Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto1 The Role of Hungarian Accreditation Committee (HAC) in quality assurance ENHANCING HUNGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE DEVELOPMENTS PEER LEARNING ACTIVITY ON QUALITY ASSURANCE Tibor Szanto, HAC Secretary General

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto2 HAC Est (one of earliest accr. agencies in Europe) an independent* national body of experts evaluates the quality of higher education, scientific research and artistic activity, and the internal quality assurance systems at higher education institutions provides its expertise in procedures relating to higher education institutions * ENQA „full member under review”

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto3 HAC activities 1 Evaluates applications for –New BA and MA qualification framework requirements –Launching new BA and MA study programs at individual HEIs Evaluates and accredits –Universities and colleges every five years Focus on institutions’ strategic and organizational management, organization of education and research, infrastructure and quality management

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto4 HAC activities 2 Evaluates and accredits –Running study programs (disciplinary evaluation) –Doctoral schools (new and running) Evaluates –Applications by universities for awarding professorships Gives opinion on –Drafts of legal regulations pertaining to HE

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto5 HAC evaluation methodology 1 Ex ante (new programs or institutions) Application submitted to Educational Authority (EA) EA asks the expert opnion of HAC HAC procedure –2 (3-4) external evaluators submit evaluation (template) –HAC standing expert committee discusses and judges application, recommends to plenum –HAC plenary decides whether to support the application –HAC informs EA on its (QA) decision EA decides on granting permission to operate (licence)

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto6 HAC evaluation methodology 2 Ex post institutional accreditation –Self-evaluation report by institution and its faculties –Site visit by evaluation team („Visiting Committee”) –Report by VC –Accreditation granted for max. five years, with recommendations (Action Plan, monitoring possible) –Reports and accreditation decisions published (web) –Follow-up, monitoring procedure

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto7 HAC evaluation methodology 3 Ex post study programs in groups (disciplinary parallel accreditation) –Self-evaluation report by each program in the field –Site visit by evaluation team („Visiting Committee”) –HAC decision (accreditation) on VC report –Publication of final report (web + print) in-depth analysis of the quality of the field in the country detalied evaluation, and accreditation decision on each program recommendations (national, institutional, program levels) Doctoral schools: special procedure in separate database (

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto8 HAC organization 1 Plenum (all academics except students) –(18)  20 members –9 delegated by Minister –3 by Hungarian Rectors’ Conference –2 by Hungarian Academy of Sciences –1 by Academy of Arts –2 by denominational institutions –1 by National Organizaton of Doctoral Students –1 by National Union of Students –1 by Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto9 HAC organization 2 8 Standing Committees for main disciplinary groups Committee for teacher training programs Committee for VET programs College for university professorships and doctoral schools Committee for ethical and conflict-of-interest issues

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto10 HAC organization 3 Board of Appeals (3 members delegated by Minister) Financial Supervisory Board (1-1 member delegated by Minister, Rectors’ Conf., Hung. Acad. Sci.) International Advisory Board –Currently 6 foreign academics / QA experts Hungarian Advisory Board –External stakeholders from business and industry, church, chambers (10 members, incl. 1 foreign)

Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014 Tibor Szanto11 HAC international Member of ENQA (Full member under review) Member of INQAAHE Member of CEENQA (Secretariat at HAC) Participation in workshops, projects (resource-dependent) HAC members and experts occasionally take part in foreign agencies’ QA activities Staff member for foreign affairs and secretary general hold memberships in several foreign committees and boards

Thank you for your attention! Tibor Szanto12 Tempus / Campus Hungary 2 October 2014