About Applied eXel
Applied eXel is a global framework designed to define, support, and advance excellence in applied higher education. Developed under the UNESCO Chair on Strategic Foresight and Higher Education at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Applied eXel responds to the growing need for evaluation models that recognize the distinctive mission, value, and impact of applied higher education institutions.
Purpose and Rationale
Traditional global rankings and assessment systems focus largely on research intensity and academic prestige. While valuable in certain contexts, these approaches do not adequately reflect the strengths of applied higher education, such as employability, work-based learning, applied research, industry engagement, and local and societal impact.
Applied eXel addresses this gap by offering a purpose-built framework that aligns evaluation with the realities and ambitions of applied institutions.
Framework Overview
Applied eXel is a quality enhancement and benchmarking framework grounded in self-reflection, peer learning, and evidence-based assessment. It is not a ranking system. Instead, it supports institutions in understanding their current level of maturity, identifying strengths and gaps, and advancing systematically toward applied excellence.
The framework is structured around seven interrelated pillars that reflect the core activities, responsibilities, and geographic reach of applied higher education institutions. Each pillar is assessed through clearly defined criteria, focusing on both institutional capabilities and measurable outcomes.
Governance and Project Management
Applied eXel is led by the UNESCO Chair on Strategic Foresight and Higher Education at HCT, with EURASHE appointed as the Project Manager for the initiative. EURASHE (the European Association for the Applied Sciences in Higher Education) represents more than 500 institutions across the European Higher Education Area and brings over three decades of experience in applied and professionally oriented higher education, quality assurance, and policy development.
As Project Manager, EURASHE supports the operational coordination of Applied eXel, including engagement with participating institutions, facilitation of peer review and learning activities, and alignment with international quality standards. This role strengthens the framework’s credibility, consistency, and global relevance.
Key Principles
Applied eXel is guided by the following principles:
Applied Mission First
Excellence is defined in relation to practice-oriented education, applied research, and societal relevance.
Developmental
The framework is designed to support improvement, not compliance.
Future-Oriented
Strategic foresight, agility, and adaptability are central to institutional excellence.
Collaborative
Peer review and shared learning are core components of the process.
Evidence-Based
Judgements are supported by qualitative and quantitative evidence.
Globally Informed, Locally Relevant
Institutions are assessed in light of their context, while contributing to a shared global understanding of applied excellence.
How Applied eXel Works
Institutions engage with Applied eXel through a structured process that includes institutional self-assessment, international peer review, benchmarking, and collective reflection within a global network. The process encourages broad internal participation, involving leadership, faculty, students, and external stakeholders.
Institutional Scope and Applicability
Applied eXel is designed for institutions and units with a strong applied orientation, including universities of applied sciences, technological universities, polytechnics, higher technical colleges, and applied faculties within comprehensive universities.
A Global Initiative
Through the leadership of the UNESCO Chair at HCT and the project management role of EURASHE, Applied eXel combines academic rigor, operational reliability, and international legitimacy. It aims to strengthen institutional identity, enhance quality and impact, and build a trusted global network committed to excellence in applied higher education.