IQA process
The five-stage accreditation procedure involves assessment of eligibility, development of a comprehensive self-assessment report by the applicant, a peer review on-site visit, an evaluation report by the peer review committee, and the award of the CEEMAN IQA to successful applicants with permission to use the designation on all institutional materials.
The initial IQA award is granted for the period of six years, after which the institution has to apply for re-accreditation.
Main steps in the IQA accreditation process are presented below.
Eligibility
Any CEEMAN member offering at least one degree program in management or 30% or more of a degree course load in joint programs, and which is at least five years old, is eligible to apply for IQA accreditation.
- The institution seeking accreditation should submit filled-in accreditation application form in electronic and printed format to CEEMAN Office, along with the approved English copies of the institution’s registration document. CEEMAN Accreditation Director will decide on applicant’s eligibility to start accreditation procedure based on the submitted documents and inform the applicant about its eligibility and further steps.
- Upon positive decision on accreditation eligibility, the institution may begin preparing the self-assessment report, following the instructions available on the CEEMAN website or provided by the CEEMAN Office.
Self-assessment report
- The institution seeking accreditation will send an electronic and printed copy of its self-assessment report to the CEEMAN Office and complete the payment of a fee of 3,500 euros to CEEMAN.
- The CEEMAN Accreditation Director will read and evaluate the self-assessment report and determine if the institution is a suitable candidate for peer review.
- If the Accreditation Director determines that the institution is not yet a suitable candidate for peer review, the Accreditation Director will prepare a written report to the institution identifying those dimensions of the accreditation criteria that are not acceptable, and make recommendations to the institution where they can obtain assistance or resources to assist them in becoming suitable candidates. If the institution so wishes, it can invite the Accreditation Director to come to the institution to discuss the areas for improvement.
Peer review visit
- If the Accreditation Director determines that the institution is a suitable candidate for peer review, the Accreditation Director will notify the institution and commence making arrangements to assemble a peer visit team. At this point, the Institition will pay an additional fee of 7,000 euros to CEEMAN.
- The Accreditation Director appoints the peer visit team members from the pool of experts approved by CEEMAN Board, and selects the chairman of the team. Peer visit team is composed of three experts, at least one expert being from Western Europe or North America. The team members should have significant experience in both academic matters and institution/program leadership/administration.
- Each member of the peer review team will read and evaluate the self-assessment report, using a criteria satisfaction list for each of the accreditation dimensions. Based upon this evaluation of the self-assessment report, the peer visit team will identify the issues and topics to be addressed during the peer visit to the institution.
- Once the peer visit team has completed its evaluation of the self-assessment report of the institution, the Accreditation Director will arrange with the institution to have the peer review visit. The institution will grant the peer visit team free access to its facilities, employees and information related to the accreditation request. It is expected that the peer visit will require at least two (2) full days for completion.
Peer review visit report
- Upon completion of the peer visit, the peer visit team will share their observations and findings. The chairman of the peer visit team will be responsible for completing the final peer visit report and recommendation for accreditation and sending it to the CEEMAN Office and Accreditation Director.
- In exceptional circumstances, if the peer visit team concludes that the self-assessment report did not suitably or fairly reflect the reality that the peer visit team observed in the visit, the team could recommend no accreditation.
- Upon receiving the report from the peer visit team, the Accreditation Director will forward the report and his recommendations to the CEEMAN Accreditation Committee.
IQA award
- The CEEMAN Accreditation Committee will make the final decision regarding accreditation. The Accreditation Director will notify the institution of the committee’s decision and in case of positive decision on accreditation, will permit the use of IQA designation on all institutional materials.
- The initial IQA award is granted for the period of six years, after which the institution has to apply for re-accreditation.
- At the CEEMAN Annual Conference, the CEEMAN President, CEEMAN Accreditation Committee President, and CEEMAN Accreditation Director will award the accreditation certificate to the institution.
Institutions which are applying for re-accreditation after expiry of their current CEEMAN accreditation will be required to go through similar process as described above.
Full description of the IQA Accreditation Process is available in the CEEMAN IQA Policy and Procedures document.
Relevant documents:
IQA Policy and Procedures CEEMAN IQA Application Form Self-Assessment Report Instructions
