After three and a half years of intensive preparation, the University of Music Würzburg was able to submit its application for system accreditation to the German Accreditation Council on June 28, 2022. The university expects the decision of the Accreditation Council in December 2022.
The Accreditation Council describes the accreditation content as follows:
“The object of system accreditation is the internal quality assurance system of a university in the area of teaching and learning. The structures and processes relevant to teaching and learning are examined to determine whether they ensure the achievement of qualification goals and the high quality of the study programs.”
This required, among other things, the introduction of a procedure for the internal accreditation of bachelor's and master's programmes, the establishment of a system for the evaluation of courses and study conditions, and the development of central process descriptions. In addition to examining the written documents, an external panel of experts interviewed numerous groups at the university (students, teaching staff and members of the administration) about the university's quality assurance processes in two virtual “walk-throughs” and, on this basis, issued an accreditation recommendation without conditions.
Added value of a system accreditation for the university, the students, and the teaching staff
- Higher autonomy of the university in the implementation and prioritization of quality assurance measures and procedures, especially the accreditation of study programs.
- Advancement of continuous improvement processes instead of selective review of study programs by an external accreditation agency
- Establishment of a quality culture that encompasses a wide range of areas
- Strengthening the participation of students and teachers