Accreditation in Higher Education– the case of

Cyprus

Professor Philippos PouyioutasVice Rector

Dr Emilios SolomouVice President for Administration

University of NicosiaSantiago De Compostela , Spain, DIBCDPE Meeting

26-27th May 2011

There are many Higher Education (HE) institutions in Cyprus

◦ 3 state Universities offering 1st, 2nd and 3rd Cycle Degrees

◦ 4 private Universities offering 1st, 2nd and 3rd Cycle Degrees

◦ a number of HE colleges offering 1st and 2nd Cycle Degrees

Introduction

SEKAP - Council for Educational Accreditation of Colleges

◦ Provides only Accreditation for Programmes (not institutional accreditation)

ECPU – Evaluation Committee for Private Universities

◦ Provides for institutional/programme accreditation

KYSATS (Accreditation Council for Awards) – NARIC

◦ Recognizes awards from other countries Pending Legislation for the National Quality

Assurance Agency (NQAA)

Accreditation Bodies in Cyprus

State Universities are priori accredited at the institutional level and can introduce anytime degrees without going through any external accreditation

They do however carry out on a voluntary basis external accreditations (e.g. EUA accreditation)

Accreditation – State Universities

Evaluation Committee for Private Universities (ECPU) – www.ecpu.ac.cy is responsible for the accreditation of private universities

ECPU consists of various senior professors from 3 different countries

Private Universities have gone through a number of accreditation visits in order to achieve university status

Accreditation – Private Universities

Institutional Accreditation◦ ECPU appointed 11 teams of experts to inspect

academic regulations, infrastructure, Schools, support services etc.

Accreditation for each programme◦ ECPU appointed/appoints a specialized team of

experts that inspect the programme (curriculum, delivery methods, faculty, infrastructure, etc)

Quota on the number of new programmes has been imposed by ECPU on private universities

Accreditation – Private Universities

Private Universities (3 out of 4, including the University of Nicosia) were accredited in September 2007

4-year initial license Report sent to the Minister of Education

and Culture, who, once advised by the ECPU, he will grant a 10 year license

Not clear however whether full autonomy will be granted to private universities

We expect that once the NQAA is in place, it will “inspect” private universities and approve programmes

Accreditation – Private Universities

Double and Joint programmes and Tempus/Erasmus Mundus programmes are “new” to Cyprus

Private Universities, from what it seems, will still need to have the whole/part of the programme delivered in Cyprus, approved by the NQAA (or ECPU)

“easier” if the programme is developed/ offered through

◦ Tempus/Erasmus Mundus◦ European project

Accreditation – Double and Joint Programmes

Introduction and Evaluation of Academic Programmes

◦ Approximately one year to introduce the programme

◦ Approximately one year to have the programme accredited

◦ Introduction and evaluation of programmes according to our internal regulations

Quality Assurance of Programmes