Accreditation - the Process

ACE Denmark prepares accreditation reports for the higher education study programmes at the eight Danish universities. An accreditation report is a systematic review of a study programme aiming to assess whether the programme meets the predefined criteria.

Study programmes are assessed on the basis of five predefined relevance and quality criteria laid down by the Higher Education Minister in the Accreditation Order:

1. Demand for the study programme
2. The study programme is research‐based and is associated with an active, high‐quality research environment
3. Academic profile of the study programme and learning outcome targets
4. Structure and organisation of the study programme
5. Continuous internal quality assurance of the study programme

On the basis of the criteria ACE has prepared a guide for both existing and new study programmes. The guide describes the documentation requirements laid down for the individual study programmes.

ACE Denmark sets up an accreditation panel to conduct an academic assessment of whether the study programme meets the individual criteria.

• A panel consists of one or more relevant academic experts, an employer and a student.
• The panel members are elected on the basis of their knowledge of the field, and they must fulfil the requirement for independence.
• The panels assessment is based on a documentation report prepared by university staff involved in the study programme. When accrediting existing study programmes there are in-depth meetings between the accreditation panel and the staff, management and students of the study programme in question. When accrediting and approving new study programmes there are no in-depth meetings between the panel and the study programme.
• The documentation report is prepared on the basis of the guidelines provided in ACE Denmarks guide for existing and new study programmes. 
• The panel's assessment process is facilitated by ACE Denmark which also acts as the chairman of the in-depth meeting at the university.

Based on the accreditation reports review of the individual study programme, a concluding recommendation for the Accreditation Council is drafted.

• The accreditation report contains both the accreditation panels assessments of the individual criteria and ACE Denmarks concluding recommendation.
• The recommendation takes account of the consistency of assessments across accreditation panels, study programmes and universities.
• Before the Accreditation Council makes its decision at a meeting, the accreditation report is made subject to consultation at the university, and the response is included in the final accreditation report.
• The accreditation report forms the basis of the Accreditation Councils decisions.

The Accreditation Council's decisions are overall academic assessments. The decision categories for existing study programmes are:

• Positive accreditation: In its overall academic assessment, the Accreditation Council has concluded that the criteria for the relevance and quality of the study programme have been adequately fulfilled.
• Conditional positive accreditation: The Accreditation Council indicates which criteria the study programme does not fulfil and draws up a schedule for follow-up.
• Refusal of accreditation: The Accreditation Council indicates why the study programme cannot be credited. A refusal means that the study programme can no longer be offered.

The organisation of the accreditation processes for existing study programmes has been laid down in a rotation plan. According to the rotation plan, approximately 1.000 existing university study programmes are to be accredited over the course of six years.

When new university study programmes are created, the individual university will apply to the Accreditation Council for accreditation and approval of the study programme.

• ACE Denmark will prepare an accreditation report on that basis.
• When accrediting new university study programmes, accreditation panels are also used.
• As is the case with existing study programmes, the accreditation report will also be made subject to consultation at the universities before it is presented to the Accreditation Council.
• There are only two decision categories for new study programmes: positive accreditation or refusal of accreditation.

Once the Accreditation Council has made its decision, the educational institution will be informed in writing of the result of the accreditation process. If the study programme is regulated by the Higher Education Ministry, and it receives a positive accreditation, the Accreditation Council will recommend the following conditions to the Ministry:

• The study programmes categorisation in terms of grants (subsidy rating),
• title/designation,
• admission requirements (applies to undergraduate programmes),
• prescribed study period,
• and any limit on the number of students that may be admitted.

Once the Higher Education Ministry has made its decision on the above legality issues, the Accreditation Council can finally approve the study programme.