Abstract
The paper aims to propose a frame of reference for quality evaluation and quality assurance in universities, particularly focused on teaching and research. It analyses the quality assurance schemes which are prevailing in Europe, trying to distinguish static aspects from dynamic ones. Real quality is dynamic, interactive, evolving; it begins with a combination of relationships and needs to be continuously renewed. It is influenced by factors that are rooted in the context and are often incomprehensible if assessed from an external point of view. The paper proposes a rationale for a dual system, using evaluation: a) in a static sense, by safeguarding a threshold of acceptability of performances: presence and regularity of supply, syllabus of each course, minimum threshold of scientific productivity on the basis of standard criteria, transparency and diffusion of information; b) in a dynamic sense, fostering the proactive role of universities which self-govern the procedures of evaluation, avoiding the possibility that staticthresholds set at too high a level induce forms of compliance, orienting national evaluation systems to the future, taking into account development aspects, looking for correspondence with different disciplinary fields, fostering partnership between academics and professional managers, enabling people to give more.