Legal Framework for Recognition of Accreditation granted by QA Agency abroad
The legal framework of the higher education allows higher education institutions to recognize the accreditation granted by QA Agenses abroad.
This is ensured by the following regulations:
- According to Article 19(3) of the Law of Georgian on Education Quality Improvement , and Article 63(13) of Law of Georgia "On Higher Education", the accreditation of the higher education programmes, including the accreditation of a joint higher education programme, can be carried out by a foreign organization with the relevant competence recognized by the Center. The recognition is carried out according with the procedure established by the Accreditation Statute.
- According to Article 28 of “The Charter for the Accreditation of Educational Programmes of the General Education Institutions and Higher Education Institutions” approved by the Order N65/N of 4 May 2011 by the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia provides regulations on the recognition of the accreditation granted by the foreign quality assurance agency/organization.
Provided regulations allow Institutions to accredit programmes by:
· ENQA member Quality assuarence agences that are registered on EQAR and are operating on the territory of the European;
· QA Agencies operating on the territory of the United States;
· Any other QA agency.
Procedure of Recognition of Accreditation granted by QA Agency abroad
Higher education institutions in Georgia may request recognition of accreditation granted by a foreign organization. The NCEQE recognizes automatically the accreditation granted by the organizations that are members of ENQA and EQAR and are operating on the territory of the European Union member states. In other cases, institutions need to have prior approval by the NCEQE. For this institution have to inform the NCEQE about the selected QA agency/organisation and the programme it wishes to accredit. This should involve the following information on the QA agency and the programme:
· the name of the accrediting QA agency/organization abroad
· the name of the programme
· the qualifications / qualifications to be awarded
· the components of the programme
· the number of credits
· the distribution of credits
Prior approval of the Center is issued if the external evaluation mechanism of the QA agency is compatible with the accreditation standards and procedures operating on the national level in Georgia, and reservation about such recognition is provided by an international treaty. Otherwise, the Center refuses to recognize the accreditation granted by the organization indicated by the education institution.
Procedure of recognition of foreign accreditation
NCEQE carries out recognition of foreign accreditation conducted based on the submission of a respective by the HEI. The application should involve:
· the statement of the institution on recognition of foreign accreditation
· final report of the programme produced by accreditation experts
· decision on granting accreditation to the programme by QA agency/organization abroad
· payment of the fee for review of this application
Maximum term of recognition procedure of foreign accreditation is 30 calendar days. If a period of more than 30 calendar days is necessary to establish the circumstances relevant to the recognition of the accreditation, the NCEQE is authorized to extend this period to 60 calendar days.
Follow-up procedures for foreign accreditation
The higher education institution is obliged to notify the NCEQE of any amendments in the decision on accreditation granted by the foreign organization.
Via preliminary agreement with the QA agency abroad granting the accreditation, the NCEQE is authorized to check the conditions of the accreditation granted by the foreign organization in case it receives a complaint from the students/staff of the programme accredited by foreign organization.
In case when the follow-up procedures are carried out by the QA agency abroad, the higher education institution is obliged to notify the NCEQE about the outcomes of the follow-up procedure.