The AAQ

Accreditation Council and agencies

The Swiss accreditation landscape consists of the Swiss Accreditation Council, which is responsible for accreditation decisions based on the HEdA, the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) and other recognised agencies carrying out procedures according to the HEdA. The Accreditation Council is the AAQ’s supervisory body, acting as its executive committee and supervisory board. The Accreditation Council’s tasks are defined in the Organisational Regulations.

AAQ Commission

The AAQ Commission is the decision-making authority for procedures that are not regulated by the Higher Education Act (HEdA), namely quality audits based on Austrian legislation (HS-QSG). The AAQ commission appoints the members of the review commission.

Review commission

The Review Commission assesses complaints and appeals presented by educational institutions directly involved in quality assurance procedures carried out by the AAQ.

Complaints

Complaints about AAQ's work can be submitted at any time and informally to the AAQ Review Commission in accordance with Article 22 paragraph 2 HEdA.

Appeals

Appeals against certification decisions may be filed in the context of quality audits based on Austrian legislation (HS-QSG),

The Review Commission drafts a position statement on the complaint or the appeal, which is then conclusively dealt with by the AAQ Commission during its next meeting.

Office of the Accreditation Council

The AAQ runs the Office of the Accreditation Council and offers it administrative support.

Structure of the AAQ