External audit of quality assurance system of a higher education institution is a systematic procedure that assesses whether the activities that comprise quality assurance system at higher education institution, and their respective results, are in accordance with national and ESG standards. What is also assessed is the level of contribution to continuous improvement of quality culture and culture of education at a higher education institution. Every higher education institution defines its own mission, vision, strategy and goals of development. With developing quality assurance system there is a continuous improvement of all the activities and education as a whole.

Audit of higher education institution quality assurance system indicates how much the institution takes care of the academic standards and quality; in improving the possibilities for achieving certain levels of education, providing support to the mission and strategic goals of every quality assurance unit at higher education institutions, comparing the achieved standards and quality with quality and standards at the similar higher education institutions in Croatia and countries of the EU.

The Act on Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education, Article 23, paragraph 1, stipulates that audit is performed in 5-year cycles.