National legislation
The examples on this page describe how some countries in the EHEA are using EQAR as a reference for national legislation in order to recognise external quality assurance agencies and their results.
This page is new. Please contact us if you have any questions or other relevant examples that might be missing.
Austria Austrian universities are free to choose any EQAR-registered agency for their periodic external audits.
Austria
A law to reorganise the external quality assurance system for higher education was passed by the Austrian national parliament in July 2011. The three existing external quality assurance agencies of Austria will be merged into one organisation, the new Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQAA).
Under the new legislation, public universities in Austria will have to have their internal quality assurance system certified in a periodic external audit. For these audits, universities will be free to choose any EQAR-registered agency. Universities of applied sciences () will also benefit from this freedom once they have been accredited by AQAA for two six-year terms.
Belgium: Flemish Community Higher education institutions in the Flemish Community of Belgium can now choose to have their accreditation review carried out by foreign EQAR-registered agencies.
Belgium: Flemish Community
In Flanders, such reviews will be the basis for a second accreditation of study programmes by the NVAO. All EQAR-registered agencies are automatically entitled to carry out the assessment reviews. While they do not have to be included on a special list or register, agencies will have to agree the Terms of Reference with NVAO.
Denmark Automatic recognition of accreditation by EQAR-registered agencies for Erasmus Mundus joint programmes and for Danish diplomas offered abroad.
Denmark
Danish institutions may only issue Danish diplomas for programmes offered abroad if these programmes are accredited either by the national Danish agency or an “internationally recognised” agency. If an agency is registered on EQAR, it is automatically considered “internationally recognised”; otherwise, it has to prove this in an individual procedure to the Danish authorities. The Accreditation Institution, one of Denmark's national QA agencies, is also required by law to seek registration on EQAR.
Germany Nationally recognised (by the Accreditation Council) QA agencies can ratify decisions from foreign EQAR-registered agencies
Germany
For their periodic accreditation of their study programmes or quality assurance systems German higher education institutions (HEIs) can choose from amongst QA agencies that are accredited by the German Accreditation Council, a national regulatory body. These agencies can also ratify individual accreditation decisions by other agencies on joint programmes between a German and foreign institution. This is subject to the agency being registered on EQAR or a full member of ENQA.
Kazakhstan On the condition that they are registered on EQAR, foreign agencies can be granted permission to accredit Kazakh higher education institutions.
Kazakhstan
Institutions are subject to periodic institutional and programme accreditation. They can have their programmes accredited by any quality assurance agency listed on the Kazakh national register of accreditation bodies.
Quality assurance agencies from other countries in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) can be included on the national register of agencies subject to the condition that they are EQAR-registered.
Moreover, both Kazakh and foreign agencies on the national register will not need to undergo a review by the Kazakh authorities if they are registered on EQAR, since registration guarantees that agencies periodically re-evidence their substantial compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) through an external review every five years.
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein legislation requires the higher education institution to seek accreditation by any EQAR-registered agency.
Lithuania For programme accreditation, HEIs can opt for an external review conducted by any EQAR-registered QA agency.
Lithuania
Lithuanian HEIs are subject to regular accreditation at both institutional and programme level. For programme accreditation, HEIs can opt for an external review conducted by any EQAR-registered QA agency. The actual accreditation decision, however, remains the responsibility of the national QA agency.
Poland Polish HEIs may request foreign EQAR-registerd QA agencies to conduct an external accreditation review.
Poland
Polish HEIs may request foreign EQAR-registerd QA agencies to conduct an external accreditation review, whereas the accreditation decision is taken by the Polish Accreditation Commission (PKA, the national agency). HEIs are further required to be reviewed by an EQAR-registered agency in order to apply for the right to offer doctorate degrees.
Foreign higher education institutions (HEIs) that have been accredited by any EQAR-registered agency have the right to establish branch HEIs or departments in Polish.
Romania After initial accreditation by the national agency, HE institutions can choose from registered agencies freely for periodic external evaluation.
Romania
HEIs in Romania are subject to (initial) accreditation by the national QA agency, ARACIS. Once the HEI is accredited it is obliged to undergo periodic external evaluations. For these evaluations, HEIs can choose freely from amongst the registered agencies.
ARACIS is required by law to seek registration on EQAR.
