Accreditation Committee

AKAST’s central decision-making body is the Accreditation Committee.

The Accreditation Committee is composed of experts and has in particular these tasks:

  • Determines the results of the peer review process;

  • Makes accreditation decisions;

  • Adopts resolutions on procedural guidelines;

  • Nominates review panels.

In accordance with the Statutes, the Accreditation Committee comprises the following ten members and substitute members, who are either elected or ex-officio members:

  • The Chairperson,

  • Four professors (one of whom should be from abroad if possible);

  • For the event of unavailability, two professors as substitute members;

  • One expert in quality assurance and accreditation matters;

  • One member from the Commission of Science and Arts (Commission VIII) of the German Bishops’ Conference;

  • Two members from professional practice, of whom one is a rector of a seminary;

  • One student member

  • For the event of unavailability, one substitute student member.

Its members are elected by the General Meeting for five years in behaviour of the Association of Faculties of Catholic Theology (KThF), the associations of workgroups of Catholic Theology, the German Seminary Rectors’ Conference and the Association of Theology Students.

The participation of the key interest groups of the students, the representatives of science and professional practice is guaranteed.

The Accreditation Commission is currently composed as follows:

Professors

  • Prof. Dr. Rafael M. Rieger OFM, Eichstätt (Chairman)

  • Prof. Dr. Barbara Hallensleben, CH-Fribourg

  • Prof. Dr. Harald Schwillus, Halle-Wittenberg

  • Prof. Dr. Klaus Unterburger, München

  • Prof. Dr. Joseph Verheyden, B-Leuven

  • Prof. Dr. Patrick Becker, Erfurt (substitute representative)

  • Prof. Dr. Richard Hartmann, Fulda (substitute representative)

Representatives of the professional practice

  • Director Martin Fahrner, Tübingen (representative of professional practice)

  • Dipl.-Theol. Birgit Hosselmann, Twistringen (representative of professional practice)

Student representatives

  • David Schwab, Mainz

  • Rosa-Marie Strecker, Würzburg (substitute representative)

Further members

  • Jan-Hendrik Krumme (expert for quality assurance)

  • Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Christoph Hegge (representative of the German Bishops’ Conference)