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Initial accreditation of undergraduate, graduate, integrated, specialist and short cycle programmes

ASHE has been a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) since 2011 and it is included on the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). 

Pursuant to the Act on Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Science (OG 151/22) the Agency for Science and Higher Education conducts the procedure of initial accreditation of study programmes.

The initial accreditation of study programmes is an external quality evaluation procedure which is a requirement for all new study programmes delivered by public and private higher education institutions. 

The goal of the initial accreditation is to evaluate and assess the quality of a new study programme in accordance with the national legal criteria, Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and international trends and good practice. 

The purpose of the initial accreditation is to assure the quality of new study programmes proposed by higher education institutions and to encourage their enhancement. 

Evaluation area 

The initial accreditation of a study programme includes an analysis and assessment of the quality of a new study programme passed by an appointed expert panel according to the defined quality standards, that are grouped into four assessment areas: 

  • Internal quality assurance 
  • Study programme 
  • Teaching process and student support 
  • Teaching capacities and infrastructure 

Outcome of the procedure 

Based on the report of the expert panel which comprises an analysis and a quality grade of the new study programme, the Accreditation Council adopts a reasoned proposal to issue a licence to deliver a study programme, on the basis of which the Agency takes a decision to issue a license or to deny a license. 

The right to lodge a complaint 

The higher education institution may lodge a complaint with the Agency’s Complaints Committee against the Accreditation Council’s reasoned proposal within 30 days of receipt of the reasoned proposal. The Complaints Committee investigates the validity of the complaint and responds to each claim made in the complaint within a maximum of 15 days upon receiving the complaint. 

Follow-up procedure 

The Follow-up Committee monitors the delivery of the study programme throughout the first cycle of study programme delivery.  The higher education institution is required to adopt an action plan for the purpose of implementation of recommendations within three months from the issuing of a license and submit a report on the implementation of activities included in the action plan after the end of the first cycle of the study programme delivery. 

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