I. Introduction

APQN Quality Awards were initiated in 2013 which aimed to mark decennial celebrations of APQN. By 2025, 81 awards have been given to prize winners both within and outside the Asia-Pacific Region. The Awards have given positive energy for APQN’s long march of “Dissolving Boundaries for a Quality Region” as well as “to enhance the quality of higher education in Asia and the Pacific region through strengthening the work of quality assurance agencies and extending the cooperation between them”.

APQN Quality Award is intended to identify and distinguish extraordinary or prominent QA contributions and good practices that have potential of replications in the Asia-Pacific area. APQN Criteria and Chiba principles will be generally applied to all categories as selection criteria. Based on “APQN Procedures Manual (version 3, 2017)”, APQN would encourage members which have been doing much more outstanding work individually, institutionally, nationally as well as internationally to submit applications for Quality Awards.

II. Award Category

The 2026 APQN Quality Award categories are as follows:

1. APQN Award of International Cooperation in QA (Two categories)

Category 1: This award is open to full and intermediate APQN members. This award recognizes organizations which have engaged in successful cooperation with other organizations internationally to further cross-border education and quality assurance of international initiatives.

Category 2: This award is also open to organizations outside the APQN region. This award recognizes organizations which have engaged in successful cooperation with organizations and institutions within the Asia-Pacific region to further cross-border education and quality assurance of international initiatives.

2. APQN’s Best/Model Internal QA Award

This award category is for institutional and associate members only. The members who have committed to quality assurance mechanisms and quality culture building are encouraged to apply for this award so as to make much wider circulation about their best or model IQA practices and experiences.

3. APQN Climate Champions Award

This award recognises APQN members who have made exemplary contributions in terms of green and sustainable initiatives in response to climate change. Institutional efforts for research on global warming and climate action, on campus and beyond campus, through active collaboration of faculty, students and society will be considered for this award. This award is for institutional and associate members category.

       4.APQN’s Best Model of QAA Award

This award is for quality assurance agencies (QAAs) only that are either full or intermediate members of APQN. The QAAs who have committed to EQA new-mechanisms, such as new standards, methods, measurements to match the IT and social development, are encouraged to apply for this award so as to make much-wider circulation about their best model EQA practices and experiences.

III. Nomination Form and Submission

We invite all eligible members and institutions to showcase their excellence in quality assurance by applying for the 2026 APQN Quality Awards. This is an opportunity to gain international recognition, share best practices, and contribute to the advancement of higher education quality across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond

1.Eligibility:

(1)Only Chief Executive Officers of APQN Full, Intermediate and Associate members and APQN Board members can send nominations for themselves or other APQN members.

(2)The presidents of institutional members could send nominations for themselves or other APQN institutional members for APQN’s Best Internal QA Award.

(3)Generally APQN member will not be considered for award in same category for two consecutive years. Members can submit up to two nominations free of cost. If more nominations are made, fee of USD 50 per nomination will be applicable.

2.Required Documents: 

●Completed nomination form (link) 

●Supporting evidence (e.g., case studies, reports, links, collaboration agreements, etc.)

3.Submission Deadline:

September 15, 2026

4.Submission Method:

Email to APQN Administrator Mr. Weimin Shi at apqnsecretariat@163.com.

Please fill in the nomination form for APQN Quality Awards 2026

IV. Selection Procedure

●After the nomination forms are received, the administrator will fill in the “Description on Contribution to APQN” according to the historical records.

●APQN board will review all the nominations and make final decision on Quality Awards.

●No appeal will be provided as this is a peer review or judgment.

V. Award Presentation

APQN Quality Award will be presented during APQN Annual conference to be held during October 29 - November 1 (Thursday - Sunday), 2026 in Pune, India. In addition, award winners should present a 50-word awarding speech at the Award Ceremony on October 31, 2026, and a 500-word article with 1-2 photos should submitted to be released in APQNews.

VI. Feedback and Query

If you have any feedback or queries, please email to APQN Administrator SHI Weimin (apqnsecretariat@163.com).

July 24, 2026

APQN Seventh Board