Accreditation procedures have a fixed sequence of steps which is extensively specified in the AKAST-guidelines for programme accreditation. Steps 4 to 6 are carried out by a partner agency named Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute (ACQUIN).

1. Universities shall submit their inquiries or applications to AKAST. The administrative office will gladly answer all questions. The accreditation agreement, including the questions, shall be entered into with AKAST.
2. The applying institution furnishes a self-documentation. The guidelines provide assistance for the self-documentation (as well as for the subsequent external appraisal).
   
3. AKAST’s Accreditation Committee appoints the expert-group. The expert-group normally consists of three professors (one of whom can be from another academic discipline or a foreign professor), one seminary rector as well as one additional practitioner of the profession, and one student. The appointment of the representatives of the professional branches ensures that they belong to different institutions. AKAST attaches great importance to the impartiality of the experts. AKAST informs the applying institutions of the composition of the expert groups. Given certain circumstances (pending appointment procedures, co-operations, personal relations) the institution has the right to enter an objection in writing regarding the impartiality of an expert.
   
4. The experts will be equipped with all necessary material including the self-documentation of the applying institution.
5. The experts conduct a two-day on-site inspection during which they interview the parties in charge of the study programme and the applying institution as well students and teachers. Additionally, there is an inspection of the premises in order to examine the resources of libraries, working areas and computer facilities that are necessary for carrying out the study programme.
6. The experts write a comprehensive report in which they summarize their observations, suggestions, and any criticism. Recommendations on how to optimize the study programme as well as additional requirements for the accreditation are included in the report.
7. The applying institution can comment on the report and indicate how it intends to the remove the stated deficiencies.
8. The Accreditation Committee decides on the outcome of the procedure on the basis of the submitted information, the experts’ report and the institution’s response to the report. The institution will be notified immediately about the decision. Subsequently, the decision made by the Accreditation Committee will be entered into the database of accreditated study programmes according to the guidelines of the Accreditation Council and published on this website. The Higher Education Institution can appeal to the decision.