In the course of the Bologna reforms to establish a common European higher education area and the resulting amendment of the German Framework Act on Higher Education (Hochschulrahmengesetz), the requirements that apply to quality assurance measures in the fields of studying and teaching were given a legal basis. The responsibility for quality assurance rests with the higher education institution itself. The institution’s internal quality assurance system is regularly reviewed through an external accreditation process.

The system accreditation process looks at the extent to which the processes and tools involved in the institution’s internal quality assurance system are suitable for ensuring that the degree programs offered are of high quality. Freie Universität Berlin was admitted to the system accreditation process in 2011. After successful accreditation, the higher education institution is granted a self-accreditation right, so it can certify its own degree programs as being quality assured.

For more information on system accreditation and the current status of the process for Freie Universität Berlin, please click here.