Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Overview

The Agencija za razvoj visokog obrazovanja i osiguranje kvaliteta Bosne i Hercegovine (English: Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly abbreviated as HEA BiH) is Bosnia and Herzegovina's state‑level agency responsible for licensing, accrediting and overseeing quality assurance in higher education. According to uniRank, HEA BiH plays a vital role in ensuring that the country’s higher education sector meets international standards and contributes to both academic credibility and societal needs.

History and Legal Framework

HEA BiH was founded under the provisions of the Framework Law on Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH No. 59/07 and 59/09). The law harmonised the country’s two‑entity higher education systems (the Federation and Republika Srpska) and the Brčko District, creating a unified legislative basis for accreditation and quality assurance in line with the Bologna Process and the emerging European Higher Education Area. The Council of Ministers formally established the Agency’s seat in Banja Luka on 10 January 2008.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

HEA BiH’s overarching mission is to promote institutional quality, transparency and international recognition of Bosnian higher education. Its objectives include:

• Developing transparent national criteria and minimum academic standards for accreditation of institutions and study programmes;
• Implementing external quality assurance (EQA) processes aligned with the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, 2015 revision);
• Conducting institutional and thematic evaluations and publishing analytical reports to inform systemic reforms;
• Supporting alignment of curricula and research with labour‑market, civic and international demands;
• Providing guidance to HEIs, expert panels, student groups and educational authorities at state, entity, canton and district levels.

Governance, Structure and Independence

HEA BiH is established as an independent legal entity with its own statute. It receives baseline funding from the institutions of the state, as well as income from accreditation and evaluation services. The Council of Ministers appoints a Director and two Deputies for non-renewable four‑year terms via transparent public competitions, with ethnic representation requirements to preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina’s power‑sharing structure.

Oversight is provided by a multi-member Supervisory (or Steering) Board, which:

• Approves the Agency’s Statute, budget and internal regulations;
• Oversees appeals in accreditation cases;
• Monitors implementation of national higher education priorities;
• Includes academic, student and private‑sector representation.

Internally, HEA is organised into three main units—Development of HE, Quality Assurance and Legal‑Financial Affairs—each led by an Assistant Director and supported by expert advisors and administrative personnel.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

Under Article 48 of the Framework Law, HEA BiH holds exclusive authority over:

1. Defining and updating national criteria and norms for initial and periodic accreditation;
2. Selecting, training and coordinating external experts (both national and international) for evaluation panels;
3. Reviewing institutional self‑evaluation reports, conducting on‑site visits and issuing accreditation recommendations to entity or cantonal education ministries;
4. Managing and publishing the National Register of Accredited Higher Education Institutions and study programmes;
5. Enforcing compliance with ESG‑2015 through systematic follow‑up and monitoring.

Since its inception, HEA has accredited most state and private universities and colleges meeting legal requirements. The National Register contains several dozen entries (e.g. 37 institutions listed as of early 2025), covering hundreds of programmes across bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

HEA BiH is integrated into key international quality assurance networks to support peer‑reviewed standards and capacity‑building:

• Full member of INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education) since December 2009;
• Associate member of ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) since February 2010;
• Full member of CEENQA (Central and Eastern European Network for QA in Higher Education) since May 2010;
• Participant in the ENQA‑coordinated SEQA‑ESG II (“Supporting European QA Agencies in meeting the ESG”) project (2022–2025), which laid the foundations for an Action Plan adopted in December 2024 to prepare Bosnia for full ENQA membership;
• In September 2024, HEA BiH signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Council of Leading Business Schools to enhance academic cooperation, mutual recognition and faculty exchange.

Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

The Agency’s recent policy measures aim to further institutionalise quality assurance and boost international trust in Bosnian credentials. Key milestones include:

• The Action Plan (2024–2025) endorsed by state authorities to reform accreditation procedures, expand pools of trained experts and align entity-level practices with ESG‑2015;
• Regular professional development programmes for QA experts, including site‑visit training and evaluation methods;
• Increased transparency of accreditation decisions and thematic QA reports to inform policymaking;
• Efforts to harmonise disparate entity and canton laws with central quality standards;
• Prolonged engagement with ENQA and CEENQA to unlock full European accreditation recognition.

These efforts are contributing to higher institutional accountability, better graduate employability and stronger integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the European Higher Education Area. However, legacy challenges remain, including decentralised governance, limited financial equity among HEIs and uneven application of standards.

Summary

The Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina is central to aligning the country’s fragmented higher education system with global and European quality norms. Through its regulatory, evaluative and coordinating functions, HEA BiH shapes institutional credibility, guides institutional reform and supports the internationalisation of Bosnian higher education.

FAQs

1. What is the Agency and what does it do?
It is the state-level body responsible for licensing, accrediting and overseeing the quality assurance of all higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It sets national standards, conducts external evaluations and manages the National Register of accredited HEIs and study programmes.

2. When was the Agency established?
It was created under the Framework Law adopted in 2007 and officially began operating in early January 2008 when the Council of Ministers decided its seat in Banja Luka.

3. How is the Agency governed?
The Director and Deputies are appointed by the Council of Ministers in open competition for four‑year terms, with multi-ethnic representation. A Supervisory Board oversees appeals, budgets and strategy, while technical units handle accreditation and legal‑financial affairs.

4. How does accreditation work in practice?
Institutional self‑evaluations are reviewed by expert panels, followed by site visits. HEA issues its recommendation to the relevant education ministry, which makes the final decision. Accreditation registries are regularly updated and publicly accessible.

5. Is a Bosnian degree recognised abroad?
Yes, alignment of HEA’s processes with ESG‑2015, international agency memberships (INQAAHE, CEENQA, ENQA associate status) and government-backed reform plans are gradually increasing trust in Bosnian degrees, particularly within Europe.

6. What international activities does the Agency engage in?
HEA BiH is a member of INQAAHE, CEENQA and ENQA affiliate networks, participates in the SEQA‑ESG II project to fulfil ESG requirements and holds bilateral agreements such as the MOU with the ECLBS for academic cooperation and exchange.

Organization Name

Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Agencija za razvoj visokog obrazovanja i osiguranje kvaliteta Bosne i Hercegovine

Acronym

HEA HEA BiH

Year of Establishment

2008

Control Type

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

National

Recognized by

Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Ulica akademika Jovana Surutke 13
Banja Luka
78000 Republika Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina

Phone

+387 (51) 430 510

Fax

+387 (51) 462 302

n.a.

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

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X (Twitter)

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LinkedIn

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YouTube

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Instagram

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Wikipedia Article

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