Experience of establishing and accrediting of a joint degree study programme

Abstract

Accreditation is a process to evaluate the standard of academic institutions around the world. Higher education programme accreditation is a type of quality assurance process, under which services and operations concerning an educational programme are evaluated by an external body to determine, if applicable standards are being met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by the agency. The joint programme here refers to the higher education programme leading to the awarding of a joint degree. The joint degree is a single document awarded by higher education institutions offering the joint programme. This degree is acknowledged as the recognised award of the joint programme in all relevant countries. Since it is a joint award, this means that it is presented as a single document. In this article, the authors write about the merits and limitations of international accreditation of joint degree programmes offered by Braunschweig University of Technology (Germany) and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania).