During December 2023 and January 2024, coordination staff, faculty, students, and management support staff from the Master’s in Translational Biomedical Research at VHIR participated in the program’s second accreditation process. This process is carried out every 6 years for official master’s programs to evaluate the program’s quality according to European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) for:

• Quality of the academic program  
• Relevance of public information  
• Effectiveness of the Internal Quality Management System (SGIQ)  
• Faculty suitability for the academic program  
• Effectiveness of learning support systems  
• Quality of program outcomes  

Achieving reaccreditation from AQU represents a significant milestone and recognition, highlighting the consolidation of the program, which this year celebrated its tenth anniversary, marked by an event held on April 19 at CosmoCaixa with graduates from all cohorts, faculty, notable figures, and institutional staff.

The External Committee highlighted the following aspects as best practices related to the degree:

• The research excellence of the faculty who teach the degree, as well as of the groups that host students in external internships and for their Master’s Thesis Project (TFM).
• The work carried out by the Teaching Unit, its resource allocation, and the ongoing training of technical, administrative, and service personnel.
• The structure of the Tutoring Action Plan and its effective implementation, which includes personalized mentoring for students throughout the year, particularly during internships and the TFM.

The Accreditation Process as a Testament to VHIR’s Commitment to Education

The VHIR master’s program underwent an initial Self-Assessment phase in February, with the submission of a Self-Assessment Report prepared by the Internal Evaluation Committee (CAI) appointed by the center. On April 8, it advanced to the External Evaluation phase, with a virtual visit from an External Evaluation Committee (CAE) appointed by AQU, consisting of a chair, a secretary, an academic representative, a student representative, and a professional representative, who conducted interviews with various stakeholders (students, faculty, employers, and graduates) involved in VHIR’s academic activities.

At the end of the visit, the CAE drafts a report with the external evaluation results and sends it to the Accreditation Commission (CA). Based on this report, the CA issues an accreditation report, which is sent to the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Ministry of Education and Science (MECD), and the University Council. The latter issues the corresponding accreditation resolution, and the degree is updated in the RUCT (Registry of Universities, Centers, and Degrees) according to the obtained result. The commitment and effort of all involved reinforce VHIR’s dedication to education and continuous improvement.

On October 31, VHIR was notified by the Autonomous University of Barcelona’s Office of Academic Quality of the favorable accreditation evaluation for the degree.

This recognition strengthens VHIR’s position as an academic center. In line with this, it is worth noting that VHIR has two new degrees that were approved by the UAB in January 2024.

All information related to the accreditation process is publicly available on the master’s program website.