ELIAS 11 How can an accredited higher education institution ensure that there is no accreditation gap in the database in the event of a retroactive internal reaccreditation?

If the reaccreditation procedure for the internal accreditation of a study programme at an accredited higher education institution is delayed, or if the decision on reaccreditation with the corresponding Quality Reports is not completed until after the existing accreditation has expired, the higher education institution can select the study programme(s) concerned in a newly created application in ELIAS and have it “automatically” extended as part of an ongoing procedure until the internal reaccreditationdecision is made. Initial and concept accreditations cannot be extended for the time being.

This does not extend the validity period of the accreditation. The reaccreditation will/should therefore be registered retroactively by the higher education institution in the event of success. The automatic extension is based on a combination of § 26 para. 2 and para. 3 MRVO. Section 26 para. 2 MRVO stipulates an “uninterrupted follow-up accreditation” as a standard; section 26 para. 3 sentence 3 MRVO indicates the intention that delays at this stage should not be at the expense of higher education institutions and graduates.

The entry of an ongoing accreditation procedure indicates in the public view that a study programme whose accreditation period is due to expire (shortly) is already undergoing a reaccreditation procedure.

A detailed process description is attached as a PDF for download.