04.1 In which cases can the validity period of the accreditation of study programmes be extended and what options does the specimen decree provide in this regard?

There are five options for extending the accreditation of study programmes:

Automatic extension of program accreditations for the duration of the administrative procedure
If an application for reaccreditation is submitted on time in the program accreditation, the accreditation period is automatically extended until the Accreditation Council makes a decision, provided this is not made before the deadline expires (see FAQ 01.1.1).

Extension of the accreditation period for expiring study programmes (§ 26 para. 3 sentence 1 MRVO)
The Accreditation Council has the option of extending accreditation periods for study programmes that are no longer to be continued and in which students are no longer enrolled, upon request, until the students have completed their studies. The prerequisite is proof from the higher education institution that the study programme has not undergone any essential changes and that the necessary personnel and material resources are available on a sustainable basis.

Extension of the accreditation period in the course of preparing a cluster accreditation procedure (§ 26 para. 3 sentence 2 MRVO)
The Accreditation Council can extend the accreditation period of a study programme by up to two years at the request of the higher education institution if it is included in a planned cluster accreditation. The extension serves to relieve the higher education institutions in their preparation for cluster accreditation. The number of study programmes whose accreditation period is to be extended should be in reasonable proportion to the number of study programmes whose accreditation period is decisive for the new accreditation period to be set. As a rule, this means: “adjustment of the minority to the majority”.

Please note: For information on the procedure for preparing an application for bundling and deadline extension in the course of preparing a bundling procedure , see FAQ 04.5.

Extension of the accreditation period in the course of preparation for system accreditation (§ 26 para. 3 sentence 2 MRVO)
The Accreditation Council can extend the deadlines for study programmes by up to two years at the request of the higher education institution if the higher education institution is preparing an application for system accreditation. The extension serves to relieve the higher education institutions in their preparation for system accreditation.

Extension of the accreditation deadlines of study programmes in the course of the administrative procedure at the Accreditation Council as part of a system accreditation (§ 26 para. 3 sentence 3 MRVO)
With this option, the accreditation deadlines of study programmes that end during the administrative procedure can be extended when an application for system accreditation is submitted to the Accreditation Council. The deadline extension can be granted for the duration of the administrative procedure plus one year. The additional year is intended to enable the higher education institution to assess and accredit the study programmes concerned itself within the framework of the accreditation procedures of the accredited system.

Extraordinary extension of deadline due to Covid-19
For accreditations whose accreditation deadline ended on or before 30.09.2021, it was possible to apply in ELIAS for an “extraordinary extension of accreditation” due to delays caused by the pandemic. This type of extension expired on 30.09.2021 and is not applicable for study programmes whose accreditation ends after 30.09.2021 (see Board resolution of 10.03.2020 and Accreditation Council resolution of 29.09.2020, available here).