaluation of all tertiary institutions, degree programmes and postgraduate offerings;
• Development and implementation of the National Evaluation and Accreditation Model;
• Strengthening of internal quality assurance within institutions;
• Public dissemination of accreditation results to inform students, employers and policymakers;
• International alignment and advisory cooperation in educational policy.

3. Governance, Structure and Independence

ANEAES is governed by its Consejo Directivo, a board appointed by the national government that includes representatives from public and private universities, professional associations and civil society. This governing body is responsible for establishing accreditation procedures, appointing committees of evaluators, approving final decisions and formulating regulations. Each evaluation is carried out by a peer‑review panel drawn from a national register of evaluators—including academics, professionals and students—selected through open competitions. The agency is self‑financed via fees charged to institutions and not through the national budget, ensuring financial and operational independence.

4. Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

ANEAES implements a dual‑level evaluation system consisting of programme‑level and institutional assessments based on its National Model. The key components are:

1. Programme Accreditation: New bachelor’s and postgraduate programmes must submit a self‑evaluation report and undergo external review. Accredited programmes must meet criteria related to academic content, faculty qualifications, student support and infrastructure. Accreditation is granted in non‑renewable six‑year cycles.
2. Diagnostic Evaluation: For existing programmes, a documentary review may lead to criteria compliance guidance or mandatory corrective action before grant of full accreditation.
3. Institutional Assessment: Multi-year reviews evaluate internal quality assurance structures, strategic planning, governance, research and graduate outcomes; these may entail conditional approvals or institutional accreditation suspension for non-compliance.

Agreements signed in 2025 introduced remote and hybrid mechanisms for external evaluation visits, improving access and flexibility. Institutions that fail to meet minimum criteria may face loss of legal authorisation to offer academic programmes.

5. International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ANEAES holds full membership in the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE). In 2021 it received formal certification of alignment with INQAAHE’s Guidelines of Good Practice, confirming its compliance with international QA requirements. The agency also participates in regional networks and educational quality platforms across MERCOSUR and the Ibero‑American Higher Education System and has signed cooperation agreements with professional associations and academic institutions to promote shared evaluation tools and capacity building.

6. Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

By institutionalising mandatory quality evaluation, ANEAES has accelerated the closure of programmes failing to meet defined standards—approximately one quarter of evaluated offerings were terminated during its initial years of operation. Its alignment with INQAAHE has enhanced transparency and national and international confidence in Paraguayan degrees. From 2023 to 2028 ANEAES is refining its strategic plan to introduce risk‑based evaluation, digital accreditation tools and student‑stakeholder engagement mechanisms. Emerging trends include planning for accreditation of micro‑credentials, online provision and professional post‑degrees, further integrating Paraguay into global higher education innovation.

7. Summary

ANEAES is Paraguay’s legally mandated and academically independent agency for quality assurance in higher education. With a governance structure designed to uphold impartiality and public accountability, it applies a national evaluation model to assess both programmes and institutions. By meeting international benchmarks and publishing its findings, ANEAES ensures institutional quality, supports educational improvement and facilitates global recognition of Paraguayan qualifications. Its forward‑looking policies are reshaping higher education evaluation across the country.

8. FAQs

1. What is ANEAES?
   ANEAES is Paraguay’s National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education, responsible for external quality assessments of institutions and academic programmes.
2. Is accreditation mandatory in Paraguay?
   Accreditation is mandatory for degree programmes in regulated areas (such as medicine, engineering, law) and strongly recommended for all other programmes to ensure legal recognition and public credibility.
3. How is ANEAES governed?
   Governance rests with a Consejo Directivo appointed by the government, supported by a national registry of evaluators selected via competitive procedure; all final decisions are made independently.
4. How long does accreditation last?
   Accreditation is granted for a fixed six‑year period and must be renewed following a full evaluation; intermediate monitoring or diagnostic reviews may occur sooner.
5. Does ANEAES assess online or distance education?
   Yes. Special modules of the National Model and procedural resolutions enable evaluation of remote or hybrid programme delivery.
6. Is ANEAES part of international networks?
   Yes. ANEAES is a full member of INQAAHE, has international certification of good practice and participates in regional QA networks across Latin America.
7. How is the model structured?
   ANEAES employs a multi‑phase evaluation model including ex‑ante accreditation, diagnostic review and institutional assessment to promote both compliance and internal quality development.

Organization Name

Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación de la Educación Superior
National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education

Acronym

ANEAES

Year of Establishment

1/01/2003

Control Type

Public

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

National

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Yegros 930 c / Manuel Domínguez
Asunción
Asunción Paraguay

Phone

+595 ( 21) 494 940

Fax

n.a.

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