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Abonner OAQ - Organ für Akkreditierung und

OAQ - Organ für Akkreditierung und

National guidelines for academic accreditation announced

Bern (ots)

The Centre of Accreditation and Quality Assurance of
the Swiss Universities (OAQ) has developed national "Guidelines for
Academic Accreditation in Switzerland" at the request of the Swiss
University Conference (CUS). This is the first time that a procedure
has been available in Switzerland for ascertaining whether university
institutions or the study programmes that they offer meet minimum
quality standards.
Following a wide-ranging review process involving academic
institutions and interested parties engaged in education, science,
research and politics, the Guidelines were approved by the members of
the CUS in December 2002. They are based on accepted international
standards and best practices and will be valid initially until the
end of 2003.
In developing these accreditation guidelines and the instruments
required to implement them the OAQ has made a major contribution
towards the realisation of the measures approved by the Swiss
University Conference and the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss
Universities (CRUS), the aim of which is to implement the Bologna
Declaration signed by Switzerland in 1999.
The objectives of the Bologna Declaration include the creation of
a European educational area, greater promotion of mobility and the
promotion of European collaboration on quality assurance matters. In
response to the Declaration most European countries established
accreditation and quality assurance bodies after 1990. Switzerland
decided to follow suit, believing as it does that accreditation is an
important foundation for the international recognition of university
qualifications and titles. Furthermore, accreditation helps to
improve and promote the quality of the services provided by
universities.
The Centre of Accreditation and Quality Assurance of the Swiss
Universities is a functionally independent institution set up in 2001
by the federal government and the university cantons; it is based in
Bern. Its purpose is to safeguard and promote the quality of teaching
and research at Switzerland's universities. The OAQ carries out
quality evaluations of academic institutions and their study
programmes at the request of the institutions and the federal
authorities. It also provides the universities with support in their
efforts to assure and improve quality and offers related services.

Contact:

Rolf Heusser
MD, Director
Centre of Accreditation and Quality Assurance
of the Swiss Universities (OAQ)
Effingerstrasse 58
3008 Bern
Phone: +41/31/380'11'50
Fax +41/31/380'11'55
mailto:info@oaq.ch
Internet: http://www.oaq.ch

Important links:
http://www.cus.ch
http://www.crus.ch
http://www.bbw.admin.ch
http://www.gwf-gsr.ch