{{Infobox Organization |name = EDUQUA Swiss quality label for further education institutions |image = |image_size = |caption = |abbreviation = EduQua |formation = |status = Non-profit organisation |purpose = Quality label for adult education |location = Zürich |region_served = CH |num_members = |leader_title = |leader_name = |main_organ = |parent_organization = Swiss Federation for Adult Learning |budget = |website = [http://www.eduqua.ch EduQua] }}
'''Swiss quality label for further education institutions''' ('''eduQua''') (in ''German'': '''Schweizerisches Qualitätszertifikat für Weiterbildungsinstitutionen''' "eduQua" ) is a Swiss quality label for continuing and adult education.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The quality label in adult learning|url=https://alice.ch/en/services/eduqua/}}</ref> eduQua was founded by the Swiss departments of economy as well as professional education and the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB). It is now owned and operated by the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB). The eduQua label certifies that an adult education institution follows the minimum prescribed quality standard eduQua:2021<ref>[https://alice.ch/fileadmin/Dokumente/Qualitaet/eduQua/de/eduQua-2021-norm-d.pdf eduQua:2021 Qualitätsnorm]. Schweizerischer Verband für Weiterbildung SVEB</ref> (previously eduQua:2012). EduQua does neither certify nor accredit any institution.
== Certification == The eduQua certification is open to all institutions in the field of continuing education and adult education meeting the prescribed basic quality assurance standard. It is intended to promote transparency, comparability, and quality of continuing education offerings.
More than 1,100 schools, institutes and academies in all of Switzerland are eduQua certified.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
== Accreditation == Neither eduQua, nor its governing body the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB), nor the independent certification bodies are accrediting higher education institutions such as universities. Academic accreditation is, by federal law (Art. 21 HEdA<ref>{{cite act|date={{date|2021-03-01|mdy}}|article=21|legislature=The Federal Assembly of the Swiss Confederation|title=Federal Act on Funding and Coordination of the Swiss Higher Education Sector|url=https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2014/691/en|language=en|access-date=2022-05-12}}</ref>), exclusively done by the Swiss Accreditation Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accreditation Switzerland |url=https://akkreditierungsrat.ch/en/accreditation-switzerland/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125074115/https://akkreditierungsrat.ch/en/accreditation-switzerland/ |archive-date=Jan 25, 2023 |website=Schweizerischer Akkreditierungsrat}}</ref> In this sense, eduQua certification is not a stand-in for higher education accreditation.
== Validity == The eduQua certificate is valid for three years. The responsible certification body undertakes annual interim audits, which may - in extreme cases - lead to the early withdrawal of the eduQua certificate. The certificate in that case may be reacquired after three years.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://alice.ch/en/services/eduqua/ English website] * [https://www.sas.adm.in.ch/sas/en/home/akkrededitierung/international.html Swiss Accreditation Service]
Category:Quality assurance Category:Schools in Switzerland