Accreditation System

The higher education system in Denmark is carefully regulated for optimal standards by certain organisations. Each degree programme is evaluated on the basis of criteria such as structure as well as organisation of the programme. The academic profile of the study programme is also a basis for investigation. Danish accreditation includes new as well as existing study programmes.

Accreditation Panel

An accreditation panel has been formed by ACE Denmark for assessment of any study course or programme. The panel comprises members who are accorded equal status. Comment on academic assessment of universities is carried out by the Accreditation Council. The panel comprises an employer as well as an expert and a student representative.

Accreditation Council

As per the legislation pertaining to the Accreditation Act, the Accreditation Council is involved in decision making so that accreditation of all higher education degree programmes are carried out. Accreditation of study programmes is done via operators. Higher education degree programmes other than university level programmes are prepared by the Danish Evaluation Institute.

ACE Denmark

ACE Denmark is part of the Accreditation Institution and it includes the Director as well as the Council Secretariat. It also comprises the Administrative Unit and the Professional Secretariat. ACE Denmark involves tasks relating to accreditation of current and new bachelor as well as master's/candidatus programmes at universities. ACE Denmark is currently part of the Accreditation Institution and it comprises Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education.

EVA/Danish Evaluation Institute

Danish Evaluation Institute/EVA provide evaluation at all levels including universities and adult education. Research as well as evaluations are carried out by the EVA for all higher educational institutions. This is an independent institution which has formed under the former Danish Ministry of Education currently known as the Ministry of Children and Education.

The institution was established in the year 1999 through an act of the Parliament. The institute succeeded the Evaluation Centre which existed from the years 1992 to 1999. The operational responsibility for accreditation processes is currently divided between ACE Denmark and EVA.

EVA's accreditation activities revolve around higher education programmes at Academy Profession level and Bachelor level under the Ministry of Science Innovation and Higher Education. Higher education programmes at Bachelor and Master level under the Ministry of Culture are also accredited by this organisation. Apart from this, higher education programmes apart from university programmes under other ministries such as Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence and Danish Maritime Authority are also accredited by this organisation.

The following list shows the different programmes for which EVA carries out accreditation:

University Colleges

• New Diploma programmes
• New and current Professional Bachelor's programmes
• New and current Academy Profession programmes

Academies of Professional Higher Education        

• New Diploma programmes
• New and current Professional Bachelor's programmes
• New and current Academy Profession programmes

    Institutions under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture

• Existing Bachelor’s programmes in Arts/Fine Arts (research plus artistic based)
• Existing Master’s programmes in Arts/Fine Arts (candidatus, research plus artistic based)

Danish Accreditation Institution

The Danish Accreditation Institution is an organisation established by law in 2007. It is an independent institution. While the Accreditation Council is the decision making authority the Accreditation Institution serves as the accreditation operator. The Accreditation Institution is an accreditation operator for undergraduate as well as master's and professional master's programmes. The institution comprises three secretariats and a single management team. 

Accreditation methods used in Denmark

The accreditation system used in Denmark is linked with the European Standards and guidelines for ensuring that education is regulated as per ESGs. The ESGs were approved at the Bologna Ministerial Meeting in 2005 at Bergen. Both EVA and the Accreditation Institution have been accorded membership of the ENQA/European Association of Quality Assurance Agencies.