Accreditation and reaccreditation process

Stage 1: the Application

The ECBE Member institution submits an application together with the initial documentation for accreditation to ECBE. Following a review, a decision to allow progression immediately, or later to stage 2 is then taken by the ECBE Director of Accreditation.

Stage 2: the Self-Evaluation Report (SER)

The relevant officers of the applicant organisation conduct a programme self-evaluation review, based upon the guidelines provided by ECBE and submit a Self-Evaluation Report, SER, to the Director of Accreditation (DoA), who then decides on the Review Team (RT) and the final timing of the Review Visit (RV).

Stage 3: the Review Visit

An external review team, chaired by the Chairperson of the Review Team (CoRT), which is appointed by the Chairperson of Reviewers makes a site visit to the applicant ECBE Member institution and conducts a critical review of the self-evaluation. The CoRT is responsible for drawing up the review visit report with an assessment of compliance to each and every standard and overall compliance. Normally within 4 weeks of the end of the visit, the CoRT will send a draft report, requesting the applicant institution to identify factual errors within one week. The ECBE visiting team reviews the institution’s responses and agrees on the alterations, if any, which are to be made. The review visit final report is prepared by the team, CoRT sends a copy to the ECBE Chairperson of reviewers.

Should applicant still have comments on the final report, these may be submitted to the ECBE’s Board of Commissioners (or directly to the Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners).

Stage 4: a decision by the Board of Commissioners

Based on the Review Report, and all other information, the Board of Commissioners will take a decision on the granting of accreditation and its term. Sometimes, additional conditions may be imposed. Typical terms of accreditation are 3 or 6 years.

Stage 5: the Mid-cycle Review Report

In the middle of the accreditation period, the Instituation should submit an evaluation report on the progress made, and on the specific conditions that have been imposed by the Board of Commissioners.