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Comprehensive initial accreditation

Non-recognised providers of education may be registered by the Flemish Government as a provider of recognised higher education. Such registration is based on a registration dossier and a positive decision by NVAO regarding the (potential) quality of the education they provide, following an comprehensive initial accreditation procedure for at least one of their programmes.

General info

A comprehensive initial accreditation procedure involves an (ex ante) assessment of the potential quality of a new programme to be provided by a non-recognised education provider which aims to be registered by the Flemish Government as a provider of recognised higher education. A non-recognised education provider is an institution which is not listed on the Higher Education Register. NVAO bases its initial accreditation decision on an assessment of the potential programme quality by a panel of independent experts.

The quality of a programme is demonstrated on the basis of eight quality features. In addition, the assessment panel verifies how the programme involves, on the one hand, internal and external stakeholders, and on the other, external and independent peers and experts.

If applicable, the panel verifies whether the programme meets the regulations with respect to the admission of graduates to corresponding offices or professions.

Once the assessment report by the panel has been endorsed, NVAO will take an accreditation decision (either positive or negative). A quality deficit must be explicitly substantiated by reference to a condition or multiple conditions that must be satisfied in order to remedy the deficit.

The assessment procedure is coordinated by NVAO.

Steps

1

APPLICATION

The assessment procedure commences on the day on which NVAO receives an application for an extensive initial accreditation procedure. At the same t...
The assessment procedure commences on the day on which NVAO receives an application for an extensive initial accreditation procedure. At the same time, the institution must submit a registration dossier to the Flemish Government. 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, the structure of the Information Dossier, and the substantiation of the site visit. The application comprises an application letter signed by the board of the institution and the Information Dossier; it is submitted online via the application form pertaining to this procedure. Applications may be withdrawn at any time.
2

VERIFICATION OF ADMISSIBILITY OF THE APPLICATION

Notification regarding admissibility no later than 15 calendar days after receipt of the application
NVAO will check the admissibility of the application. If the application is inadmissible, the institution will be informed accordingly within a tim...
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.
3

RELEVANCE CHECK BY HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL

NVAO may submit applications to the Higher Education Council for a relevance check. The Higher Education Council performs a relevance check to veri...
NVAO may submit applications 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.
4

COMPOSITION OF THE ASSESSMENT PANEL

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 ex...
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. 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.
5

SITE VISIT

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 co...
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.
6

ASSESSMENT AND ASSESSMENT REPORT

In its assessment report, the panel advises NVAO on the quality of the new programme as a whole. Its recommendations are based on the assessment sc...
In its assessment report, the panel advises NVAO on the quality of the new programme as a whole. 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.
7

DECISION BY NVAO

6 months after receipt of the application (8 months in the event of a relevance check)
On the basis of the assessment report by the panel, NVAO takes an initial accreditation decision in accordance with the assessment scale and assess...
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.
8

DECISION BY THE FLEMISH GOVERNMENT

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

Rates

Once the application has been found admissible, the institution will receive a request for full payment of the cost price of the extensive initial accreditation procedure. The fee applicable to this procedure is fixed by the Education Minister of Flanders. It covers the costs entailed in the work performed by the panel members (remuneration, travel expenses, hotel accommodation, et cetera), which are paid by NVAO.

For institutions applying for registration, the rate for extensive initial accreditation procedures is EUR 24.474. 

Request submission

The application is submitted via the digital application form; it comprises an application letter signed by the board of the institution and the Information Dossier; it is submitted online via the application form pertaining to this procedure.

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    Files

    NVAO-FL-Comprehensive-Initial-Accreditation-2019-2025

    Contact person

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    Infodesk Team Vlaanderen

    #non-recognised institutions

    Appeal procedure

    In the Netherlands and Flanders, the board of an institution may appeal a (draft) NVAO decision.

    More information