{"id":1140,"date":"2014-05-09T08:24:40","date_gmt":"2014-05-09T05:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ekka.edu.ee\/?page_id=1140"},"modified":"2025-12-22T14:51:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T12:51:25","slug":"the-right-to-organise-studies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/haka.ee\/en\/the-right-to-organise-studies\/","title":{"rendered":"The right to organise studies\u00a0in the existing\u00a0and new\u00a0higher education institutions\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Higher education institutions (HEI) in Estonia can conduct studies only if they have been granted the right to organise studies in the respective study programme group and level of studies. <\/strong>The right to organise studies is granted to the institution by the level of studies, meaning separately for bachelor\u2019s studies, master\u2019s studies, doctoral studies, and professional higher education studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

For example, an institution has to apply for and will obtain the right separately in the study programme group of Psychology at the level of bachelor\u2019s studies, and study programme group of Psychology at the level of master\u2019s studies. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Professional HEIs have to apply for the right for every master\u2019s programme separately, and the right is granted to the extent of that programme, not to the study programme group it belongs to. Once a HEI has the right to organise studies in the respective study programme group and level of studies, it may open other programmes within that study programme group without any external evaluation. New programmes has to be registered in the Estonian Education Information System<\/a> (EHIS).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If an institution wants to start organising studies in a study programme group in which it does not yet have such right, <\/strong>the institution has to submit an application together with the necessary documents to the Ministry of Education and Research (hereinafter the Ministry). The Ministry will involve HAKA in conducting an initial assessment of the study programme group<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the results of the initial assessment, the institution may be granted the right either for unspecified term (in which case there will not be a re-assessment)<\/em> <\/strong>or specified term (the right for 1-3 years).<\/em> In case of specified term, HAKA will conduct a re-assessment of the study programme group<\/strong> if the institution submits an application to the Ministry of Education and Research.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is being assessed when applying for the right to organise studies? <\/strong><\/h2>
\n

When applying for the right \u2013 both in case of initial and re-assessment of a study programme group \u2013 it will be assessed whether the quality of studies meets the requirements laid down for the relevant level of higher education, and whether resources and sustainability are adequate for the provision of studies. <\/strong>Assessment is conducted in\u202fsix assessment areas; in case of a new HEI additional criteria will be included: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Study programme; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Learning and teaching, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Organisation of studies, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Academic staff, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Learning and teaching environment, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Financial resources, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Additional criteria for a new higher education institution. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    HAKA will form an expert panel for conducting the assessment. If foreign experts are included in the panel, HAKA will inform the HEI about the need to submit the application documents in English.\u202fBased on the analyses, the expert panel will determine for each assessment area, whether it: 1) conforms to the required standard, 2) partially conforms to the required standard, 3) does not conform to the required standard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Based on the assessment report, HAKA Quality Assessment Council for Higher Education<\/a> makes a proposal to the Minister of Education and Research, whether to grant the higher education institution the right to organise studies in the relevant study programme group and level of higher education for\u202f1) unspecified term, 2) for 1-3 years, or 3) not to grant the right<\/strong>. The decision regarding the right to organise studies will be made by the minister of education and research. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Documents to be submitted when applying for the right to organise studies <\/strong> <\/h2>
    \n

    The following legal acts regulate higher education provision in Estonia:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n