Accreditation is an external evaluation process based on specific, pre-defined, internationally accepted and pre-disclosed quantitative and qualitative criteria and indicators, harmonized with the Principles and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015).
Accreditation at a glance
The purpose of the accreditation is to ensure the quality of Higher Education, as well as the effectiveness and transparency of the overall operation of HEIs.
The periodic accreditation of the quality of HEIs is a basic mission of the HAEAE and concerns the accreditation of both the internal quality assurance system developed by the Institutions, as well as the curricula and the three cycles of Higher Education provided by the academic units of the HEIs.
General Principles of Accreditation
- The accreditation is carried out with uniform criteria and quality assurance procedures for all, in accordance with the national legislation and the commitments of our country as a member of the European Higher Education Area (HELEX).
- It is an impartial process, which is carried out in terms of transparency and meritocracy by a Recognized Independent Authority.
- It is evidence-based and carried out by independent experts.
- It leads to the decision on whether a curriculum complies with the minimum defined and pre-disclosed accreditation criteria.
- The results of the accreditation are published and are available to all interested parties.
Accreditation Benefits
- It works to the benefit of students, parents, HEIs themselves and employers because it ensures that the graduate of a degree programme has acquired a specific combination of knowledge, competences and skills (learning outcomes) reflected in the accreditation criteria.
- It ensures that an educational programme meets the minimum quality criteria as set out in the European Higher Education Area.
- It leads to the upgrading of the value of Greek qualifications and their international recognition. It should be noted that Greece is called upon to compete with pan-European countries, where accreditation is applied to the vast majority of the study programs offered.
- It enhances the mobility of Greek graduates and increases employment opportunities in jobs where the possession of certified qualifications is a prerequisite for recruitment. It is noted that the possession of certified qualifications is a current trend in the labor market throughout Europe and a basic criterion for the recruitment of new graduates.
- It is a passport for Greek graduates to attend Postgraduate Study Programs in Europe and internationally, many of which positively evaluate the possession of a certified degree.
- It is a basic prerequisite for the extroversion of Greek universities. A typical example is the International University of Greece, which seeks to attract students from abroad.
- Professional associations and chambers use accreditation as proof of a curriculum's connection with their professional field and the required professional qualifications.
- For employers, accreditation provides guarantees/ensures that the graduate gathers the required knowledge, abilities and skills needed for a particular job.
- Transnational collaborations in joint curricula require the accreditation of curricula.
The Accreditation of the Internal Quality Assurance System
In each Higher Education Institution, an Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS) is formed and implemented, which must cover the entire range of functions and activities of the Institution.
In order to ensure and continuously improve the quality of the educational and research work of each Institution, as well as for the effective operation and performance of its services, the internal quality assurance system must be shaped in accordance with international practices, in particular those of the European Higher Education Area (ESG, Part A'), and the principles and guidelines of the HEAEA. In each HEI, the Quality Assurance Unit is responsible for the organization and implementation of the internal quality assurance system.
The IQAS of HEIs is periodically certified by the HAHE. The general criteria of the procedure include:
- the establishment of clear and defined objectives to ensure and continuously improve the quality of the Foundation's curricula and support services;
- the policy planning process, effective organisation and decision-making process for continuous quality improvement;
- the process of implementing the policy for continuous quality improvement;
- the documented improvement of quality.
In this context, HEIs should include a quality assurance policy in their strategic planning. This policy is developed and specialized in the fields of action of the Foundation and in particular, in the fulfillment of the quality requirements of the Institution's study programs and other services. Also, the quality assurance policy must be implemented by all stakeholders within the Foundation (faculty, students, leadership and administration) and widely publicised.
The Accreditation of Study Programs
The accreditation of a curriculum shifts the center of gravity from the evaluation of "inputs" to the evaluation of qualitative outcomes, "outputs" and more specifically, to the achievement of objectives and learning outcomes.
It is a predetermined, reliable and practically applicable procedure. It should therefore be carried out consistently and made public. It includes the following stages:
- Proposal for Accreditation of the PS submitted by the Foundation
- External evaluation of the PS by a Committee of independent experts, which usually includes an on-site visit to the Foundation
- Submission of the Accreditation Report to the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, as a result of the accreditation process of the PS
- Issuance of a accreditation decision by the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
- Continuous monitoring of the progress of the PS by the IQAS (QAU)
The accreditation process ensures that the curriculum offered by the HEI meets all the formal specifications provided by the HEAE standard and the relevant Institution, but also that the performance and competences of the graduates of the specific course of study (learning outcomes) correspond to the expected professional qualifications required by society and the labor market. It is also certified that the curriculum satisfies the minimum quality criteria, as they have been formulated at IHEA.
The accreditation is a passport for the continuation of studies in Europe and internationally, and increases employment opportunities in Greece and abroad, as the possession of certified qualifications is considered of utmost importance for the entry of graduates into the labor market.