There are 5 main themes to the School Accreditation consisting of:

1. School Mission, Governance and Strategic Outlook

The first set of criteria evaluates whether the stated mission is adequate and analyses the School’s Strategic Plan, as well as the school’s educational, scientific and cultural project, demonstrating that these components are articulated with its mission and nature. It examines how the School meet its strategic goals, balancing the defined strategic goals and the executed strategic goals. The functioning of the governance should is analysed to confirm that the school assures the effective participation of the members of the academic community, as well as of the external members involved in the governance of the School. The presence and transparency of the school’s procedures and plans to manage risk of corruption and other infractions, such as, preventing harassment while promoting academic integrity should be determined.

2. Educational offer and students

The second set of criteria analyses how the School develops the curriculum of study programmes and to what extent that the educational offer is developed according to the School strategy, to student demand, to the social and professional needs of society, to future expectations for societal evolution and the consolidation of soft skills. The criteria evaluate the educational methodologies, and if these promote an active learning and academic success, meet the defined learning goals and encourage students to perform an active role in the learning process and facilitate student autonomy and their employability. They further evaluate the institutional strategy and policies for promoting students’ academic success and how the school monitors and analyses the teaching results in terms of academic success and the development and implementation of new School strategies for improving results and academic success. Furthermore, an examination of the strategy and policies developed to attract new students, including mature students, non-traditional students, young people with a differentiated sociocultural background, students with special educational needs and international students.

3. Research, Innovation, Internationalisation

The third set of criteria evaluates the strategies and policies to promote scientific and technological activity, including concrete measures (scholarships, awards, projects, events, internships) to encourage student participation in scientific research and technological development, as a means of enhancing learning. They analyse the School’s strategy and policies for transferring knowledge and technology, as well as the main results of their implementation, in particular the economic and social valorisation of knowledge. The criteria will consider the availability of interface structures with the external community (business, public and social) and local, regional and national networks and partnerships. Evaluate the School’s internationalisation strategy and policies, as well as the main instruments of internationalisation (at home and abroad) developed and implemented and the main (internal and external) stakeholders promoting and implementing its internationalisation strategy.

4. Resources

Criteria set four evaluates if the academic and research staff is qualified, stable and adjusted to its educational offer and its strategy for scientific research. They evaluate the structures and activities to support academic and research staff in their functions, with regard to education and pedagogic innovation, research, cooperation with society, and national and international mobility. The school strategy and policies are examined for the promotion of the academic and research staff. The criteria also perform an assessment of the adequacy of the School’s technical, administrative and management staff and if they have appropriate training to perform their tasks and whether the School provides mechanisms, structures, and activities for training and promoting national and international mobility. There is an appreciation of the adequacy of facilities and equipment (classrooms, academic and research staff and services offices, libraries, IT rooms, laboratories, leisure and food areas, etc) as well as their good state of repair and how the School periodically assesses the adequacy of its facilities and equipment and that it promotes their continuous improvement. Finally, the criteria assess if the School is financially sustainable and if its sustainability raises concerns due to a negative trend of students enrolments.

5. Quality Systems

The last criteria set evaluates the systems the School has in place for external quality assurance and the extent to which they verify the effectives of the School and its programmes, safeguard academic standards and build stakeholder trust.  The criteria also evaluate the School’s responsiveness to regulatory requirements and emerging needs and how the School’s external quality assurance systems contribute to a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement aligned to the School’s mission and strategic priorities. The criteria will certify that that the internal and external quality assurance systems are robust and that there are mechanisms encouraging the participation of the academic and research staff, of the technical, administrative and management staff, students and stakeholders in the School’s quality management/assurance systems.