The Forum, entitled "Building trust and enhancement: from information to evidence", will combine online sessions about European policies and trends, research, and practical case examples related to the Forum theme and more generally about current developments in quality assurance.

To promote trust and serve as a basis for informed decision-making and quality enhancement, quality assurance needs to be evidence-based. The amount of data on higher education and the performance of higher education institutions has increased in recent years and its nature is changing partly due to digitalisation. This makes it increasingly important to determine which information is meaningful and relevant for stakeholders in higher education, hence worth serving as evidence for robust quality assurance processes. The event will address questions such as how to ensure an appropriate balance between qualitative and quantitative data and diversity of sources of information. It will also focus on how to analyse and interpret the data, as well as how to ensure that it is used to enhance quality and promote trust. Notably, the 2021 EQAF will offer an occasion to analyse how to make the best out of the opportunities offered by digitalisation while avoiding pitfalls.

The Forum will explore the evidence used in external and internal quality assurance and how to improve its use and impact.

True to the EQAF tradition, this year's Forum will be organised using an event platform that will provide participants with opportunities for networking, also outside the formal programme, and will facilitate audience interaction.

The Forum will be of interest to rectors and vice-rectors responsible for quality assurance, quality assurance officers in higher education institutions, students, quality assurance agency staff and researchers working in higher education or in the quality assurance field.

For updates, please follow @EQAF and #EQAF.

The deadline to submit proposals for paper presentations and discussion starters is 26 July 2021.

EQAF has been co-organised by ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE since 2006. The Forum aims to bridge national boundaries by facilitating a Europe-wide discussion on current trends and developments in research, policy and practice. EQAF provides a unique opportunity to share experiences and network with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies, students, researchers and policy makers from across Europe and beyond.