After completion of the target development and documentation of the results in the target documentation, an interim report is initially prepared after approx. 1.5 years, and as a rule the quality report is prepared a further two years after the interim report. For the preparation of the reports, among other things, evaluation results and other key data of the university are used. If no suitable data are available, critical self-assessments are made. The reports serve as a basis and orientation for subsequent discussions, in which further information and experiences are included to evaluate quality development.

As a rule, the sequence of target documentation, interim report and quality report in the area of study and teaching is as shown in the figure below left. In the case of program accreditations, the time periods for the preparation of the quality report can also be adapted to the cycles of reaccreditation, provided that a documented discussion on quality development takes place regularly in the respective responsible committees/boards of the study program/department (figure in the middle). This does not eliminate the need for interim reports. The figure on the right shows the process for the area of the central units.