EQAVET peer review on the Quality Management System for the Education Authority in Austria

The Austrian EQAVET National Reference Point OeAD | RQB, organised the Peer Review from 18 to 20 March in Vienna, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education (BMB). EQAVET Network members from Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands and Slovenia participated as peer reviewers. 

The Peer Review focused on an external view on the Quality Management System for the Pedagogical Service (QMPD) and its Quality Framework (QRPD), which are being developed to support the transformed role of the Education Authority following Austria’s Education Reform Act of 2017. The reform introduced a new governance structure including an introduction of education regions and strengthened school autonomy, requiring a more strategic, evidence‑based and development‑oriented approach to school quality management and support. 

The QMPD is designed as a coherent quality management system for the Pedagogical Service embedded in the nine Austrian provinces, aligned with the quality cycle and closely linked to the Quality Management System for Schools (QMS). The new system aims to strengthen quality culture, role clarity and evidence‑based decision‑making within the Education Authority by supporting key stakeholders; School Quality Managers, Heads of Departments and Heads of the Pedagogical Service in their leadership and quality management responsibilities.

Over the three days, the programme combined presentations by the host country with in‑depth discussions between peer reviewers and representatives of the Education Authority at different levels, including Heads of Pedagogical Services, Heads of Departments and School Quality Managers. The discussions addressed the design, development and implementation of the QMPD, QRPD, the use of a self‑assessment tool, and strategies to foster acceptance and effective use of the new system across the Education Authority. 

Overall, the Peer Review highlighted the importance of a clear and shared understanding of quality management within the Education Authority, the value of participatory development processes, and the relevance of aligning system‑level quality management with school‑level frameworks. The feedback provided by the peer reviewers will support Austria in further refining and implementing the QMPD as a key instrument for quality development and assurance in the Austrian education system 

Read the flash report summarising the main outcomes of the discussion.

Additionally, a separate report containing detailed feedback from the peer reviewers will be shared with the host country.