The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences receives the seal of approval from the Accreditation Council without any conditions or recommendations.
On October 11, 2019, the Accreditation Commission for Quality Management Systems of the accreditation agency ASIIN e. V. granted system accreditation to the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG). In addition, point 2.4 "Quality improvement in teaching" (fulfillment target of system accreditation by the end of 2020) of the HSZG's target agreement with the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Arts was thus fulfilled ahead of schedule.
What is special is that the accreditation was granted without conditions - i.e. without deficiencies. Conditions stand for recognized deficiencies in the structure, processes or instruments of the higher education institution, which must be remedied by a defined deadline and whose implementation must be proven to the accrediting agency in order to receive full accreditation for several years. Accreditation without conditions tends to be the exception in system accreditation practice.
System accreditation is a national seal of quality awarded by the German Accreditation Council . The seal confirms the effectiveness of the existing quality management system in the area of teaching and learning and its instruments, including internal and external evaluation, to the HSZG, initially for a limited period until 30.09.2026.
"Receiving the accreditation certificate is a great success for the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences," says the Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christa Maria Heidger, who was in charge of the project for the entire duration. " With the successful system accreditation, the HSZG receives permission to apply its own procedure for the accreditation and certification of its degree programs according to its own defined standards. This strengthens the university's autonomy and self-control."
”The decision to set up an accreditation-capable quality management system and to carry out system accreditation was made by the university management in July 2016. The agency ASIIN e. V. was then selected and commissioned in autumn 2017, allowing the multi-stage process to begin. University members from all areas (university and faculty management, heads and staff from university administration and central facilities, students) of the HSZG were involved and contributed to this great success. In particular, the quality management team for studies and teaching at our university did an outstanding job. Around 80 university members took part in the first inspection by a group of experts from ASIIN e. V. at the Zittau campus, and around 30 university members took part in the second inspection at the Görlitz campus.
The expert group consisted of three external university lecturers with management or international experience, a professional practice representative and a student representative. The reviewers were accompanied by two representatives from the ASIIN e. V. office.
In the final discussion and report, the experts made valuable suggestions for the further development of the university's quality management system, most of which could already be implemented within the current procedure. The HSZG feels confirmed on its path towards a practiced and integrative quality culture.
