Albania

• Governmental membership
  Albania has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since September 2015.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  Albanian higher education system includes the following forms of institutions: universities, academia, university colleges and higher vocational colleges is a higher education institution of vocational nature. The establishment of a higher education institution is done by decision of the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the minister responsible for education. All higher education institutions undergo an initial and cyclical accreditation procedures. (See below Law on Higher Education, Chapter 4)

• National external quality assurance requirements

  Higher education institutions would need to undergo the external evaluation process for their first accreditation. The HEI can start its activity only after being granted the licence. To ensuring the public recognition that an Albanian HEI or programme meets the set standards of quality, higher education institutions and their programmes undergo an accreditation.

  • Institutional and programme evaluations
    carried out every six years.

• EHEA key commitment

  Not (yet) aligned to the ESG

  A quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, but has not (yet) been fully aligned to the ESG

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising foreign agencies based on their own framework/requirements

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: The Albanian Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education (ASCAL) must aprove the request of the higher education institution to be accredited by a foreign QA agency.

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): national QA criteria

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: Approval of the Accreditation Board of the Albanian Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education (ASCAL).

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach not available to higher education institutions

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/2/
• Further information

  • The Albanian qualifications framework (AQF)

  • Enic Naric

  • Ministry responsible for higher education

  • Law No. 80/2015 “On Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions of the Republic of Albania" (in Albanian)

  • Albania - European Higher Education Area

Registered agencies operating in Albania