The Ministry of Education and Science’s Order ECI/229/2006, of 20 January, whereby announcement is made of the award of the Quality Label (Mención de Calidad) recognition for doctoral studies at Spanish universities for the 2006-2007 academic year. The experience achieved during the last call for applications to obtain the Quality Label recognition of Ph.D. studies has enabled us to guarantee a certain quality level in an important number of university programmes.
The Quality Label Recognition award is a demand required by the always increasing interaction between national university systems of the European Higher Education Area. Therefore, it is comprised in the quality policies of our university system, specifically foreseen in the Spanish University Act. In that sense, the Ministry of Education and Science´s call of 20 January 2006, whereby announcement is made of the award of the Quality Label Recognition, modifies somewhat the terms of participation and the assessment criteria employed in the previous call. This modification enables its adjustment to the main aspects composing the adaptation process to the European Ph.D. studies started with the entry into force of the Royal Order 56/2005, of January 21, concerning the regulation of recognised university postgraduate studies and planning the expiration date for Ph.D. studies regulated by the Royal Order 778/1998, of April 30.
This award will acknowledge the scientific, technical and educational high standards of Ph.D. studies and of the groups or departments involved. Obtaining Quality Label Recognition will also enable public and private universities with no profit motive in mind to participate at the call for applications for grants launched by the Ministry of Education and Science.
ANECA takes part in this call setting up and applying the assessment procedure for applications´assessment, audit and validation. The National Agency assesses how well the objectif criteria related to quality are fulfilled, and contributes with the recognition of the quality of Ph.D. studies.