Quality assurance in adult education that takes place within the formal education system and/or for the purpose of obtaining a degree—is described in the previous chapters 10.1 and 10.2.

Responsible bodies

Quality assurance in the adult education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, which establishes the legislative, methodological, and organisational framework for quality, and the Sector Councils Alliance, which is responsible for the professional evaluation of the quality of educational programs and learning outcomes.

As the administrator of the lifelong learning system, the Ministry of Education 

• ensures the administration of the Slovak Qualifications Framework and the National Qualifications System,
• maintains a register of certified educational institutions,
• operates the Adult Education Information System, through which the certification of educational institutions is carried out, applications for accreditation are submitted, and registers and records of data on adult education are maintained,
• sets quality assurance standards (štandardy zabezpečovania kvality) for educational institutions and maintains methodological documents and guidelines for certification

The Sector Councils Alliance (SCA) is an interest group of legal entities whose activities and objectives are defined by the Act on Employment Services (Zákon o službách zamestnanosti). The members of the SCA reflect the composition of the Economic and Social Council of the Slovak Republic, where the state is represented by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family and the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth.

The SCA’s responsibilities for ensuring the quality of adult education, as set forth in Act No. 292/2024 on Adult Education (Zákona č. 292/2024 o vzdelávaní dospelých), include:

• accrediting educational programmes according to qualification standards,
• validating learners’ educational outcomes and issuing certificates of professional qualification,
• ensuring that the content of accredited programmes corresponds to the needs of the labour market and the National Qualifications Framework.

Approaches and methods for quality assurance

Registers

In compliance with the Adult Education Act, data on adult education are processed in the following registers:

• Certified Educational Institutions Registry,
• Accredited Educational Programmes Registry,
• Non-accredited Educational Programmes Registry ,
• Registry of Graduates of Accredited Educational Programmes (non-public),
• Registry of Graduates of Non-accredited Educational Programmes (non-public),
• Authorised Institutions Registry,
• Authorised Persons Registry,
• National Guarantors Registry,
• Registry of Individuals Who Have Obtained a Professional Qualification through the Validation of Learning Outcomes (non-public),
• Registry of Educational Institutions Offering Educational Programmes Leading to the Award of Micro-credentials,
• Registry of Graduates of Educational Programmes Leading to the Award of Micro-credentials (non-public),
• Registry of Providers of Career Guidance for Adults.
   

Registers are public administration information systems administered and operated by the Ministry of Education. They constitute a unified information system in which data on key entities, processes, and outcomes of adult education are recorded. They serve to ensure the transparency and verifiability of data on certified educational institutions, accredited programmes, authorised institutions and individuals, as well as on graduates and holders of professional qualifications. At the same time, the registers support the functioning of public administration, monitor compliance with legal requirements, and provide the public with access to information about authorised providers and recognised qualifications. Their maintenance and administration are part of the Adult Education Information System (Informačný systém vzdelávania dospelých).

Certification of Educational Institutions

In accordance with Act No. 292/2024 Coll. on Adult Education, a certification system for educational institutions was established for the purpose of providing adult education programmes from public funds. Certification is an assessment of an educational institution’s quality assurance system, not an evaluation of individual educational programmes. The Ministry assesses whether the institution has established rules and processes to ensure the quality of adult education. Quality assurance standards are defined by Decree No. 405/2024 ( vyhláška č. 405/2024), which implements certain provisions of the Adult Education Act. Successful certification is a prerequisite for entry into the Certified Educational Institutions Registry.

An application for certification of an educational institution must be submitted by the educational institution exclusively in electronic form via the Adult Education Information System. The educational institution must attach documentation to the application demonstrating compliance with the requirements for a quality assurance system, such as internal regulations, a description of processes, staffing arrangements, and the method of evaluating education.

The Ministry of Education assesses whether an institution meets the standards set forth in Decree No. 405/2024 Coll. In particular, it evaluates:

• the management and organization of the educational institution,
• the provision of educational staff,
• the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational programmes,
• the student assessment system,
• mechanisms for continuous quality improvement,
• material and technical resources,
• and the process for handling suggestions and feedback.

The goal is to verify that the institution has a functional quality management system that ensures a consistent level of education.

Certification is granted for five years. During this period, the educational institution must continue to meet the conditions under which the certification was granted. If these conditions are violated, the ministry may decide to revoke the certification and remove the institution from the registry. After the five-year period expires, the institution must undergo a new certification process.

The registry serves not only a record-keeping function but also a certification function. Certification is a prerequisite if an educational institution wishes to:

• apply for accreditation of an educational programme,
• provide publicly funded education,
• offer educational programmes leading to micro-credentials,
• participate in the individual education accounts system,
• apply for inclusion in the list of providers of digital and green skills programmes.

Accreditation of Educational Programmes

The purpose of the accreditation of educational programmes is to verify whether an educational programme leads to the acquisition of a professional qualification in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework and meets all requirements established by law. Only an educational institution listed in the Certified Educational Institutions Registry, maintained by the Ministry of Education, can apply for accreditation. Applications are submitted electronically through the Adult Education Information System.

Only educational programmes leading to the acquisition of a professional qualification can be accredited. This qualification must be published in the National Qualifications Framework.

After an application is submitted, the Sector Councils Alliance, through the relevant sector council overseeing the particular industry, will arrange for a professional evaluation and prepare an expert opinion. The following aspects are assessed in particular:

• the programme's compliance with the professional qualification,
• the programme's content,
• the learning outcomes achieved,
• the scope of the programme,
• the professional competence of the programme sponsor and instructors,
• and the programme's alignment with labor market needs.

If the opinion is favourable, the Ministry of Education enters the programme in the Accredited Educational Programmes Registry.

Through this mechanism, the Sector Councils Alliance ensures that the programmes available on the market are accredited and meet uniform quality standards. The conditions, procedures, and requirements for the electronic submission, evaluation, and processing of applications for the accreditation of educational programmes under Act No. 292/2024 Coll. on Adult Education are set forth in the Guide to Submitting Applications for the Accreditation of Educational Programmes (Príručka k podaniu žiadosti o akreditáciu vzdelávacích programov).

Validation of Learning Outcomes

The process of validating learning outcomes is governed by Act No. 292/2024 Coll. on Adult Education.

This is a process that verifies whether an applicant has acquired the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for a specific professional qualification, regardless of whether they were acquired through accredited education, non-formal education, or informal learning. Upon successful completion of the process, the applicant receives a certificate of professional qualification.

The candidate submits a portfolio to an authorised institution demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired. Authorised institutions are entities that meet the legal requirements and are listed in the Register of Authorised Institutions (Registri autorizovaných inštitúcií). Validation is possible only if there is not only a qualification standard published for the given professional qualification in the National Qualifications Framework (Národná sústav& kvalifikácií), but also an assessment standard against which the candidate will be evaluated.

The Commission or the national guarantor reviews the candidate’s portfolio and decides whether:

• the portfolio satisfies only some of the required learning outcomes—the candidate proceeds to the examination, or
• the portfolio satisfies all of the required learning outcomes—the professional qualification may be recognized without an examination.

If an examination is required, an authorised institution assesses the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and competencies in accordance with the assessment standard. The assessment is conducted in a uniform manner to ensure that the requirements for the professional qualification defined in the National Qualifications Framework are met. If the applicant meets the required standards for the relevant professional qualification, they will receive a certificate of professional qualification. This can serve, for example, as the basis for obtaining a business license.

This system allows for the recognition of learning outcomes regardless of how they were acquired and ensures uniform assessment criteria.