You are in: ACECAU | Who are we

Who are we

Creation

The organic law of universities of December 212001 lays down in article 31.1 that each autonomous region can create autonomous agencies for the evaluation within the scope of their respective responsibilities. It was in this way that the Canarian agency for the evaluation of the quality and the accreditation of the university system (ACECAU) was created. (Law 2/2002, of 27 March, BOC 45, March 2002).

The decree that regulates the agency was published in August 2002(decree 103/2002, July 26, BOC 105, 08/05/2002). In January 2003, the ACECAU started its actions in its first and current headquarters situated in Calle Costa y Grijalba, 7,2º piso in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.The current director, professor Urbano Medina Hernández was elected by decree 324/2007, August 2, BOC 156, August 3, 2007).

Constitution

Law 2/2002,March 27, which establishes tax regulations and measures with respect to administrative organization and management related to the personnel of the autonomous region of the Canary Islands has been sanctioned (BOC 45,March 8,2002) chapter 2,article5.

The Canarian agency for the evaluation of the quality and the accreditation of the university system is created as an autonomous organisation with an administrative nature attached to the regional ministry of education with responsibilities in the field of education. It will take on the functions required in law of universities 6/2001, December 21, as well as those derived from the contracts of the government with the Canarian universities. The government is qualified for enacting statutory orders for the development and functioning of the agency. It is also qualified for introducing precise budgetary modifications, within the loans approved in law 9/2001,December 28, about the general budget of the autonomous region for the year 2002 which are necessary for the agency to run.

Regularization

The ACECAU is regulated by decree 103/2002, July 26 (BOC 105 of august 5, 2002).

The establishment of an agency in the Canary Islands whose main aim is to assess our university system constitutes one of the main priorities to be dealt with in the regulatory development of the organic law of universities. This is so due to the important role that it is going to play in the new legal framework designed by this law.

It seemed a good thing to take advantage of the range of responsibilities attributed to the autonomous regions to create their own agencies and make it effective, since the Canaries have undeniable special social economic and geographic features which are introduced in our university system.

Moreover, the task should be accomplished rapidly because some of the functions which correspond to the agency are crucial to the ordinary operationof the universities of the Canary Islands. That is why, conscious about the importance of finding quick solutions, the government of the canaries has urged the creation of this agency by means of law 2/2002,March 27, complying so with the legal obligation of using a regulation for its constitution, but leaving the control of details to the regulatory development that is being undertaken now. It is possible in this way to incorporate the opinions and contributions which arose from the debate about the regulative development of the organic law of universities which has been encouraged and backed by the Canarian government itself.

The aim of the agency will be a reliable, systematic and independent evaluation of the fundamental components of the university system (centres, degrees, teaching, research, teaching staff, management…) and of the impact of university policies and administrative policies created to improve the quality of the offered services.

The agency will have its own legal personality and it will act with total independence from the administration and the universities.