Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica was the first to apply for an assessment of its internal quality assurance system. SAAHE will also examine the satisfaction of students or the quality of study programmes
Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica has become the first Slovak university to ask the accreditation agency to review its internal quality assurance system. Whether it complies with the standards or some deviations will only be seen after an expert evaluation.
“First, following the law, we have to check the completeness of the application. We will then set up an expert working group according to the nature of the application,” said Robert Redhammer, chair of the Agency’s Executive Board. “The expert evaluation of the submitted application will be up to the working group. It will also examine other documents, visit the university and summarise its conclusions in an evaluation report. The final decision of the Agency’s Executive Board and the delivery of the Agency’s written decision is expected within one year, following the law,” he added.
All higher education institutions in Slovakia have already declared the alignment of their internal rules with Act No. 269/2018 Coll. and the standards by 1 September this year. Subsequently, they are to apply for their accreditation.
“We are trying to ensure that the procedures are not only in line with the current law but also in line with the European Standards and ESG 2015 guidelines. We want these accreditation decisions to be already entered in the European Register of Accreditation Decisions DEQAR,” Redhammer said. This will only happen if SAAHE can be included in the European Register of EQAR Agencies. The Agency has already applied for a European audit.
The quality of higher education has come under the spotlight after a significant increase in the number of university students in Europe. In Slovakia, for example, it has increased threefold since 1990. European universities have established quality assurance systems, the rules and best practices of which are summarised in European standards and guidelines. Slovak universities are adapting to this trend.
PR SAAHE – Matej Bel University was the first to apply for accreditation on 11/14/2022
