Initial accreditation

In the build-up to the official application, the programme (institution) may conduct preliminary consultations with NVAO, up to three months before the stipulated submission date of the application dossier, to confer on the timing and steps in the procedure, the profile of the assessment panel and the combination of expertise commanded by the members, the structure of the Information Dossier and the documents to be submitted, and the substantiation of the site visit.

The programme draws up an Information Dossier that provides the panel with insight into what the new programme is aiming for, how it intends to realise its aims, how the realisation of such aims is verified. and how the programme intends to invest in continuous quality development. Attention is paid to the context within which the new programme will be taught, to the manner in which internal and external stakeholders, peers, and experts have been involved in the creation of the programme, and to the manner in which such involvement will be ensured in the future. If so applicable, the report refers to relevant regulations regarding the admission of graduates to certain offices or professions.

The assessment procedure commences on the day on which NVAO receives an application for initial accreditation. Statutory registered institutions must submit their applications by no later than fifteen days after receipt of a positive conclusion from the Higher Education Council or the Flemish Government regarding their macro-efficiency, or after expiry of the timeframe within which the Flemish Government is required to give such a conclusion. The application is submitted via the digital application form (see tab Submission of Applications); it comprises an application letter signed by the board of the institution, and the Information Dossier. Applications may be withdrawn at any time. NVAO may submit applications from registered institutions to the Higher Education Council for a relevance check. The Higher Education Council performs a relevance check to verify the social relevance of the programme. Upon a negative conclusion by the Higher Education Council, the application is irrevocably dismissed.

NVAO will check the admissibility of the application. If the application is inadmissible, the institution will be informed accordingly within a timeframe of fifteen calendar days. NVAO may submit applications from registered institutions to the Higher Education Council for a relevance check. Upon a negative conclusion by the Higher Education Council, the application is irrevocably dismissed.

The quality assurance system of Flanders revolves around peer review. An assessment panel comprises a minimum of four experts, among whom is a student; it is supported by an NVAO process coordinator and possibly an external secretary. The latter two do not sit on the panel. In order to be able to take the context of the institution into account, NVAO always involves the programme (institution) in the composition of a panel. In order to warrant an objective and fair assessment, the panel must be able to work independently of the programme. This means that over the five years prior to the appointment of the panel, its members must not have had any connections or ties with the institution that is providing the programme. All the panel members, the secretary, and the process coordinator must sign a code of deontology. NVAO informs the institution regarding the panel composition. The institution has the right to lodge a substantiated appeal to the panel composition within a timeframe of fifteen calendar days. In addition, the institution is required to inform NVAO, within that same timeframe, of any information it has regarding the expertise and independence of panel members.

The panel is allowed a minimum period of six weeks to peruse the Information Dossier and the related documents. NVAO schedules the site visit in consultation with the programme (institution). Each site visit is coordinated with the panel chair. As a rule, the site visit takes a full day and is preceded by preliminary panel consultations. The schedule takes maximum account of the Information Dossier that the programme has prepared. The panel substantiates the schedule on the basis of a proposal by NVAO and discusses it with the programme (institution). Once the schedule has been finalised, the programme may indicate the positions for which it is proposing discussion partners. Participants may take part in multiple interviews.

In its assessment report, the panel advises NVAO on the accreditation decision to be taken. Its recommendations are based on the assessment scale and assessment rules as set out in the assessment framework. The draft assessment report is forwarded to NVAO within four weeks after the site visit. NVAO assesses the internal consistency of the report and the feasibility of the recommendations; if need be, it will suggest adjustments to the panel to clarify the findings or enhance the substantiation of the recommendations. Ownership of the assessment report remains vested with the panel. NVAO forwards the draft assessment report to the institution. The board of the institution is given a term of fifteen calendar days to formulate comments. Wherever necessary, the drafts are amended, whereupon the assessment report is definitively endorsed by the panel. The panel is obliged to respond in writing to the board of the institution regarding any factual inaccuracies identified.

On the basis of the assessment report by the panel, NVAO takes an initial accreditation decision in accordance with the assessment scale and assessment rules in the assessment framework. The approved draft decision and the underlying report are forwarded to the institution, whereupon the board of the institution is allowed a term of fifteen calendar days to lodge an appeal to NVAO. If no appeal is lodged within the stipulated timeframe, the decision is final. The board of an institution may withdraw an initial application before receipt of the draft initial accreditation decision and the underlying assessment report. Following the decision-making procedure, NVAO will publish the decision and the underlying assessment report on its website and forward both documents to the Education Minister of Flanders.

The Flemish Government ultimately takes a decision on the recognition of a new programme. Such a decision will be taken within a timeframe of 30 calendar days after dispatch of the final initial accreditation decision.