Article 1 - Introductory Provisions

1. This Code governs the details of institutional accreditation, the granting of authorization to implement programmes of study within the framework of institutional accreditation, the accreditation of programmes of study, and the accreditation of branches of study for attainment of associate professorship and for appointment of full professorship. *

2. A set of internal requirements that are binding with respect to the granting of authorization to implement a programme of study within the framework of institutional accreditation is defined in the Rector's directive ‘Standards of University Study Programmes’, on which the Internal Evaluation Board expresses its opinion.

3. This Rector's directive sets out the general requirements for the implementation and creation of programmes of study , the specifications of requirements for particular types and forms of programmes of study, as well as other specific requirements and changes in programmes of study during the course of their implementation.

Article 2 - Introductory Provisions

1. Through institutional accreditation, Charles University (“the University”) is granted the authority to independently create and implement the specified type or types of programmes of study in the specified area or areas of study.

2. Institutional accreditation is granted to the University by the National Accreditation Office for Higher Education (“the Accreditation Office”) for the area or areas of study, and within their framework for the relevant type or types of programmes of study, upon a written request by the University.

3. An application for institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study includes:

   a.	the designation of the area or areas of study in which the University intends to operate1;
   b.	a report on the internal evaluation of the quality of educational, creative, and related activities2, the preparation and consideration of which is governed by an internal regulation3;
   c.	a self-evaluation report describing and evaluating compliance with the requirements following from individual accreditation standards4; and
   d.	other requirements stipulated by legal regulations.5

4. The parts of the application for institutional accreditation referred to in paragraph 3 (a) and (c) are prepared with the participation of the faculties implementing or intending to implement the programmes of study in the area or areas of study concerned.

Article 3 - Proposed Fields of Study

1. For the purposes of determining the area or areas in which the University intends to operate on the basis of institutional accreditation, the Rector will invite the deans of faculties to submit proposals for the area or areas of study in which the faculties impelement or intend to implement a programme of study or programmes of study.⁶

2. The proposal referred to in paragraph 1 is approved by a research board of the faculty, or by research boards of the faculties, or by a research board of a higher education institute, after the academic senate of a faculty, or academic senates of faculties, has expressed its opinion thereon.

3. A proposal, or proposals, for the area of study is made by:

   a.	the dean of a faculty where the proposal concerns the area of study within which programmes of study are or are to be carried out at one faculty;
   b.	the deans of faculties or, where appropriate, together with directors of higher education institutes, where the proposal concerns the area of study within which the programmes of study are or are to be carried out at more than one faculty, or with the participation of higher education institutes of the University.

4. The Rector submits the proposals presented for the areas of study for approval to the Research Board of the University after consideration by the Internal Evaluation Board.

5. In the case of factual objections to the proposal for an area of study, the Research Board of the University will return, through Rector, the proposal for the area of study to the proposers for re-consideration.

Article 4 - Preparation of Self-evaluation Report

1. After the proposals for areas of study have been approved by the Research Board of the University, the Rector will invite the proposers to provide background materials for the preparation of a self-evaluation report.⁷

2. If the materials are not complete, or if there are other deficiencies, the Rector will invite the proposers to complete the materials and rectify the defects. The Rector will set a deadline for completing the materials or rectifying defects.

Article 5 - Approval of Plan to Apply for Institutional Accreditation

1. A plan to apply for institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study is approved by the Research Board of the University upon a proposal by the Rector after it has been considered by the Internal Evaluation Board.

2. The Research Board of the University may, in justified cases, suspend the consideration of the plan to apply for institutional accreditation and ask the Rector to complete, or rework, the background materials.

Article 6 - Submitting Application for Institutional Accreditation

After the plan to apply for institutional accreditation has been approved by the Research Board of the University and after consideration by the Internal Evaluation Board, the Rector will submit the application for institutional accreditation to the Accreditation Office.

Article 7 - Cooperation with Other Persons

Where a decision to grant institutional accreditation should lead to the authorization to carry out a programme of study in cooperation with departments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic which have the status of public research institutions, a relevant department of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic is also a party to the proceedings regarding the application for the grant of institutional accreditation.⁸

Article 8 - Extending Scope of Institutional Accreditation

1. During the period of validity of the institutional accreditation, the University may apply for the extension of its scope to cover another area or areas of study, or another type or types of programmes of study within the area of study for which the institutional accreditation has already been granted; the period of validity of the institutional accreditation is, however, not extended thereby.

2. An initiative to extend the scope of institutional accreditation may come from a dean or the deans of faculties. Articles 3 to 7 apply with the necessary modifications to the preparation and consideration of an application for the extension of the scope of institutional accreditation.

Article 9 - Termination of Institutional Accreditation

1. Institutional accreditation terminates upon the expiry of the period for which it was granted, upon withdrawal of the accreditation in compliance with a legal regulation, or upon notification from the University to the Accreditation Office that it revokes the institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study.⁹

2. The intent to revoke the institutional accreditation is approved by the Research Board of the University at the proposal of the Rector. Prior to approval, research boards and academic senates of the faculties, or where applicable, research boards of higher education institutes which participated or participate in the implementation of programmes of study in a given area or areas of study, express their opinion regarding the intent to revoke the institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study.

Article 10 - Introductory Provisions

1. Institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study authorises the university to implement programmes of study under the conditions laid down in the Higher Education Act.

2. Based on the institutional accreditation for the area or areas of study, the Internal Evaluation Board¹⁰ grants to the faculty or faculties the right to implement a programme of study.

Article 11 - Submitting Proposals for Programmes of Study

1. The dean of a faculty, or the deans of faculties, will notify the Rector of a plan to submit a proposal for a programme of study that has not yet been implemented at the faculty. The Rector will notify other deans of this plan and he will submit the proposal for approval to the Internal Evaluation Board, along with possible deans’ opinions theron.

2. The proposal for a programme of study is submitted to the Rector, who refers it to the Internal Evaluation Board for consideration, as follows:

   a.

   in the case of a programme of study that is implemented by one faculty under Article 22 (3) (a) and (b) of the Constitution of the University („the Constitution“), by the dean of the faculty after it has been approved by the research board of the faculty; or

   b.

   in the case of a programme of study carried out by multiple faculties, or, as the case may be, with the participation of a higher education institute, under Article 22 (3) (c) and (d) of the Constitution, by deans of faculties or, where appropriate, together with directors of higher education institutes, after it has been approved by research boards of the faculties, and/or by the research board of the higher education institute.

3. Before the proposal is approved by the research board of a relevant faculty, or research boards of relevant faculties, the academic senate of the respective faculty, or academic senates of the respective faculties, express their opinions on the proposal.

4. The essential elements of a proposal are based on a legal regulation¹¹. The details on such elements are provided for in a Rector's directive, on which the Internal Evaluation Board expresses its opinion.

5. If the proposal is incomplete or if there are other deficiencies, the Rector will invite the proposer to complete it and rectify the defects. The Rector may set a deadline by which the proposal is to be completed or defects rectified.

6. If a change made in the course of completing a proposal pursuant to paragraph 5 amounts to a material change thereof, the change must be approved by the research board of the relevant faculty, or the research boards of the relevant faculties, after the academic senate of the relevant faculty, or the academic senates of the relevant faculties, have expressed their opinion on the proposal. What constitutes material changes is determined in a Rector’s directive based on consideration in the Internal Evaluation Board.

Article 12 - Cooperation with Departments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

1. A programme of study may also be implemented in cooperation with departments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic that have the status of public research institutions, provided that this follows from the institutional accreditation.¹²

2. Along with a proposal for a programme of study, the dean of the faculty, or the deans of faculties, and the director of the relevant department will present an agreement on mutual cooperation in the implementation of the programme of study they entered into.

3. The agreement with the department of the Academy of Sciences is signed by the dean after the academic senate of the faculty has expressed its opinion thereon, and after it has been considered by the research board of a faculty.

Article 13 - Cooperation with Foreign Higher Education Institution

1. Under section 47a of the Higher Education Act and Article 22 (5) of the Constitution of Charles University, studies in a programme of study may also be carried out in cooperation with a foreign higher education institution which implements a content-related programme of study.

2. The terms of cooperation are regulated, in accordance with the provisions of the Higher Education Act and the legislation of the state in which the cooperating foreign higher education institution is established, in a cooperation agreement between the participating higher education institutions (“the Inter-University Study Agreement”).

3. 3. Along with a proposal for a programme of study implemented in cooperation with a foreign higher education institution, the dean of a faculty, or deans of faculties, and the director of a relevant department will present the Inter-University Study Agreement they entered into.¹³

Article 14 - Consideration of Proposals

1. The Internal Evaluation Board assesses whether the proposal meets requirements that follow from legal regulations¹⁴, internal regulations, and the Standards of University Study Programmes, and whether it is in line with the strategic plan of educational, scholarly, research, development, artistic, or other creative activities of the University (“the Strategic Plan of the University”).¹⁵

2. Proposals are considered in accordance wiht the Code of Procedure for the Internal Evaluation Board.

3. The Internal Evaluation Board may, in justified cases, suspend the consideration of the proposal and ask the proposer to complete or modify the proposal. The Board may set a time limit within which the proposal should be completed or re-worked. This period can be extended.

4. If, when completing or reworking a proposal under paragraph 3, a modification is made which amounts to a material change referred to in Article 11 (6), such change must be approved by the research board of a the relevant faculty, or the research boards of the relevant faculties, after the academic senate of the relevant faculty, or the academic senates of the relevant faculties, have expressed their opinion thereon.

5. 5. The Internal Evaluation Board will decide on the granting of authorization to implement a programme of study within 90 days of receipt of the proposal from the proposer or proposers. This period does not include the period within which deficiencies referred to in Article 11 (5) are being rectified, nor the period for which the consideration of the proposal is suspended pursuant to paragraph 3.

Article 15 - Granting Authorisation to Implement a Programme of Study

1. The Internal Evaluation Board will grant the authorization to implement a programme of study for a maximum of 10 years. The authorization to implement a programme of study for a period shorter than 10 years may be granted if:

   a.	a programme of study is granted the authorisation with a view to meeting the need to enable students to finish their studies;
   b.	a programme of study does not provide sufficient guarantees of proper security and development, especially in terms of staffing and satisfying the Standards of University Study Programmes for the period of 10 years;
   c.	it concerns a programme of study that has not yet been implemented;
   d.	the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the University so requires; or
   e.	a faculty applies for it.

2. A programme of study may determine individual curricula for:

   a.	individual forms of study;
   b.	individual specialisations;
   c.	double-curriculum study;
   d.	study implemented by various faculties;
   e.	study implemented at an external department;
   f.	study implemented in cooperation with a foreign higher education institution.

3. The decision of the Internal Evaluation Board on the granting of authorization to implement a programme of study includes:

   a.	the name and type of the programme of study;
   b.	the standard length of study;
   c.	the form of study;
   d.	in the case of a programme of study with specialisations, the names of the specialisations;
   e.	in the case of a programme of study which serves to acquire comprehensive knowledge and skills also from another programme of study, specification of the curriculum;
   f.	in the case of a programme of study implemented outside the seat of a faculty, the name and the seat of a relevant external department; for the purposes of this regulation, Hradec Králové is the seat of the Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové and the Pharmaceutical Faculty in Hradec Králové, Plzeň is the seat of the Faculty of Medicine in Plzeň, and Praha is the seat of other faculties;
   g.	in the case of a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme of study, a profile of the programme of study;
   h.	the area or areas of study to which the programme belongs; in the case of a combined programme of study, also the proportion of areas of study in the instruction with the most represented area of study being the dominant area which cannot be changed during the accreditation period;
   i.	the period for which the programme of study may be implemented;
   j.	in the case of programmes of study under Article 22 (3) (a) and (b) of the Constitution, the name of the faculty; in the case of programmes of study under Article 22 (3) (c) and (d) of the Constitution, the names of faculties or, where applicable, the name of the cooperating institute or institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Article 12) or of a foreign higher education institution (Article 13);
   k.	the language of instruction;
   l.	where applicable, the authorization to organise the state rigorosum examination along with the specification of the relevant academic degree to be awarded;
   m.	where a programme of study replaces an existing programme of study, including, where applicable, a field of study, accredited before 31 August 2016 the students of which will be allowed to continue their studies in the relevant programme of study, also the name of the existing programme of study, including the field of study, where applicable;
   n.	the list of curricula within a programme of study for which the right to implement them has been either granted to enable the completion of studies or restricted.

4. A decision of the Internal Evaluation Board may require:

   a.	an inspection report, and
   b.	a remedial measure the non-satisfaction of which may lead to a restriction on the right to implement a programme of study under Article 19.

5. The decision of the Internal Evaluation Board to grant authorisation to implement a programme of study is signed by the Rector.

6. The resolution on the granting of authorisation to implement a programme of study, along with information on the availability of study for persons with disabilities, is published in the publicly accessible part of the University website without undue delay.

7. The Internal Evaluation Board may repeatedly grant a right to implement the same programme of study upon a proposal by the dean of a faculty, or the deans of faculties, and, where applicable, together with the director of a higher education institute. In such case, the procedure under Article 11 and following applies.

Article 16 - Not Granting Authorisation to Implement a Programme of Study

1. The Internal Evaluation Board will decide not to grant authorization to implement a programme of study if the proposal:

   a.	is not in compliance with legal regulations16 and internal regulations;
   b.	does not meet the Standards of University Study Programmes;
   c.	is not in line with the Strategic Plan of the University;
   d.	did not contain all the elements necessary for approval, and these defects have not been rectified before the date of the considaration, or before the date of expiry of the period under Article 14 (3).

2. In the case of a resolution under paragraph 1, the Board will notify the proposer, through the Rector, of the reasons for the decision.

Article 17 - Review of Resolution of the Internal Evaluation Board

1. The proposer or proposers may request that the Rector review the decision of the Internal Evaluation Board to not grant, to withdraw, or to restrict the authorization to implement a programme of study. The application for review of the resolution of the Internal Evaluation Board must be submitted within 30 days of the notification of the resolution.

2. The Rector reviews the compliance of the decision of the Internal Evaluation Board and its reasoning with legal and internal regulations.

3. The Rector may request an opinion from the Research Board of the University.

4. With respect to the review of the decision not to grant authorisaton to implement a programme of study, the Rector

   a.	confirms it, or
   b.	cancels it and returns it to the Internal Evaluation Board for re-consideration under Article 14. In such a case, the decision of the Internal Evaluation Board is final.

Article 18 - Extending Authorisation to Implement a Programme of Study and Changes to a Programme of Study

1. During the implementation of the programme of study the proposer or proposers may apply for:

   a.	an extension to include another form of study;
   b.	an extension to include a specialisation, including a change in the name of a specialisation;
   c.	an extension to include a curriculum of a programme of study which serves to acquire comprehensive knowledge and skills also from another programme of study;
   d.	an extension to include another non-dominant area or areas of study into which the programme of study belongs;
   e.	a change in the proportion of areas of study in the instruction in the case of a combined form of study under Article 15 (2) (h);
   f.	an extension to include the implementation of a programme of study at another faculty of the University;
   g.	an extension to involve a relevant external department;
   h.	an extension to the cooperation with a department of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Article 12);
   i.	an extension to the cooperation with a foreign higher education institution (Article 13);
   j.	an extension to the authorisation to organise the State Rigorous Examination;
   k.	the granting of authorization to carry out the respective programme of study in another language of instruction.

2. The dean of a faculty or the deans of faculties, together with the director of a higher education institute, where applicable, will present material changes in a programme of study under Article 11 (6) in the course of its implementation to the Internal Evaluation Board upon consideration by the research board of the relevant faculty or the research boards of the relevant faculties, and after the academic senate of the relevant faculty or the academic senates of the relevant faculties have expressed opinion thereon.

3. Article 11 and fol. apply with the necessary modifications to cases under paragraphs (1) and (2).

Article 19 - Restricting or Revoking Authorisation to Implement a Programme of Study

1. If the Internal Evaluation Board detects serious deficiencies in the implementation of the programme of study, it ill invite the proposer to remedy them within a reasonable time.

2. Should the serious deficiencies in the implementation of the programme of study persist after the expiration of the set period, the Internal Evaluation Board will decide, according to the nature of the case,:

   a.	to restrict the authorisation to implement a programme of study, which consists in a prohibition to admit further applicants to the programme of study concerned;
   b.	to withdraw the authorization to implement a programme of study,

   and it will state the reasons therefor in its resolution.

Article 20 - Termination of Authorisation to Implement a Programme of Study

1. The authorization to implement a programme terminates:

   a.	upon the withdrawal of the authorization to implement a programme of study under Article 19 (2) (b);
   b.	upon a notification from the University of the cancellation of the programme of study based on a proposal by the dean of a faculty or the deans of faculties under paragraph 2 published in the publicly accessible part of the University website;
   c.	upon the expiry of the period for which the authorization to implement the program of study was granted; or
   d.	upon other legal grounds.17

2. The proposal for cancellation of the programme of study under paragraph (1) (b) is submitted to the Rector by the dean of a faculty after it has been considered by the research board and academic senate of the faculty, or by the deans of faculties after it has been considered by the research boards and academic senates of the faculties, or, where applicable, together with the director of a participating higher education institute after it has been considered by the research board of the institute. The authorization to implement a programme of study is canceled upon a notification from the Rector published in the publicly accessible section of the University's website.

Part IV Accreditation of Programmes of Study

Part V Accreditation of Procedures to Attain Associate Professorship and Procedures for Appointment of Full Professorship

Part VI Repealing and Final Provisions