Short-cycle higher vocational education

Higher vocational colleges and providers of short-cycle higher vocational education programmes fall within the domain of the Ministry responsible for education. The National Institute for Vocational Education provides development-related and counselling support, while the National Council of Experts for Vocational Education and/or the Committee for Accreditation of short-cycle higher vocational study programmes and higher vocational colleges are involved in the accreditation and evaluation procedure. The supervision of their operations is the responsibility of the Education Inspectorate.

The Higher Vocational Education Act and the evaluation criteria of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (SQAA) define quality standards for higher vocational colleges. By law, higher vocational colleges must establish relevant committees to monitor and ensure quality. Furthermore, it specifies that the National Council of Experts for Vocational Education appoints the Committee for Accreditation of short-cycle higher vocational study programmes and higher vocational colleges. The external evaluation of higher vocational colleges is the responsibility of the SQAA. The Association of Higher Vocational Colleges oversees the development of a single quality-assurance system. If SQAA or the school inspectorate determines that a higher vocational college does not meet the anticipated quality standards, the Ministry may initiate an early reaccreditation process for the school.

Higher education

Quality assurance of higher education institutions, study programmes, and scientific, artistic and professional activities falls under the responsibility of higher education institutions themselves and the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (SQAA).

Quality assurance is carried out through internal and external quality assurance systems. The internal system is established and regulated by each higher education institution in its own statutes. The external system, which includes accreditation and external evaluations, is the responsibility of SQAA.

The accreditation of higher education institutions and study programmes is of a supervisory nature. It examines whether all regulatory and other formal requirements for establishing an HEI or introducing a study programme have been met.

The new Higher Education Act of 2016 introduced the external evaluation of HEIs. It is essential for the accreditation renewal. The external evaluation of study programmes remains part of the external evaluation of higher education institutions. It is carried out on a sample of study programmes.

One had to improve the accreditation and evaluation procedures in Slovenia to achieve full compliance with European standards, thereby setting the stage for Slovenia to join the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and enter the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR). By the law of 2009, the independent Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (SQAA) was established and became operational in May 2010.

The internal evaluation procedures are the responsibility of higher education institutions. All have in place the quality assurance committees and develop annual reports. Together with students, institutions assess the attainment of objectives, provision of study programmes, institutional management, teaching, research, etc. They publish self-evaluation reports on own website.

With the Fiscal Balance Act, the corresponding amended Higher Education Act enabled universities to amend and improve study programmes more swiftly, thereby achieving a more efficient provision of education. The accreditation procedures for the amended compulsory components of the universities’ study programmes have been amended to ensure that the procedure is carried out through the senate of the university member institution and concludes before the university senate. The universities thus no longer need to obtain the SQAA's approval but only need to notify the SQAA of the adopted changes within 30 days of adoption. This amendment to the procedure began to apply to independent higher education institutions with the new Higher Education Act of 2016. The relevant amendments to the study programmes take effect in the following academic year, but only if approved by the competent bodies of the higher education institution and submitted to SQAA. The SQAA must receive the notification before the public call for enrolment or for public higher education institutions, before the Government of the Republic of Slovenia consents to the call for enrolment.

Responsible bodies

Short-cycle higher vocational education

The head teacher or director of a higher vocational college and the quality evaluation and assurance committee are responsible for the school's quality development. The assembly of lecturers appoints the quality evaluation and assurance committee. The committee includes representatives of lecturers and students. The committee defines contents, methods, subjects, instruments and measures of self-evaluation. It collaborates with external evaluation bodies and groups, monitors graduates' employment prospects, recommends improvements based on employer feedback, and establishes the appropriate environment to implement and develop quality educational provision at the school.

The Association of Higher Vocational Colleges represents colleges in cooperation with the relevant professional councils, the committee for the accreditation of higher vocational study programmes, ministries, higher education institutions, and international associations. The Association HVC establishes a special quality assurance committee to organise mutual support in ensuring quality at HVC, hold annual consultations or discussions on quality, and develop an autonomous system of quality certification.

The Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and the Committee for the Accreditation of Higher Vocational and Short-Cycle Higher Vocational study programmes are competent in the accreditation of relevant study programmes. The council of experts appoints the accreditation committee. The committee then develops background material for study programmes, reviews, and assesses the proposed new study programmes, and recommends them for adoption to the Council of Experts. It approves the evaluation of a study programme in accordance with ECTS and the outcomes of the internal evaluation reports of higher vocational colleges. The committee includes representatives from lecturers, the government, employers, trade unions, students, and experts in the field of study.

The SQAA carries out evaluation activities for short-cycle higher vocational and higher education. It carries out regular external evaluations of short-cycle higher education providers every five years. Furthermore, it can conduct exceptional evaluations at any time after the programme's accreditation, upon the request of the school or the competent ministry of education. The SQAA council can also initiate exceptional evaluations upon reports of other relevant stakeholders (e.g. students in the study programme). The outcome of the external evaluation includes information on the compliance of study programmes with statutory standards, the progress of schoolwork, and the delivery of study programmes.

The Education Inspectorate is responsible for monitoring the implementation of rules and regulations governing the organisation and educational activities of higher vocational colleges.

Higher education

The SQAA is responsible for the external quality assurance in higher education. The SQAA is an independent institution. It adheres to the principles of professionalism, impartiality, regularity and political neutrality.

The agency's main responsibility is to conduct accreditation and external evaluation. The agency council is responsible for adopting the relevant criteria and procedures and for appointing experts for accreditation and evaluation tasks. The agency publishes its decisions and prepares annual reports and analyses. It also maintains records and serves as an advisory body. It collaborates with higher education institutions and short-cycle higher education providers, as well as with international institutions and other bodies, on quality assurance in higher education. Furthermore, it provides for the compliance of its activities with European guidelines and international principles.

The agency is a member of ENQA, CEENQA, and the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) and the relevant board of the register decided to enter the agency into the EQAR.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are responsible for the internal (self) evaluation of HEIs and study programmes. By law, the university rector and/or dean of the member university or independent higher education institution is responsible for setting up, maintaining and improving quality. Once a year, they report to the relevant senate. According to the internal criteria, one specified that quality assurance is the responsibility of all bodies of the higher education institution, the special quality committee, and, more broadly, all staff and students.

Approaches and methods for quality assurance

Short-cycle higher vocational education

The internal quality assurance system in higher vocational colleges (HVCs) encompasses all processes essential to the college's quality functioning, the implementation of study programmes, and continuous quality improvement. HVCs plan their activities consistently and in detail. They regularly monitor the implementation of plans. HVCs adopt a quality procedure manual that defines procedures for self-evaluation, the powers and methodology of work, and measures for monitoring and improving the quality of work.

All HVC bodies (quality committee, lecturers’ assembly, strategic council, HVC council, external evaluators) examine self-evaluation reports. Annual self-evaluation includes evaluation of study processes, evaluation of teaching staff (prepared by students and employers), evaluation of integration into the environment, employment opportunities for graduates, analysis of achievements, and improvement proposals. The self-evaluation reports are published and made available to the public.

The external quality assurance is the responsibility of the National Council of Experts for Vocational Education. It has a standing committee for accreditation of short-cycle higher vocational study programmes and higher vocational colleges. It reviews the study programme in accordance with the relevant background reference adopted. The council of experts and the Minister responsible for education take the final decision on the programme. It includes the decision on the allocation of the programmes. Upon the programme's accreditation, one appoints the lecturers. An HVC wishing to deliver the programme must acquire the verification from the Ministry responsible for education. This means that it must be on the register of higher vocational education providers. The verification comprises a review of the staff, as well as spatial and other material conditions for the implementation of the programme.

The delivery of the new study programme can start only after the study programme receives:

• accreditation by the relevant council of experts
• approval by the Ministry responsible for education, and
• if the provider is on the relevant register and meets the requirements as proven by the verification procedure.

The external evaluation of higher vocational colleges is the responsibility of the Slovenian quality assurance agency for higher education (SQAA) and its council. The agency’s council appoints a group of experts to evaluate HVC. The group must include at least one foreign expert and one student. Foreign experts are evaluators of a foreign agency registered at EQAR or experts for quality evaluation in higher education. The group of experts visits the HVC and acquires the necessary documentation. An evaluation report is prepared across different evaluation fields in accordance with the criteria for the external evaluation of HVCs, taking into account observations from the school examination, submitted documentation, and the HVC's self-evaluation report. The areas of evaluation are:

• participation and inclusion in the local community
• material and human resources, and
• in-house system of quality assurance.

The outcome of the external evaluation procedure is the agency’s council's decision on whether the legally prescribed standards set out in the criteria are met.

By law, an HVC must be reaccredited after seven years. Sooner, on the recommendation of the SQAA or the Education Inspectorate, if it is established that the HVC does not meet the anticipated quality of study.

The inspection of higher vocational colleges is the responsibility of the Education Inspectorate. It provides supervision of

• organisation
• financing
• delivery of education programmes, educational activities
• compliance of the organisation and implementation of educational activities with the relevant regulations
• exercising the rights of learners and education staff
• honouring legal obligations that apply to staff, and
• keeping pedagogical documentation.

The Education Inspectorate can recommend to the Ministry responsible for education the initiation of the reaccreditation if it detects grave violations. The inspectorate supervises the issuing of official documents and the eligible use of funds.

Higher education

The quality of higher education institutions, study programmes, and scientific, artistic and professional activities is assessed both by higher education institutions themselves (through self-evaluation) and by the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (SQAA) through external evaluation.

Internal quality assurance
Self-evaluation of higher education institutions and study programmes falls under the responsibility of the institution. The dean is responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and ensuring the quality of the faculty, its study programmes, and its scientific, artistic, and professional activities, as well as for preparing the annual quality report. At the university level, the rector, with the consent of the Senate, adopts quality criteria and is responsible for monitoring, evaluating and ensuring quality (university self-evaluation).

Final reports are publicly available on the websites of higher education institutions. The findings of self-evaluation and external evaluation reports are taken into account when renewing accreditation for higher education institutions.

External quality assurance

Compliance with the requirements for carrying out higher education activities, as well as the quality of higher education institutions and study programmes, is assessed through accreditation and external evaluation procedures, which may be regular or extraordinary.

The SQAA examines the accreditation procedures to determine whether the relevant quality standards for HEIs or study programmes have been met. HEIs cannot conduct educational activities unless they hold valid HEI accreditation. Without a valid accreditation, the study programme is not officially recognised.

Accreditations in higher education:

• First accreditation of HEI
• Accreditation of a study programme
• Renewal of accreditation of HEI, and
• Accreditation of amendments to Hihger Education Act.

Accreditation is granted to a higher education institution for seven years, while accreditation of a study programme is granted for an indefinite period.

The external evaluation is an overall examination of the HEI’s operations and delivery of study programmes. The procedures of external evaluation are divided into regular evaluation of HEIs, targeted evaluation of HEIs or study programmes, and evaluation of a sample of study programmes. Regular and targeted evaluations are compulsory for the HEI's accreditation renewal process. The accreditation of the sample of study programmes is consultative, and its outcome is a set of recommendations for HEIs on quality improvement. In the external evaluation procedure, the SQAA council appoints a group of evaluation experts. The group must include at least one foreign expert and one student. Foreign experts are evaluators of non-domestic agencies on the EQAR register, or quality assessment experts.

The initial accreditation of a higher education institution and accreditation of a study programme are intended to approve the establishment of the institution or programme. The procedure for the initial accreditation is initiated at the proposal of the founder, while the procedure for the initial accreditation of a study programme is initiated at the proposal of the higher education institution. The SQAA council appoints a group of experts to assess whether the requirements specified, both indicatively by law and in detail in the Criteria for the accreditation and external evaluation of HEIs and study programmes, have been met. According to the criteria, the HEI must participate in and be included in the local community, have an HEI mission and strategy in place, have sufficient academic staff, enrol students to meet demand, ensure students' employability, meet material requirements, and have a quality assurance strategy. The group of experts develops a report on whether the HEI meets the criteria for the first accreditation. It examines the supporting documentation and the rooms where HEI plans to conduct its activities. If the institutional requirements have been met as specified by law and criteria, the SQAA council awards accreditation to the HEI for a period of 7 years. It awards the accreditation for a study programme indefinitely.

The renewal of the accreditation of an HEI is a procedure carried out at least every seven years. It begins with the institution applying, continues with an external evaluation, and concludes with a decision on accreditation renewal. It begins with an external evaluation. The outcome is the decision on the accreditation renewal. If the SQAA council finds no major faults or inconsistencies in the HEI's operations or quality assurance system, it renews the HEI's accreditation for seven years.

Accreditation of changes to higher education institutions is a procedure carried out by the SQAA Council in cases of:

• transformation of a higher education institution into another type of institution
• establishment of a new member of a university, or the transformation of an existing member into a faculty, academy of arts or vocational higher education school
• merger, consolidation or division of higher education institutions
• changes to the location where a study programme is delivered.

Regular evaluation of HEI is conducted periodically, as institutions must obtain a decision on the renewal of accreditation from SQAA at least every seven years. Progress is assessed according to the criteria set out in the Criteria for the Accreditation and External Evaluation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes.

In the external evaluation procedure, the expert group conducts two several-day visits to the HEI. At the end, the group develops an evaluation report. The evaluation report includes an assessment of whether the HEI meets the accreditation criteria, an external evaluation of the HEI, and other elements specified by the SQAA council. The expert group's final evaluation report is one of the elements of the SQAA council's decision on the renewal of the HEI accreditation.

The targeted evaluation of HEI or study programme can be initiated by the SQAA council on its own or at the request of the HEI if it suspects major faults or inconsistencies in the operation of the HEI or quality assurance system. The procedure is the same as regular evaluation of the HEI. The outcome of the targeted evaluation is the SQAA council's decision on the renewal of the HEI's accreditation, or a finding that the delivery of the study programme is correct.

The sample evaluation of study programmes seeks to provide guidance to the HEI in developing self-evaluation and improving the quality of study programmes. The SQAA council specified the sample of study programmes for the next academic year and a plan for evaluating them. The sample includes every year two per cent or more of the current accredited study programmes. The outcome of the sample evaluation is a recommendation to HEIs for improvements to self-evaluation, delivery, modernisation, or the overall quality of the study programme.