On-site Visit by Experts

The aim of the on-site visit is to obtain as much information on the higher education institution/college as possible, so that the experts group could perform a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of the higher education institution/college.

English is the working language of the on-site assessment visit.

Before the on-site assessment visit, the experts shall:

• review the documents which regulate the accreditation of the higher education institution/college,
• take part in the training organised by AIKA,
• review the prepared self-assessment report and prepare their opinion (in a free form or in the form proposed by the head of the experts group) regarding various aspects regarding the related assessment,
• allocate duties among themselves, prepare and submit to the assessment coordinator a list of topics/issues that require special attention during the on-site assessment visit, as well as a list with the information which must be additionally obtained from the higher education institution/college,
• take part in preparation of the on-site visit,
• take part in meetings and discussions of the experts group,
• perform other tasks related to the assessment activities in accordance with the distribution of work in the experts group,
• take part in preparation of the final report by the experts group,
• perform all tasks within the agreed deadlines.

Usually, AIKA gives the experts the access to the self-assessment report no later than one month before the on-site visit to the higher education institution/college. In cases where the composition of the experts group is changed for reasons beyond the control of AIKA and it is not possible to ensure information availability within this time, the new experts of the experts group must be provided with access to the self-assessment report immediately after they are included in the experts group.

Having reviewed the self-assessment report, the experts group must prepare an initial report and define areas and issues that must be paid special attention during the on-site visit.

AIKA and the head of the experts group shall elaborate a draft plan of the on-site visit and send it to the higher education institution/college for their approval and additions regarding certain participants of the meetings and extra activities to be added to the plan. The plan of the visit prepared by AIKA shall be sent to the experts group for the final approval.

Before the on-site assessment visit, AIKA shall organise a face-to-face meeting for the experts group which is to be mainly focused on the work of the experts group and for specifying questions and sequence thereof, based on the previously prepared interview plans (in particular, for the first day); allocation of duties among the members of the experts group (responsibility for discussion topics, chairing the meeting, taking notes etc.).

During the on-site visit, the experts group shall meet the authorities of the higher education institution/college and/or administrative staff of the respective structural unit, the teaching staff, students, graduates (if any) and employers.

During the on-site visit, the higher education institution/college shall provide the access to the informative resources/infrastructure of the higher education institution/ college, material and technical provision, final theses, examination materials, and other resources/ documents upon the request of AIKA or experts group.

The higher education institution/college shall provide the experts group with adequate premises and equipment for organisation of work and meetings during the on-site assessment visit.

 

At the end of each interview, the members of the experts group can discuss the gained information among themselves.

All coffee breaks and lunches shall be organised separately from the representatives of the higher education institution/college, unless the experts group offers another solution, and they may be used by the experts group to discuss work-related issues.

At the end of the on-site visit, the members of the experts group shall discuss among themselves the outcomes of the on-site visit and verbally present the findings of the on-site visit and first conclusions to the representatives of the higher education institution/college.