The legal basis for the introduction of a quality management system at universities is laid down in the Universities Act UG 2002 in § 14 (1).Quality management is understood as goal-oriented design and control of quality. The processes and structures that contribute to quality development and quality assurance are defined in the quality management system, which also provides periodic self-reflection. The systematic development of a quality management system at the Montanuniversität Leoben was initiated in 2007 with the establishment of a staff function for quality management.

The Higher Education Quality Assurance Act (HS-QSG), which came into force in 2012, specifies in § 18 (1) the external auditing of a university's quality management system. 
An external audit provides additionally to supllemnting self-reflection feedback on the effectiveness of the quality management system with an external view. It examines the extent to which instruments are available and suitable for contributing to quality development and quality assurance. In the 2013 - 2015 performance agreement, the Montanuniversität Leoben set milestones for the implementation of the external audit and committed to completing the certification process in the course of 2015.

After a selection process, the "Organ für Akkreditierung und Qualitätssicherung der schweizerischen Hochschulen" (OAQ) was commissioned to conduct the Quality Audit in November 2012.
After the official start through several kick-off events for essential key groups of the University of Leoben, the self-evaluation report was written. The steering group set up for the procedure supplemented this report with a strengths and weaknesses analysis regarding the fulfillment of the quality standards according to the HS-QSG. The self-evaluation report, together with the QM documents, provided the group of experts with a first impression of the University of Leoben. During a preliminary visit of the expert group, open points could be clarified and further information could be given. The on-site visit finally took place from October 29 - 31, 2014. During this visit, the expert group conducted many interviews with representatives of different key groups of the university and assessed the degree of fulfillment of the four audit areas according to the HS-QSG. The report written by the expert group, together with the statement of the University of Leoben and the self-evaluation report, formed the basis for the certification decision by the Swiss Accreditation Council, which was made on June 5, 2015.

The Higher Education Quality Assurance Act (HS-QSG) represents the direct and legally binding basis for quality audits in Austria. In the audit procedure, the degree of fulfillment of the four test areas according to HS-QSG § 22 para. 2, was assessed by the group of experts appointed by AAQ.

Timetable of the certification process:

06.11.2013 Opening of the procedure

07.11.2013 - 14.08.2014 Preparation of the self-evaluation report

22.08.2014 Submission of self-evaluation report

29.09.2014 Preparation of the on-site visit

29. - 31.10.2014 On-site visit

28.11.2014 Preliminary expert report

30.01.2015 Statement of the Montanuniversität Leoben

27.04.2015 Final expert report (to Accreditation Council)

05.06.2015 Certification by the Swiss Accreditation Council

A steering group representing all key groups at the Montanuniversität Leoben was set up to handle the quality audit. Its members were substantially involved in the self-assessment procedure and were the first contact persons of the group of experts during the on-site visit.

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Dr.h.c. Wilfried Eichlseder, Rector
Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont. Peter Moser, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and International Relations
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont. Martha Mühlburger, Vice-Rector for Finance
O.Univ.-Prof. Mag.rer.nat. Dr.phil. Peter Kirschenhofer, Senate chairman
Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Werner Sitte, Dean of Studies
O.Univ.-Prof. Mag. et Dr.rer.nat. Robert Danzer, Chairman Professors Association
Dipl.-Ing. Stephan Schuschnigg, Chairman University Teachers Association
Maximilian Wunderl, Chair ÖH, student
Mag.rer.nat. Gabriele Scherer, Staff function Quality Management

In addition, many other representatives of the Montanuniversität Leoben were involved in the preparation of the self-evaluation report.

On the part of AAQ, the procedure was accompanied by:

Dr. Christoph Grolimund, Director
Lic. Phil. Petra Lauk Kwasnitza, Project manager

The members of the group of experts appointed by AAQ were:

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil Bernhard Eitel, Rector of the University of Heidelberg, Chairman
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Oliver Langefeld, Part-time Vice President for Studies and Teaching at the TU Clausthal
Prof. Thorsten Stumpf, Director of the Institute for Resource Ecology - Helmholtz Centre Dresden-Rossendorf
Dr. rer. pol. Heike Schorcht, Staff function Quality Management, Ilmenau University of Technology
Julia Wysling, Presidium VSETH, student