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13 April 2026
The Andalusian Council of Universities agrees on the 2026 timetable for procedures related to university degrees
The document sets deadlines for the evaluation of new programmes, updates and renewal of curricula, as well as for the implementation of international joint programmes
The Andalusian Council of Universities approved, at its meeting of 25 March 2026, the timetable for submitting applications for external quality assurance activities in which the Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA) participates as the evaluation body. It also established the deadlines for procedures falling under the responsibility of the Directorate-General for University Coordination, the body of the Regional Government of Andalusia responsible for university planning and for authorising the implementation, modification and discontinuation of degree programmes. This agreement is adopted in accordance with the provisions of Decree 154/2023 of 27 June, regulating official university education within the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
ACCUA’s evaluation activities
With regard to quality assurance activities carried out by ACCUA, the deadline for submitting applications for the verification of study programmes leading to official university degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate) to be implemented in the 2027/28 academic year will run from 1 to 30 September 2026. In the current year, ACCUA has evaluated 58 applications from Andalusian universities under this procedure.
The same initial deadline applies to applications for substantial modifications to study programmes: from 1 to 30 September 2026, with a second submission period from 1 to 27 February 2027. During the current year, ACCUA has evaluated 81 applications for substantial modifications, with a further 110 applications currently under evaluation.
Applications for non-substantial modifications to study programmes—required only for centres that do not hold institutional accreditation—must be submitted either between 1 and 31 October 2026 or between 10 and 21 March 2027. In the most recent call (September 2025), ACCUA processed 74 such applications, while a further 51 applications submitted in March 2026 are currently under evaluation.
Applications for the renewal of accreditation of programmes delivered in centres without institutional accreditation must be submitted between 1 December 2026 and 15 January 2027. In 2025, ACCUA issued 154 reports on the renewal of programme accreditation.
Applications for verification, substantial modification and renewal of accreditation are submitted by universities through the Register of Universities, Centres and Qualifications (RUCT), under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which forwards the applications to ACCUA as the competent evaluation body in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
Applications for non-substantial modifications and for the monitoring of programmes delivered in centres without institutional accreditation are submitted directly to ACCUA via the electronic portal of the Regional Government of Andalusia. At least one monitoring report must be produced, which becomes mandatory three years after the effective implementation of the programme or the renewal of its accreditation. The deadline for submitting monitoring applications in 2026 is from 15 October to 15 November. In 2025, ACCUA issued a total of 365 programme monitoring reports.
Applications for the verification of study programmes leading to international joint degrees under the European Approach are also submitted directly to ACCUA. Two submission periods are established: from 15 September to 15 November 2026 for programmes to be implemented in the 2027/28 academic year, and from 1 to 27 February 2027 for those to be implemented in 2028/29. ACCUA has been one of the first European agencies to implement this evaluation activity, having already verified four programmes, with four additional applications currently under evaluation.
Finally, applications for reports on academic programmes with consecutive pathways in the fields of Engineering and Architecture must also be submitted directly to ACCUA between 1 and 15 September 2026. ACCUA evaluated one such application in 2025.
Procedures under the Directorate-General for University Coordination
The Andalusian Council of Universities has also established the deadlines for procedures under the responsibility of the Directorate-General for University Coordination, the body responsible for the oversight, evaluation and monitoring of university planning in Andalusia; the promotion and strengthening of institutional policies in this area; and the definition of the academic offer of Andalusian universities and their centres, among other functions.
Within this framework, applications for authorisation to implement or discontinue programmes leading to official degrees in the 2026/27 academic year must be submitted between 15 and 30 April 2026. Applications for prior reports on the verification of study programmes to be implemented in the 2028/29 academic year must be submitted between 1 and 31 January 2027. Applications for the review of university planning must be submitted in accordance with the deadlines established in the initiation agreement of the corresponding procedure.
Download document approved by CAU (PDF)
Download printable calendar (PDF)
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6 April 2026
ACCUA unveils its own brand to strengthen its identity in scientific and university quality assurance
The new brand highlights the Agency’s autonomy and independence in carrying out its evaluation and accreditation functions
The Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA) has unveiled its own brand identity within the framework of the corporate identity of the Regional Government of Andalusia. This initiative reinforces ACCUA’s institutional positioning as a public body while making visible its autonomy and independence in performing quality assurance activities in the fields of higher education and scientific research. The new visual identity responds to the need to provide the Agency with a differentiated image that facilitates recognition of its role within the Andalusian, national, and international higher education systems.
In this way, ACCUA joins the eleven other quality assurance agencies operating in Spain—namely, the national agency ANECA and ten regional agencies—by adopting a distinct brand separate from that of the public authorities to which they are attached. This visual distinction helps to clearly delineate the respective competences of governments and quality assurance agencies. While governments are responsible for regulatory development, scientific policy, and higher education planning, among other functions, quality assurance agencies are tasked with designing and implementing evaluation procedures in line with applicable regulations and, in particular, with European standards that enable the international recognition of university qualifications and scientific activity carried out in Andalusia.
A design with meaning
The new brand is built around a simple and recognisable concept derived from the acronym ACCUA and supported by key symbolic elements. The letter “A”—standing for both “Agency” and “Andalusia”— is reinterpreted and simplified in alignment with the generic brand of the Regional Government of Andalusia. A graphic element evoking a “check mark” or validation symbol has been incorporated, reflecting the verification and accreditation processes associated with quality assurance. The Gotham Black typeface is used, offering a distinctive yet coherent visual identity consistent with the institutional image of the Regional Government. The primary colour is blue, conveying trust and stability, complemented by the institutional green.
This new identity will enable ACCUA to project its role more clearly within national and international networks, such as the Spanish Network of University Quality Assurance Agencies (REACU), and in its interactions with peer organisations within the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). It will also strengthen its visibility in relation to Andalusian universities and other stakeholders within the Andalusian Knowledge System.
Brand rollout
The new brand will be progressively implemented across ACCUA’s institutional channels and materials, including its corporate website, social media platforms, and the websites of the networks and associations in which it participates. It will also be incorporated into evaluation reports issued by ACCUA, institutional presentations, videoconferencing backgrounds, and other graphic elements used in institutional relations. At the same time, the Agency will continue to use the standard graphic elements established in the Corporate Identity Manual of the Regional Government of Andalusia for other materials, particularly for internal communications.
The different versions of ACCUA’s new brand are presented below.
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30 March 2026
ACCUA reviews 74 substantial modifications to university degree programmes, with 88% receiving favourable reports
A modification to a study programme is considered substantial when it affects certain aspects of the nature, objectives, and characteristics of the degree
The Andalusian Agency for Scientific and University Quality (ACCUA) has reviewed a total of 74 applications for substantial modifications to official degree programmes in 2026, corresponding to ten Andalusian universities, including three joint degrees. Of the applications assessed, 87.84% received a favourable report, compared to 12.16% that were deemed unfavourable. The procedure for substantial modifications to study programmes is regulated by Royal Decree 822/2021 and is carried out in a manner analogous to the initial verification process for degree programmes, thereby ensuring the maintenance of academic standards and compliance with regulatory and quality requirements.
A modification to a study programme is considered substantial when it involves the introduction or alteration of specialisations and their credit distribution; when it affects the mode of delivery (on-site, online, or hybrid); when it entails changes in the distribution of basic and compulsory subjects; when it affects the number of credits assigned to the final Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis; when it proposes changes in the number of places offered; or when it includes partial changes to the title of the degree. Where, in the opinion of expert panels, the proposed modifications effectively amount to the design of a new programme, an unfavourable report is issued and the university is invited to submit the programme for verification in the next call. In the event of an unfavourable report, a university may either continue delivering the programme without the proposed modifications or submit a revised modification once the identified deficiencies have been addressed.
A total of 32 Bachelor’s degrees (43.24%), 20 Master’s degrees (27.03%), and 22 doctoral programmes (29.73%) were evaluated. All applications concerning doctoral programmes received favourable reports, while unfavourable outcomes were limited to Bachelor’s degrees (4 cases) and Master’s degrees (5 cases). By field of study, the applications were distributed as follows: 21 (28.4%) in Engineering and Architecture, 17 (23%) in Social Sciences and Education, 10 (13.5%) in Economics and Business, 9 (12.2%) in Sciences, 7 (9.5%) in Health Sciences, 6 (8.1%) in Arts and Humanities, and 4 (5.4%) in Law.
The evaluation reports issued by ACCUA for applications for substantial modifications mark the culmination of an assessment process governed by national regulations. The process begins with the issuance of a provisional report outlining both the aspects assessed positively and those requiring improvement. Universities are then given a period of fifteen working days to address the identified shortcomings and submit any observations they deem appropriate. Expert panels subsequently reconvene to issue final reports.
These final reports are sent to the applicant institution, the Regional Ministry for Universities, and the Council of Universities, a body attached to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Ultimately, it is the Council of Universities that is responsible for adopting the final decision on the modification of the degree, taking into account the evaluation report issued by the experts. The reports are published on the Agency’s website, in accordance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).
The evaluation system applied by ACCUA is listed in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), has received a positive external review by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), and follows the guidelines agreed with other Spanish agencies within the framework of the Spanish Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (REACU). This ensures a robust, transparent, independent process based exclusively on evidences and technical criteria.
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March 20, 2026
ACCUA reports favourably on the verification of 49 new university degrees for the 2026/27 academic year
The Agency has evaluated a total of 56 degree verification proposals, of which 87.5% received a favourable report (49) and 12.5% an unfavourable report (7).
A total of 49 curriculum proposals for new degree programmes to be implemented in the upcoming 2026/27 academic year have received a favourable verification report from the Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA), representing 87.5% of all reports issued. Likewise, the corresponding evaluation committees issued a total of 7 unfavourable reports, accounting for 12.5% of the total. All proposals were evaluated by the corresponding committees of independent experts, comprising academic, professional and student profiles, whose composition is public and can be consulted on the ACCUA website. All reports are also public, and those with unfavourable outcomes may be appealed to the Council of Universities.
Of the total number of new degrees proposed by 12 Andalusian universities, ACCUA evaluated 38 degree programmes from public universities (73%) and 18 from private universities (27%). The programmes proposed by public universities received 36 favourable reports (95%) and 2 unfavourable reports (5%), while private universities received 13 favourable reports (72%) and 5 unfavourable reports (28%).
Regarding the type of degree, the 56 proposals evaluated consisted of 20 bachelor's degrees, 35 master's degrees and 1 doctoral degree. By field of knowledge, there were 12 degrees in Health Sciences and the same number in Engineering and Architecture, 11 in Social Sciences and Education, 8 in Economics and Business, 5 in Sciences, 4 in Law and another 4 in Humanities.
European quality assurance guidelines
The final evaluation reports issued by ACCUA culminate an evaluation process regulated by state legislation and in accordance with European standards for university quality assurance, in which a provisional report is first issued, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of each degree, with specific mention of those deficiencies that must be corrected in order to obtain a favourable report. Universities are then given a period of fifteen working days to correct the identified deficiencies and make any submissions they deem appropriate, after which the expert committees meet again to issue their final reports.
These final reports are sent to the requesting academic institution, the Regional Ministry of University and the Council of Universities, a body attached to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Ultimately, the Council of Universities is the body responsible for issuing the verification resolution for the degree, taking into account the evaluation report issued by the experts. Likewise, these final reports are published on the Agency's website, as required in compliance with European standards.
In the case of an unfavourable final report, universities may file an appeal with the Council of Universities, which has the authority to refer the file back to ACCUA for review based on the aspects identified that warrant a new assessment. In such cases, the files would be analysed by the ACCUA Appeals Committee, which would issue a new report to be sent again to the Council of Universities for consideration prior to the final verification resolution.
The evaluation system applied by ACCUA is endorsed by the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), has a favourable report from the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and follows the guidelines agreed with the other Spanish agencies within the Spanish Network of University Quality Agencies (REACU), which guarantees that it is a process that ensures rights, is transparent, independent and based exclusively on evidence and technical criteria.
Thirteen Andalusian universities will offer new degrees
Thirteen Andalusian universities submitted degrees for evaluation in this exercise. The universities of Cádiz (3), Córdoba (5), Huelva (3), Jaén (2), Málaga (4), Seville (4), and the International University of Andalusia (4) obtained a full set of favourable reports for all the programmes they proposed. For their part, the University of Granada and Pablo de Olavide University each obtained six favourable reports and one unfavourable report from the seven programmes they each submitted for verification. In addition to the degrees that each university coordinates and proposes, it should be noted that nine public Andalusian universities participate in 12 joint degrees, comprising 11 master's degrees and 1 doctorate, with the following breakdown: Almería 1, Cádiz 2, Córdoba 3, Granada 2, Huelva 1, Málaga 6, Pablo de Olavide 2, Seville 3 and International University of Andalusia 4.
Regarding the programmes proposed by private universities, CEU Fernando III University obtained eight favourable reports and two unfavourable ones, Loyola Andalusia University obtained four favourable and one unfavourable, and UTAMED obtained one favourable report and two unfavourable ones.
ACCUA wishes to highlight that its mission is to guarantee that university degrees in Andalusia meet the quality standards required for student training, so that they can access the labour market with the necessary guarantees, can develop fruitful scientific careers, and can ultimately reach their full potential and thereby contribute to development and well-being in Andalusia.
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March 20, 2026
ACCUA issues favourable report for the Master's Degree in Institutional Intelligence at UAL for the 2026/27 academic year
These studies are coordinated by the International University of Andalusia
The Agency for Scientific and University Quality of Andalusia (ACCUA) has issued a favourable final verification report for the master's degree in Institutional Intelligence: Data Management and Governance, a joint programme coordinated by the International University of Andalusia (UNIA). Its implementation is only pending final approval by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which must now issue its decision, now that these reports have been sent to it today.
The final evaluation reports issued by ACCUA culminate an evaluation process regulated by state legislation and in accordance with European standards for university quality assurance, in which a provisional report is first issued, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of each degree, with specific mention of those deficiencies that must be corrected in order to obtain a favourable report. Universities are then given a period of fifteen working days to correct the identified deficiencies and make any submissions they deem appropriate, after which the expert committees meet again to issue their final reports.
These final reports are sent to the requesting academic institution, the Regional Ministry of University and the Council of Universities, a body attached to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Ultimately, the Council of Universities is the body responsible for issuing the verification resolution for the degree, taking into account the evaluation report issued by the experts. Likewise, these final reports are published on the Agency's website, as required in compliance with European standards.
The evaluation system applied by ACCUA is endorsed by the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), has a favourable report from the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and follows the guidelines agreed with the other Spanish agencies within the Spanish Network of University Quality Agencies (REACU), which guarantees that it is a process that ensures rights, is transparent, independent and based exclusively on evidence and technical criteria.
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