ANECA was set up on 19 July 2002 by agreement of the Council of Ministers, in compliance with article 31 of the Spanish Universities Act. Its mission is to contribute to the improved quality of the higher education system by way of the evaluation, certification and accreditation of degree programmes, teaching staff and institutions.
The main purpose of ANECA is to monitor the performance of the public service of university education according to objective procedures and transparent processes, and to reinforce transparency and comparability as a means for the promotion and quality assurance of both public and private universities and their integration into the European Higher Education Area. In order to achieve its ends, the Agency's activities are carried out in an independent, transparent and objective way that ensures and promotes the participation of the Spanish and international university community.