19.03 What is the intention of random samples?

In accordance with § 31 para. 1 MRVO, the random samples are to examine “whether the intended effects of the quality management system (QMS) to be assessed occur at the level of the individual study programme”. The explanatory memorandum goes on to state that the random samples must demonstrate […] on the basis of a study programme to be determined by the peer review panel that the quality management system ensures that all formal and academic criteria are taken into account in the internal accreditation by the higher education institution.” In addition, the peer review panel must define formal and academic criteria […] compliance with which must be guaranteed by the quality management system to be assessed.”

Since the peer review panel in system accreditation generally does not have any subject-related expertise or at least does not have to have such expertise (see explanatory memorandum to § 25 para. 2 MRVO), the random samples are also not intended to carry out a comprehensive (renewed) peer review of a study programme or several study programmes. Rather, the random samples are aimed at checking whether the assessment of study programmes by the QMS of the higher education institution is based on a complete and plausible assessment of all formal and academic criteria of the relevant state ordinance and whether the functionality of the QMS with regard to compliance with the criteria is also guaranteed in the sense of closed control loops.

As a result, the core interest in findings is directed towards the functionality of the QMS, which is to be assessed through the in-depth examination of exemplary selected study programmes and criteria. Accordingly, the peer review report findings from the random samples should lead to conclusions at the system level.

For good reason, the specimen decree leaves open how the random samples are to be carried out in operational terms in individual cases. In this way, the agency or the peer review panel is given the opportunity to decide, depending on the situation, at which point it would like to reflect findings from the random samples back into the assessment of the QMS and which methods (interviewing persons responsible for study programs or internal peer review reports, examination of selected facts on the basis of files, inspection of premises, etc.) should be used.