19.09 What special features need to be considered in the initial system accreditation?

Obviously, a random check only allows valid statements to be made about the functionality of a quality management system (QMS) if the study programmes in question have passed through the quality management system in its entirety, if possible, or at least in part.

The requirement contained in § 23 para. 1 no. 3 MRVO that “at least one study programme must have undergone the quality management system” (emphasis AR) when applying for system accreditation for the first time is to be understood as a minimum requirement for higher education institutions that do not offer regulated study programmes (cf. FAQ 19.4).

The initial accreditation usually involves a newly developed quality management system, which may have undergone various more or less far-reaching changes in the course of the accreditation procedures. In addition, the number of study programs covered by the system is usually still very limited and a number of study programmes will only undergo the QMS at a later date due to their currently valid programme accreditation. In view of these special framework conditions, it is advisable to plan the sampling design in good time.

In principle, a higher education institution should ensure in the initial accreditation procedures that the study programmes to be included in the random samples in accordance with § 31 MRVO have passed the QMS by the second on-site visit at the latest.

For the reasons mentioned above, however, it may be necessary in individual cases to take the specific circumstances into account when selecting and conducting the random samples and to interpret “passing through the QMS” as follows: If a study programme is to be included in the random samples, it must have previously been integrated into the QMS in such a way that the effects and impacts of the QMS can be demonstrated and the peer reviewers are thus in a position to make valid statements on the functionality and impact of the QMS at study programme level and to present this in the accreditation report (cf. FAQ 19.10).