A number of small countries face similar problems while organising external assessment of higher education institutions: how to select proper experts, how to prepare them and maintain? How to avoid bias or interest conflict between experts who evaluate the institution and the institution being evaluated? How to reduce the financial costs of institutional assessment that are relatively high for a small country (isn't it a luxury?), and etc. Therefore, often a question arises if a small country should possess and attempt to maintain appropriate intellectual and organisational resources, necessary for external review of universities, colleges and scientific research institutions? Maybe it would be more purposeful to invite experienced foreign experts to perform assessment? The article presents an attempt to discuss this issue. The authors draw a conclusion that creation and maintenance of such intellectual and organisational resources is indispensable even for such a small country as Lithuania (3.4 mln inhabitants). If Lithuania seeks to be recognised and acquire confidence in higher education quality assurance area, "certain appropriate financial and material resources should be allocated for this purpose." (Contains 4 footnotes, 6 tables, and 1 figure.)