Question1: What are the official status and the legal basis of AQAC?

• AQAC has been established by law as a corporate body or is based on agreements of national authorities

• Accreditation is regulated in the relevant legislation/rules

Question2: How are decisions on assessments taken and how are they communicated?

• The rules leading to the accreditation decision are transparent and warrant equal treatment

• Decisions on accreditation are based on predefined quality standards and have to be comprehensible

Question3: How are the higher education institutions informed?

• Information about AQAC's policies, procedures, guidelines and criteria are publicly available

• The information must be up-to-date

• AQAC's public accountability is demonstrated by reporting regularly on the outcomes and the effects of accreditation procedures and related activities

• AQAC provides higher education institutions with a clear documentation about the accreditation framework and the accreditation procedures (guidelines for self-evaluation, external evaluation)

Question4:How is the public informed about accreditation decision?

• The outcome of the accreditation must be made public

Question5: What is AQAC's method for appeal?

• There is a possibility to appeal against accreditation decisions

• Procedures of appeal are specified

• Equal and fair treatment of all applicants is guaranteed

Question6: Is AQAC independent in defining its terms of procedures?

• Processes and methods of accreditation are in the responsibility of AQAC and are not defined by other bodies

Question7: Is AQAC active in program or institutional accreditation? Which are the regulations for reaccreditation?

• AQAC has regular accreditation activities at Institutional and/or program level

• Reaccreditation and validity of accreditation decisions are regulated

Question8: How is the accreditation procedure structured?

The accreditation must be processed in different steps: the nine stepping-stones of accreditation:

1. Development of an Application

2. Submission of Initial Documentation

3. Preliminary Review of Initial Documentation

4. Formative evaluation

5. Evaluation process

6. Site Visit

7. Report Preparation

8. Accreditation Decisions

9. Dissemination