Abstract:

In 2019, a new method of university accreditation was approved in Slovakia, which for the first time determines the requirements for granting accreditation to universities in accordance with European recommendations. It concerns Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education (ESG). At the end of 2022, all Slovak higher education institutions applied for education quality assurance accreditation, and in 2023 most of them underwent screening and verification by the working groups of the Slovak Accreditation Agency, whether they meet the specified requirements. Accreditation consists in assessing the reliability of the internal system for ensuring the quality of education at the university and in deciding whether it meets the requirements of the standards for study programs. Verification of quality assurance at universities is carried out exclusively during the semester when the teaching process takes place. The focus of responsibility for quality is shifting more to universities, thereby strengthening their autonomy and responsibility. On the other hand, the new accreditation rules force schools to open up more and respond to the diverse needs of the society. Accepted standards are not static criteria, but rather requirements for internal school rules and dynamic quality improvement. Groups of assessors consist not only of professors, but also of external experts and students. Representatives of all parties interested in the quality of education are represented in the groups. Among them there are also experts from abroad. They are professionally connected with specific fields of study that they evaluate at universities. In addition, they are dedicated to quality management as well as educational innovation. The article deals with the need for new accreditation, the impact of its innovative method and new standards on the quality of the pedagogical process implemented at the Faculty of Safety Engineering of the University of Žilina (FSE UNIZA). As a part of the internal quality system, a survey has been conducted among FSE UNIZA students, the ongoing results and evaluation of which are presented and discussed in the article.

Keywords:

Accreditation process, internal quality system, ESG standards, university education.