Step 1: Offer request/contract preparation:
To obtain initial information and enable us to make you a tailor-made offer, please fill in our enquiry form and send it to us by email. Once you have done this, we can then make you a non-binding offer. Once the contract has been finalised, we will agree a time schedule with you for the implementation of the assessment procedure and the preparation of the accreditation report.
Step 2: Preparation of self-evaluation report:
Once the contract has been finalised, you prepare your self-evaluation report (including relevant annexes). The self-evaluation report is prepared on the based the German Accreditation Council’s grid for the respective procedure type (individual procedure, bundled procedure, etc.). Once the contract has been finalised, we will send you the corresponding WORD document for processing incl. instructions for the preparation of the self-evaluation report.
Step 3: Appointment of the assessor committee:
The FIBAA Expert committee, which is appointed by the FIBAA Accreditation and Certification Committee, appoints an Expert committee in accordance with the "Guidelines on the Appointment of FIBAA Experts and Configuration of Expert Groups for Accreditation Procedures” issued by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK). In order to ensure the impartiality of the assessor committee and fairness for you, we grant you a justified right of objection. We prepare our assessors for their duties and for each specific procedure.
Step 4: Preparation of the audit report:
The FIBAA office prepares the audit report, which contains a proposal for determining compliance with the formal criteria according to Part 2 of the Specimen Decree (Musterrechtsverordnung, MRVO) (or the legal decree of the state in which the higher education institution is located). If necessary, the assessor committee will be asked to provide its expertise. The audit report is prepared according to the grid supplied by the German Accreditation Council. The FIBAA informs the university immediately if a formal criterion is not met and agrees on the further procedure.
Step 5: Inspection:
During the on-site inspection, the assessor committee primarily assesses the technical and content-related criteria. At the end of the appointment you will receive feedback on the assessor committee’s evaluations.
Step 6: Preparation of the assessment report and accreditation report:
After the inspection, the review report is drawn up on the basis of the assessor committee’s evaluation. The formal report and the review report form the accreditation report. The higher education institution receives the accreditation report and can submit a statement which is forwarded to the assessor committee.
Step 7: Transmission of the final accreditation report
After the statement and, if applicable, the optional quality enhancement, you will receive the final accreditation report, which you submit together with the self-evaluation report (incl. attachments) to the German Accreditation Council via the electronic information and application processing system ELIAS. The relevant deadlines for the application as well as further information on the procedure can be found in the FAQs on the website of the German Accreditation Council.
Step 8: Decision on the accreditation
The Accreditation Council decides on the accreditation of the study programme upon the request by the higher education institution. The basis for the decision is the accreditation report.
Step 9: Publication of the accreditation report
All accreditation reports are published by the German Accreditation Council in the electronic application and information system (ELIAS) as well as in the European Database of External Quality Assurance Results (DEQAR).
OPTIONAL: Quality advancement
Should the accreditation report on the part of the assessor committee contain recommendations on requirements or recommendations for the decision of the Accreditation Council, there is the option that FIBAA carries out a process of quality enhancement (implementation of the recommendations/conditions). The higher education institution decides on the use of this option after the on-site inspection and presentation of the accreditation report. A separate lump sum will be charged for this, depending on the effort involved. Please consider this option when scheduling the accreditation process.
