Mission, Vision, Values

Mission

The mission of the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education is to ensure the quality, development, and international competitiveness of higher education and tertiary professional education in the Czech Republic, with its main role being:

• to contribute to improving the quality of higher education institutions and tertiary professional schools through independent, expert, and transparent evaluation of their activities and decisions on accreditation,
• to support higher education institutions and tertiary professional schools in fostering institutional accountability for the quality of their activities through guidance,
• to collect and publish reliable information on developments in this sector of education.

Vision

The vision of the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education is an integrated system of tertiary education with a strong culture of quality and continuous improvement, which is aligned with European trends and enjoys the trust of both the domestic public and international partners.

Core Values

The activities of NAB are based on the following values, which provide a long-term framework for its decision-making, conduct, and internal operations:

Independence

The NAB carries out its activities independently of political, institutional, and other particular interests. Independence in decision-making is a fundamental prerequisite for the credibility of the quality assurance system.

Expertise

NAB’s decision-making is based on expert assessment, respect for academic and professional values and standards, and the use of relevant data, analyses, and international best practices. NAB ensures consistent application of standards and the stability of decision-making practices, which enables institutions to plan and develop their activities over the long term.

Transparency

The NAB strives for clear and open communication regarding its procedures, criteria, and decisions. It is accountable to the state, the public, institutions, and other stakeholders. The NAB views institutions and other stakeholders as partners in the quality assurance system. It promotes open dialogue, respect for the diversity of institutions, and shared responsibility for the quality of tertiary education in both of its specific parts.

Activities of NAB in the scope of the ESG:

• Accreditation of study programs of higher education institutions
  NAB performs assessment and decides on applications for the accreditation of new and existing study programs of higher education institutions and verifies their compliance with the requirements set forth by law.
• Institutional accreditation
  NAB decides on applications for institutional accreditation in specific fields of study, which allows higher education institutions to independently decide on the accreditation of study programs in that field.
• External evaluation of higher education institutions
  NAB conducts external evaluations of the educational, scientific, research, development, innovation, artistic, and other creative activities of higher education institutions and related activities.

Activities of NAB outside of the scope of the ESG:

• Accreditation of Fields for Habilitation and Professorship Proceedings
  NAB performs assessment and decides on applications from higher education institutions for the accreditation of fields for habilitation and professorship proceedings.
• Accreditation of educational programs of tertiary professional schools
  NAB conducts assessment and decides on applications for the granting, extension, or modification of accreditation for educational programs of tertiary professional schools in accordance with legal regulations.
• External evaluation of tertiary professional schools
  NAB conducts external evaluations of the educational activities of tertiary professional schools.
• Cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
  On the request of the Ministry, NAB issues opinions on the granting of state approval to operate as a private higher education institution and on the granting of domestic approval or domestic authorization to foreign higher education providers in the Czech Republic. Decisions in these cases are made by the Ministry.
• Inspection Activities
  NAB conducts inspections of compliance with legal regulations in the implementation of accredited activities at higher education institutions and tertiary professional schools.
• Methodological Guidance
  NAB provides methodological guidance to institutions of tertiary education in the area of quality assurance.