The accreditation procedure includes the following stages:
- Application submission by HEI
- HEI self-evaluation
- Expert audit visit to the HEI
- Decision on accreditation/non-accreditation of the program
1. HEI submits an application for professional accreditation of an educational program in name of the Director of AEER Accreditation Center (AEER AC). The code and name of the educational program/specialty according to the All-Russian Classifier of Educational Specialties should be stated in the application form. In case the HEI is planning to get several programs accredited, the name and code of each program should be indicated.
2. The Director of AEER Accreditation Center takes the decision to set in motion the procedure of professional accreditation. AEER and the HEI sing a contract on professional accreditation of the HEI’s educational program (programs).
3. The Accreditation Center provides the HEI with a current version of the accreditation criteria and a manual for self-evaluation.
4. HEI conducts self-evaluation according to the AEER requirements and submits the self-evaluation report to the AEER AC.
5. The Accreditation Center forms an expert team to conduct the audit of the HEI’s educational program. Expert team consists of at least 4 audit experts – specialists in evaluation of engineering educational programs – including industry representatives and employers. In case the HEI is applying for accreditation of several programs, it is possible to form a separate expert team for each educational program or a single team for several programs depending on the major/specialty of the programs evaluated.
6. HEI officially informs AEER AC on its decision to challenge or to accept the proposed team members.
7. Each expert signs a non-conflict of interest agreement and sends it to the Accreditation Center.
8. Based on the evaluation of self-evaluation report Accreditation Center: 1. takes the decision to continue the process of accreditation and audit; 2. underlines the need to improve the self-evaluation documents; 3. determines noncompliance of the program with given criteria and failure to receive accreditation. In the latter case HEI receives a written statement from the Accreditation Center.
9. If it is decided to continue the accreditation process, the team’s chairing expert, AEER AC and the HEI coordinate workplan and time schedule for the team’s visit to the HEI.
10.An on-site visit to the HEI lasts no less than 3 work days. At the end of the visit the team’s chair expert and the HEI rector sign the Audit Memorandum.
11. Based on the full-scale analysis of self-evaluation report and audit results, expert team prepares an evaluation report. The report presents explicit decision on compliance or non-compliance of the educational program with the accreditation criteria. It also includes independent opinions of team members, in case their opinion is at odds with the integrate report.
12. An AEER AC evaluation report of educational program and critical remarks, if given, are sent to the HEI no later than 3 weeks after the end of the audit process. HEI then has 2 weeks to send complaints on the report or the audit procedure to the AEER Accreditation Board.
13. Accreditation Center presents the evaluation report of the educational program and HEI complaints, if given, to the Accreditation Board that takes the final decision on accreditation or non-accreditation of educational programs.
14. The decision of Accreditation Board is to be approved by the Administrative Board of AEER. The certificate confirming professional accreditation of the program is signed by the President of AEER and sent to the HEI. Accredited programs are included into the AEER Register published in the media press and on the AEER website. Information on the accredited programs is reported to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
15. If the accredited program receives the EUR-ACE® label Accreditation Center issues a relevant certificate signed by AEER and ENAEE Presidents to the HEI. The program is therefore included in the ENAEE Database of EUR-ACE Labelled Programmes.