Higher education institutions submit an Application for granting the accreditation of a joint study programme according to § 30 and § 36 para. 2 of Quality Assurance Act no. 269/2018 Coll. as amended in the Agency’s information system (https://is.saavs.sk/). If the higher education institution does not have access to the SAAVS information system, it will request the establishment of access via ziadosti@saavs.sk. The application shall state the name, surname, e-mail address and telephone contact of the person authorized to enter the SAAVS IS on behalf of the higher education institution and to submit applications.
According to § 36 para. 2 of Act no. 269/2018 Coll. as amended, the Agency shall not, by 31 December 2024, reject an application for granting the accreditation of a joint study programme if a higher education institution in the relevant field of study and degree deliver a study programme which is not a joint study programme.
In the application and the supporting documentation, higher education institutions demonstrate compliance with Standards for the Study programme and Annex No. 1 to the Standards for Study programmes
Specimen of the application for granting the accreditation of a joint study programme
1. Cooperating higher education institutions with the seat in the Slovak Republic (SR) submit an application for accreditation of a joint study programme jointly. The application for accreditation of a joint study programme (pdf application from IS SAAVS) is signed by the statutory body of the higher education institution submitting the joint application in IS SAAVS and also separately by the statutory body of each cooperating higher education institution with the seat in the Slovak Republic and sent to the Agency via e-mail.
The following are attached to the joint application of the higher education institution:
- Internal Assessment Report of the joint study programme
- Description of the joint study programme
Description of the joint study programme – outline in English
- Research/art/teacher profile of a person providing the subjects of the study programme for each cooperating higher education institution located in the Slovak Republic
in accordance with Art. 21 of Annex no. 1 to the Standards for Study programmes and Art. 21 Methodology for Standards evaluation
- Characteristics of the submitted outputs of research/artistic and other activities according to Art. 7, para. 2 of the Standards for Study programmes and Art. 22 Methodology for Standards evaluation for each cooperating higher education institution with the seat in the Slovak Republic
- The consent of the legal entity listed in the description of the field of study, if according to the description of the field of study the opinion is required.
- The consent of the relevant ministry on the implementation of the proposed study programme, if it is a state higher education institution.
- The agreement of cooperating higher education institution on a joint study programme according to Art. 2 para. 3 of Annex No. 1 to the Standards for Study programmes
- If the joint study programme is delivered in cooperation with higher education institutions located outside the Slovak Republic, the application for accreditation of the joint study programme (pdf application from IS SAAVS) is signed and sent to the Agency only by institutions located in the Slovak Republic. The higher education institution applying for the accreditation of such a joint study programme in the IS SAAV, in addition to items 1 to 7 of point A), also attaches to the application:
- Proof of recognition of a cooperating institution loctaed outside the Slovak Republic by a national regulator as an institution of higher education with the right to provide education in the home system of higher education in the relevant field of education.
- Reference to the status and validity of the national accreditation authorizing a cooperating institution located outside the Slovak Republic to deliver a joint study programme.
The application for granting the accreditation of the study programme of the 3rd degree of higher education institutions is accompanied by the Internal assessment report of the study programme and a joint description of the study programme in Slovak and English and bilingual Research/art/teacher profile of a person providing profile subjects of the study programme and characteristics of submitted research, artistic and other activities in Slovak and English.
Higher education institution shall provide the Agency with access to further evidence of compliance with the proposed joint study programme with Standards for Study programme and with Annex no. 1 of the Standards for Study programme, which they stated in the Internal assessment report of the study programme, the description of the study programme and the basis for the evaluation of research, artistic and other activities (remotely or during the site assessment).
The key communication tool of the higher education institution towards the reviewers and the public is the Internal Assessment report of the study programme. In the Internal Assessment report, institutions shall describe how they reflect the individual requirements of the Standards for Study programmes and the requirements of Annex No. 1 to the Standards for Study programmes and ensure the quality of higher education in individual workplaces and provide appropriate evidence or references to evidence.
The report should focus on the specificities of the study programme as a joint effort of different higher education institutions, including information on the specificities arising from the national higher education systems of the cooperating schools (in the case of an application under point B).
The Agency according to § 4 par. 2 letter h.) Of Act no. 269/2018 Coll. publish the application, including the Internal Assessment report and a Description of the study programme – outline, on its website.
After entering the documentation, the information system of the Agency generates an application form, which each cooperating institution with its registered office located in the Slovak Republic sends to the Agency via the e-mailbox after signing by the statutory body.
The Agency’s proceedings begin on the day of receiving the complete applications via e-mail, including the payment of a fee.
The amount of the fee is paid byt the higher education institution with its registered office located in the Slovak Republic based on certain information on the amount of the fee according to the Fee Schedule. Confirmation of payment of the fee is provided by the institution in the information system of the Agency after sending the application.
Questions concerning the submission of applications and the payment of fees for the Agency’s actions can be sent to the Agency at the email address ziadosti@saavs.sk.
