TRENDS IN THE EVALUATION OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN BULGARIA

Abstract

The National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (NEAA) is a specialized state body whose primary role is to evaluate, accredit, and monitor the quality of higher education institutions in Bulgaria. Through a rigorous criteria-based system, the Agency determines the right of institutions to provide higher education and to conduct doctoral programs based on the scores achieved. This report examines the structure of the NEAA, which is governed by the Accreditation Council (the main management body) responsible for developing the criteria and ensuring the overall coordination of the institutional evaluation processes. Its operations are supported by specialized standing committees, ad-hoc expert groups, and advisory units that directly carry out accreditation procedures and post-accreditation monitoring. Furthermore, the report analyzes the evaluation standards for program accreditation, which demonstrate a clear alignment between national strategic goals and the European ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area). Finally, the future direction and trends in the development of quality assurance systems across Europe are outlined, as these changes are set to impact higher education institutions and research organizations in Bulgaria, becoming a mandatory reference standard for the future work of the NEAA.