First International Conference on Key Principles and Elements for Models of External Evaluation in Institutional and Program Accreditation, organized within the project „Strengthening Capacities and Mechanisms for Enhancement of Quality Assurance System in Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina“ (SMEQA), was held on 2 and 3 December 2024 at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Banja Luka.

At the opening of the conference, the participants were addressed by the Director of the Agency for Development of Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina (HEA), prof. dr. Enes Hašić, the Vice-Rector of the University of Banja Luka, prof. dr. Dalibor Kesić, and the Rector of the University of Zenica, prof. dr. Jusuf Duraković, who highlighted the importance of the project for the further development of the quality assurance system in higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the conference speakers presented:

- the use of ESG in various contexts and the latest trends in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA);

- the role of EQAR in the European Higher Education Area;

- the external quality assurance system in higher education;

- the analysis of the quality assurance situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Through different panels participants also discussed and addressed:

- the accreditation process and the Qualification Framework (QF) in the context of Bosnian and Herzegovinian diploma recognition abroad;

- models of external evaluation – challenges and improvements;

- the proposed conclusions based on the previously completed Analysis, which pertains to the quality assurance system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The closing remarks of the conference were delivered by representatives of the University of Zenica, coordinators of the project SMEQA, who presented future activities within the project.