Internal accreditation takes place within the framework of the QA system in Teaching and Learning. The system is based on both central and faculty-level procedures, that draw on the special strengths and traditions of the university and involve all its stakeholders. The central and decentralised procedures are conceived as interlinked PDCA cycles (see diagram).

As part of the decentralised procedures, the degree programmes are studied and evaluated in detail in regular quality round tables that are overseen by the Offices of the Deans of Studies. All stakeholder have the opportunity to discuss the degree programme, especially its quality and potential for development, to deal with challenges together and to develop ideas for action. External reviewers are also involved in the process of these decentralised approaches. The faculties report on the key findings from their quality round tables in their annual strategy discussions with the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

The central procedure which is carried out regularly every six years on the basis of the findings of the decentralised procedure focuses on the actual internal accreditation decision. This decision is taken by the Presidential Board on the basis of the recommendations of the university’s assessment committees, with administrative organisation and support being provided by Student and Academic Services.

Assessment of degree programmes and decisions on internal accreditation are based on the relevant rules in the Studienakkreditierungsstaatsvertrag [state study accreditation treaty], the Niedersächsische Studienakkreditierungsverordnung [Lower Saxony study accreditation regulations, Nds. StudAkkrVO] and the content assessment criteria for internal accreditation as passed by the university senate.

By differentiating the objectives for quality and the objectives for profile, the content assessment criteria provide an opportunity to define and assess degree programmes over and above externally formulated minimum standards and accreditation standards, and thus to make the special strengths of a degree programme more transparent. For successful internal accreditation quality objectives must be met; profile objectives offer the opportunity to develop a profile while taking heterogeneous subject cultures into account.

As a whole, the QA system of the University of Göttingen is designed to be a forward-looking ‘learning system’ that enables a continuous process of adjustment and improvement. It is supported by the system accreditation/internal accreditation work group, which was formed when the QA system was conceived in 2017 and which still advises the Presidential Board and senate on matters concerning the system’s ongoing development.