What is E-STAR?

E-STAR is a set of quality standards designed to help a Higher Education Institution (HEI) to create value for students, business and society by means of the entrepreneurial mindset.

The E-STAR quality standards can be used by an HEI to self-assess its performance as an entrepreneurial organisation.  Further, an HEI has the option to invest in a peer review which will generate feedback from a panel of international higher education experts. Finally, if an HEI satisfies the quality standards during the peer review, it will  be eligible for E-STAR accreditation. This prestigious award offers a competitive advantage by showcasing the HEI’s entrepreneurial achievements to the international higher education community.

Is E-STAR relevant to all HEIs?

E-STAR quality standards have been designed to embrace the rich diversity of HEIs across the world, acknowledging and respecting their distinctive locations, missions, stakeholders, cultures, resources and national regulatory systems.

E-STAR quality standards have been designed to be relevant to all academic disciplines (including the humanities, art and cultural studies, scientific disciplines and the social sciences) and to recognise their distinct approaches to entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. 

The quality standards are designed to set realistic expectations for the integration of the entrepreneurial mindset into core HE activities and they do not attempt to describe an idealised HEI.

What is distinctive about E-STAR?

Firstly, E-STAR quality standards have been designed to focus on stakeholders and the support that they need from an HEI.

Secondly, by recognising the autonomy of HEIs to operate within their regulatory environments, the quality standards are able to take a sharp focus on the use of the entrepreneurial mindset in higher education.

Thirdly, E-STAR takes an entrepreneurial approach to the process of accreditation itself and, therefore, minimises bureaucracy, reduces timescales, and provides excellent value for money.

The E-STAR awarding body is the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network, a community of practice with members in 107 countries.

How can an HEI undertake a self-assessment?

Any HEI can use the E-STAR quality standards to self-assess its entrepreneurial performance. This is a valuable opportunity for academics, professional services staff and leaders to check that the HEI is presenting its academic offer, services and achievements in the best possible light. Improving the quality of information will help to strengthen connections with stakeholders and support the delivery of key administrative processes e.g. marketing, student recruitment, quality assurance, governance and human resource management.

What are the 4 quality standards?

In summary, E-STAR consists of 4 quality standards for the application of Entrepreneurial mindset in higher education:

Student education and career planning,

Transfer of knowledge to business,

Academic innovation and development, and

Regional impact (economic, social & cultural).

Each of the 4 Quality Standards has 3 detailed Evaluation Criteria, making 12 criteria in total.

Student education and career planning

The 3 evaluation criteria for this quality standard are:

S1 What are my options for gaining a qualification which has a focus on creativity, innovation or entrepreneurship?

S2 What are the opportunities for me to take an active role in extra-curricula activities that support my creativity, innovation or entrepreneurship?

S3 How will you help me to manage my career options including preparation for employment or entrepreneurship?

Transfer of knowledge to business

The 3 evaluation criteria for this quality standard are:

T1 What training and resources do you offer that would help me to start a new business or enterprise?

T2 What training and resources do you offer that would help me to improve my existing company or organisation?

T3 How can your research (activities, people and resources) help me or my organisation or my sector/industry?

Academic innovation and development

The 3 evaluation criteria for this quality standard are:

A1 What is my organisation’s strategic commitment to innovation in Higher Education?

A2 How is responsibility for innovation represented within the governance and leadership structures of my organisation?

A3 How does my organisation support equality and diversity?

Regional impact (economic, social and cultural)

The 3 evaluation criteria for this quality standard are:

R1 How do you support me as a member of the alumni?

R2 How can I find out about on-campus activities or online events that are open to me as a member of the general public?

R3 How are staff and students engaged in the local community in ways that generate benefits for citizens?

How can an HEI request a Peer Review?

An HEI can submit a request for a Peer Review at any time by completing a short registration form. The HEI then chooses the date/time for a 30 minute online Briefing which will include:

• an introduction to E-STAR
• an explanation of the quality standards and peer reviews process
• the opportunity to ask any questions
• discussion of the E-STAR timeline and next steps

Normally a Peer Review is conducted in a matter of weeks rather than many months.

How is the Peer Review conducted?

A team of HE experts will undertake a Peer Review of the information provided on the HEI’s website against the E-STAR Quality Standards. The Peer Reviewers will judge if the information on the website is a) easy and quick to locate b) detailed and informative and c) tailored to the needs of the stakeholder. 

This approach to peer review removes the need for an HEI to produce a self-assessment report and allows the evaluations by the panel to be conducted online without a visit to the institution. These factors combine to reduce costs, shorten timescales and to increase the transparency of the review process and its outcomes

What are the costs of a Peer Review?

The registration form must be completed by a person with the authority to act on behalf of the HEI and approve the payment of the Peer Review Fee of 3000€, which covers the following costs:

• contracting of independent HE experts capable of judging the HEI's application
• conduct of a Peer Review, evaluating the HEI's website against the E-STAR Quality Standards
• a 60 minute online Feedback Meeting, which will provide an explanation of the findings of the peer review and discuss any recommendations for improvement

Who are the Peer Review experts?

The peer reviewers are selected and approved by the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network which has members in 107 countries.  The experts are all highly respected, qualified and experienced people with a demonstrated commitment to the use of the entrepreneurial mindset in higher education.

How are judgements reached?

As the E-STAR Quality Standards are only evaluated against information in the public domain, the possibility of subjective judgements by the Peer Reviewers is reduced, and the HEI can more easily verify the outcomes of the peer review. The E-STAR process has been benchmarked against recognised accreditation codes of practice.

How are the outcomes presented?

The outcome of the peer review will be presented to the HEI in an online Feedback Meeting, during which the Peer Reviewers will share their evaluations of the HEI against the E-STAR Quality Standards and their recommendations for continuous improvement. This is a valuable opportunity for peer-to-peer discussion between the HEI and the Reviewers.

How can an HEI gain E-STAR accreditation?

HEIs that are judged in a peer review to have satisfied the E-STAR quality standards are eligible to showcase their achievements with E-STAR Accreditation. Three levels of accreditation recognise the diversity of HEIs:

E-STAR Bronze : at least 1 Evaluation Criterion satisfied in all 4 Quality Standards.

E-STAR Silver : at least 2 Evaluation Criteria satisfied in all 4 Quality Standards.

E-STAR Gold : all 3 Evaluation Criteria satisfied in all 4 Quality Standards

To be accredited it is not necessary for an HEI to have provision that matches to all 12 evaluation criteria, but for those HEIs that do there is the additional opportunity for progression (Bronze, Silver and Gold).

How is the HEI’s E-STAR promoted?

To promote an HEI and its E-STAR accreditation the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network will:

• Provide digital accreditation badges for use by the HEI's on its website.
• Add the HEI’s accreditation profile to the E-STAR Academy website.
• Promote the accreditation of the HEI on the LinkedIn

E-STAR accreditation is valid for a period of 5 years, provided that an HEI maintains its membership of the E-STAR Academy.

There is an annual membership fee of 500€. 

All E-STAR payments can be made by credit card or bank transfer. No VAT is payable. The Fees mentioned on this website are valid throughout 2024.

What is the E-STAR Academy?

Membership of the E-STAR Academy includes the following benefits:

1) promotion of the HEI and its E-STAR accreditation,

2) an annual, online development meeting to support continuous improvement 

3) approval of individual E-STAR awards for employees of the HEI as part of the institution’s incentives and rewards scheme, and

4) online events that bring the achievements and excellence of the accredited HEIs to the attention of a worldwide audience.