System Accreditation in Germany
In system accreditation, the focus is not on single study programmes, but instead on the internal quality management system of the higher education institution. This system should guarantee that the quality of the study programmes (at least) meets the requirements of a programme accreditation. If the system accreditation is successful, the higher education institution receives a right to self-accreditation, so it can independently award the seal of the Accreditation Council to its study programmes.
For detailed information, please refer to our guidelines (in German only):
Services provided by ZEvA
State and state-recognised universities and Universities of Applied Science can apply for system accreditation at the Accreditation Council. The ZEvA carries out the assessment and prepares an accreditation report, which serves the Accreditation Council as a basis for its decision.
The system accreditation can also be applied to an individual study-related entity of a higher education institution if the system accreditation of the entire higher education institution does not seem reasonable yet. This can be, for example, an individual faculty that has its own quality management system or is already integrated into a university-wide quality management system.
In exceptional cases, a consortium of several higher education institutions can also undergo a system accreditation procedure together. The requirement for this is that all higher education institutions involved cooperate at the level of the QM system, i.e. develop and implement joint QM processes and procedures, which are the subject of the assessment.
ZEvA offers consultancy tailored to fit the needs of the higher education institution in preparation for system accreditation. This can include various services and modules, up to supporting the entire process of setting up a quality management system. It should be noted that in these cases a subsequent assessment of the QM system by ZEvA is excluded.
Procedure
The following diagram shows an example of the procedure. The time schedule may vary from case to case and can be modified to fit the needs of the higher education institution and their specific procedure. Please note: the processing times at the Accreditation Council are not subject to the influence of the agency and should be inquired there.
Quality improvement
ZEvA offers higher education institutions various opportunities to make improvements to their quality management system and self-report during the procedure. In this way, conditions can be avoided when submitting an application to the Accreditation Council. You can find more information here (in German only):
Complaints and Appeals
For the possibility of filing a complaint or an appeal against a formal decision, see here.
System accreditation with ZEvA
If you would like to receive an offer for a system accreditation procedure, please contact the Head of System Accreditation.
I am at your disposal for any questions at any time!
Anja Grube
Head of System Accreditation and International Affairs
