Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior (A3ES) or Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education, is an independent Portuguese agency responsible for the evaluation, accreditation and quality assurance of higher education institutions and their programs in Portugal. It was established in 2007 and its mission is to promote quality assurance and enhancement in higher education in Portugal.

The A3ES conducts evaluations of higher education institutions and their programs based on established quality standards and criteria. These evaluations are conducted by external evaluators, who are experts in the relevant field of study and the process includes both a self-evaluation by the institution and an on-site evaluation visit by the evaluation team.

The A3ES is responsible for accrediting higher education institutions and their programs that meet the established quality standards. Accreditation is a voluntary process and institutions that receive accreditation are required to maintain the established standards to remain accredited.

The A3ES also plays a key role in promoting quality enhancement in higher education institutions in Portugal. It provides guidance and support to institutions to help them improve the quality of their programs and services and it encourages institutions to engage in continuous improvement processes.

Considering all this, according to uniRank the A3ES plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality of higher education in Portugal. By establishing and maintaining rigorous quality standards and conducting evaluations and accreditation processes, the agency helps to ensure that higher education institutions provide high-quality education to their students, produce graduates who are competent and globally competitive and contribute to the social and economic development of Portugal.