The accreditation process of the HAC for doctoral schools, introduced in September 2019, is based on the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). The new accreditation process based on these quality assessment principles treats doctoral schools as sources of learning that are dedicated to quality. Quality assurance is the responsibility of the institution and the doctoral school, while the HAC is responsible for examining the quality assurance system created by doctoral schools to achieve the goals they set for themselves, and to evaluate their activities in this regard.
The HAC established the following procedures for the quality control of doctoral schools:
Periodical verification of quality: the HAC performs accreditation for existing doctoral schools every five years at the request of the relevant higher education institution.
Establishment of new doctoral schools: pursuant to Section 71/B(d) of Act CCIV of 2011 on national higher education and Section 6(3) of Government Decree 387/2012 of 19 December 2012 on doctoral schools, doctoral procedures and habilitation, the HAC contributes an expert opinion to the relevant public administration procedure at the request of the Educational Authority.
Adding a new branch of science to a doctoral school: pursuant to Section 6(4) of Government Decree 387/2012 of 19 December 2012 on doctoral schools, doctoral procedures and habilitation, the HAC contributes an expert opinion to the relevant public administration procedure at the request of the Educational Authority.