Albania

• Membership in EQAR
  Albania has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since September 2015.

  Read more: all Governmental Members of EQAR

• General information on higher education

  Albanian higher education system includes the following forms of institutions: universities, academia, university colleges and higher vocational colleges is a higher education institution of vocational nature. The establishment of a higher education institution is done by decision of the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the minister responsible for education. All higher education institutions undergo an initial and cyclical accreditation procedures. (See below Law on Higher Education, Chapter 4)

• National external quality assurance requirements

  Higher education institutions would need to undergo the external evaluation process for their first accreditation. The HEI can start its activity only after being granted the licence. To ensuring the public recognition that an Albanian HEI or programme meets the set standards of quality, higher education institutions and their programmes undergo an accreditation.

  • Institutional and programme evaluations
    carried out every six years.

• Cross-border quality assurance

  In Albania under certain conditions higher education institutions may choose a suitable EQAR-registered agency.

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: The Albanian Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education (ASCAL) must aprove the request of the higher education institution to be accredited by a foreign QA agency.

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): national QA criteria

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: Approval of the Accreditation Board of the Albanian Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education (ASCAL).

  Read more: countries where higher education institutions may choose a suitable EQAR-registered agency

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  In Albania the European Approach is not available to higher education institutions.

  Read more: countries where the European Approach is available to higher education institutions

• Further information

  • The Albanian qualifications framework (AQF)

  • Enic Naric

  • Ministry responsible for higher education

  • Law No. 80/2015 “On Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions of the Republic of Albania" (in Albanian)

  • Albania - European Higher Education Area

Registered agencies operating in Albania