Pursuant to the Article 20, Subsection 10 of the Act on Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education (OG, 45/09) study programmes of public universities can be financed from the national budget solely on the basis of a contract with the Ministry, with a previously obtained positive opinion of the Agency.
The Agency opinion relates only to the justifiability of public funding, since public universities, according to the Act, are autonomous in checking the minimal criteria contained in the Ordinance on the Content of a Licence and Conditions for Issuing a Licence for Performing Higher Education Activity, Carrying out a Study Programme and Re-Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions (OG 49/10). The opinion on the justifiability of public finding will be based on the Network of Higher Education Institutions strategic document, to be proposed by the National Council for Higher Education and adopted by the Parliament, that shall include guidelines and criteria for establishing of higher education institutions and study programmes.
The ASHE Accreditation Council, at the 5th session held on May 26th 2010 , passed, for the period before the Network is adopted, Procedure and criteria for issuing ASHE opinion on the justifiability of public funding of public universities’ study programmes, in line with the existing budgetary funds and the Guidelines issued by the Ministry on the conditions of performing new university study programmes in line with the Act on Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education. Study programmes applying for state funding need to be aligned with the criteria.
Higher education institutions file in the proposal in hard copies and e-copies (on a CD).