Rome, 23 October 2025. The Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR) is pleased to announce the re-election of Professor Marilena Maniaci, former member of ANVUR’s Governing Board, as a member of the Board of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) for the next three-year term.

During the ENQA General Assembly held today in Brussels, Professor Maniaci was re-elected to the Board for a new three-year mandate, obtaining 33 votes – the highest number among the nine candidates competing for the three available positions. Her confirmation represents an important recognition for ANVUR and for the Italian higher education system as a whole.

ENQA, which brings together 62 European quality assurance and accreditation agencies (and 41 affiliates), plays a strategic role in promoting and implementing the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Professor Maniaci’s presence on the Association’s governing body further strengthens Italy’s participation in European decision-making processes related to quality assurance in higher education.

ANVUR President Professor Antonio Felice Uricchio, who took part in the voting as the Agency’s representative, expressed his deep satisfaction with the result:

“The re-election of Professor Maniaci to the ENQA Board is a mark of appreciation and trust in the work carried out by ANVUR over the years at the European level. Her academic expertise and institutional insight are a valuable asset for ANVUR’s continued growth and recognition within the European framework. On behalf of the Agency, I extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes for her new term.”

“I am deeply honoured by my re-election to the ENQA Board, which I regard as a renewed expression of confidence in the contribution that ANVUR brings to the international quality assurance community, as well as in my personal commitment to promoting the quality of higher education and research in Italy, in Europe and beyond,” said Professor Maniaci. “This confirmation comes at a time of great challenges for higher education, when cooperation and dialogue are more necessary than ever. ANVUR’s active participation in ENQA and in the European Higher Education Area, together with its recent admission to the EQAR Register, have strengthened Italy’s presence and voice in building a shared culture of quality. I will continue, with dedication, openness, and a strong sense of collective responsibility, the work carried out over these years alongside the members of the Governing Board, the Director, and the Agency’s staff.”

ANVUR Director Daniele Livon added: "This is a highly rewarding result, considering that among nine candidates Professor Maniaci received the highest number of votes. It is a well-deserved recognition of her commitment and of the work carried out by the entire Agency. We hope that this achievement will be of benefit above all to the Italian higher education system, which must increasingly embrace opportunities for internationalisation and collaboration with other countries".

Professor Marilena Maniaci, Full Professor of Palaeography at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio and President of the Comité international de Paléographie Latine, has long been engaged in issues related to evaluation and quality assurance. As a member of ANVUR’s Governing Board, since 2020 she has been responsible for the AFAM (Higher Education in Art, Music and Dance) sector and for the Agency’s internationalisation activities, contributing actively to the European dialogue on standards and best practices. She is also a member of the governing body of the French agency HCERES.