Recent studies (McKinsey 2013; Trendence Institute, 2013) highlight that in Europe, 74% of education providers were confident that their graduates were prepared for work, but only 38% of youth and 35% of employers agreed: the 27% of employers reported that they have left a vacancy open in the past year because they couldn’t find anyone with the right skills. This means, that even when the jobs are available, young people often is not suitable for these positions. The link between Education and the labour market should be addressed, and career services in higher education can play a major role in improving the transition between education and labour market. In facts, high quality career guidance is a key component in the effort to help individuals into learning and work and to assist them to sustain employment and reach their full potential. However, this will require a re-thinking of the career service as it is in the majority of higher education institutions in Europe, that should include - An improved general provision of guidance for career, that cannot be left at the very end of the study path of the students; - A stronger relation with the labour market, as stressed within the Modernisation of higher education agenda; - Reference standards for quality assurance that include all mentioned aspects and are integrated to the overall QA system of the institutions in Europe. This should lead to - Improved placement results; - Increased retention rates, following the improved relationships with employers and the community, therefore providing qualified graduates in specific programs and fields that will increase job opportunities for students; - Stronger recruitment and enrolment, as universities able to ensure enhanced employability of their students are able to attract more students. The perceived need is therefore the establishment of quality assurance standards for career services, that encompass all aspects here above mentioned, therefore quality standards, organisational implications, university relations to the labour market, and implies an improved dialogue and understanding between concerned players. The members of the consortium, which include universities, experts in guidance in higher education, networks of students, will work in QAREER to collect different points of view of the main players in the field (guidance professionals and QA reference persons at HEI, students, employers), to define quality standards for career services at HEI, to draft the guidelines for their integration into HEI, to test them in real settings in the countries of the consortium, consult and involve further universities of Europe within the process, to establish a community of experts able to support these processes, and deliver the Guidelines for QA of career service in Higher Education in Europe (QACS).