S.L. 607.3 Art. 42Provider accreditation.

(1) Provider accreditation shall be granted by the

Authority in accordance with this regulation, upon an application by the provider, in one or more categories corresponding to the licence categories provided in the Second Schedule.

(2) Provider accreditation shall be based on a provider quality audit.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the previous sub-regulation, provider accreditation may also be based on a provider quality audit undertaken by a recognised foreign quality assurance or accreditation agency, in which case the Authority shall review the process and outcome of such provider quality audit, and shall decide, on the basis of these and the standards referred to in regulation 39, whether to grant the type of provider accreditation sought by the provider under these regulations or to submit the provider to an additional provider quality audit undertaken by the Authority in accordance with these regulations.

(4) The Authority shall grant provider accreditation status according to one or more categories corresponding to the licence categories provided in the Second Schedule, which status shall clearly state the authority of the provider to provide programmes at given or comparable levels of the Malta Qualifications Framework. Provider accreditation granted under this regulation shall be valid for a period of five years: Provided that the Authority may, where it demonstrates a justified reason therefor, grant conditional provider accreditation and may also apply shorter periods for the validity of provider accreditation, where appropriate, as provided in these regulations.

(5) Provider accreditation obtained in accordance with this regulation shall be valid for the purpose of obtaining a licence under these regulations.