Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e.V. AQAS

Overview

The Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e. V. (AQAS) is a German non‑profit agency headquartered in Cologne that conducts external quality assurance for higher education institutions. Founded in 2002, it is one of the eleven agencies approved by the German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat) to accredit Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes as well as internal quality assurance systems in universities and universities of applied sciences. According to uniRank research, AQAS has accredited thousands of study programmes and certified institutional quality management systems, reflecting its status as a recognised and trusted accreditation body in Germany and abroad.

Historical and Legal Framework

AQAS was established in 2002 by higher education institutions as part of the Bologna Process reforms in Germany. It gained formal approval from the German Accreditation Council under the State Treaty on Study Programme Accreditation (“Studienakkreditierungsstaatsvertrag”), allowing it to award the accreditation seal for degree programmes. AQAS joined the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) in 2008, indicating compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). Over time, it evolved from a programme accreditation agency into a full-service quality assurance provider, offering both programme and system accreditation services under the legally defined national accreditation framework in Germany.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

AQAS’s mission is to contribute to the continuous improvement and international comparability of academic teaching and learning. Its vision centres on ensuring that degree programmes and universities in Germany and abroad meet established standards of academic quality and relevance. In the higher education domain, its objectives include:

• Accreditation of individual Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral programmes in all academic disciplines;
• Certification of internal quality assurance systems (system accreditation) enabling institutions to self-accredit future programmes;
• Promotion of the European Approach to Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (European Approach), facilitating transnational degrees;
• Support for innovation in teaching through peer review, expert panels and stakeholder engagement;
• Ensuring equity, transparency and institutional accountability through rigorous evaluation.

Governance and Structure

AQAS is formally registered as an association (e. V.) composed of more than eighty member institutions, including universities, Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences) and academic societies. Its internal governance includes a General Assembly, a Management Board (comprising academic and professional representatives), a Standing Commission that decides on accreditation endorsements and a Complaints Commission for appeal procedures. The accredited head office staff coordinate procedural administration while ensuring a strict separation between accreditation and advisory functions. AQAS operates independently from political authorities and institutions under its review.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

AQAS offers two main accreditation services:

• Programme Accreditation: External review of individual degree programmes according to criteria aligned with Germany’s national accreditation framework and ESG standards. Each programme is reviewed by an expert panel, including academics, employers and student members, followed by a site visit and report. Accreditation is valid for a fixed period (usually 5–7 years) and must be periodically renewed.
• System Accreditation: Evaluation of an institution’s internal quality management system. Upon approval by the German Accreditation Council, universities may self-accredit new programmes without external agency review—streamlining the approval of courses while ensuring assurance through internal evaluation.

Our accreditation criteria emphasise student workload/ECTS alignment, learning outcomes, employability, staff qualifications, academic integrity and equality policies. Institutions must provide Self-Evaluation Reports and implementation plans to demonstrate ongoing quality enhancement.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

AQAS maintains active membership in major European and global quality assurance networks, including:

• Full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), advocating for QA policy in the European Higher Education Area;
• Listed in EQAR as a recognised agency, confirming compliance with ESG;
• Member of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE);
• Provider of international accreditation services conducted in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, especially for joint or double-degree programmes using the European Approach;
• Contributor to national and European policy dialogue through conferences, working groups and public consultation.

Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

AQAS plays a crucial role in shaping quality assurance practices within Germany and globally. Its recent and future impact includes:

• Expanding the reach of system accreditation, empowering more universities to autonomously manage academic programmes;
• Promoting digital transformation in teaching, including support for AI-assisted pedagogy through pilot accreditation of blended and online learning programmes;
• Strengthening international cooperation through accreditation of joint programmes and mutual recognition of quality frameworks;
• Embedding equality, student diversity and inclusive access metrics into accreditation criteria;
• Working with EU institutions to align AQAS’s criteria with upcoming revisions to ESG and Bologna Process commitments.

Summary

AQAS is a leading German accreditation agency recognised under the national accreditation system and by European quality assurance organisations. As a non-profit, member-based association, it reviews and certifies academic programmes and quality systems both within Germany and internationally. By combining legal compliance, peer-led evaluation and strategic foresight, AQAS supports the development of robust, transparent and internationally comparable study programmes—contributing to higher education quality, institutional autonomy and student success on a global scale.

FAQs

• What is AQAS?
  It is a non-profit accreditation agency in Germany that evaluates academic programmes and institutional QA systems.
• Why is AQAS recognised?
  Because it is certified by the German Accreditation Council, listed in EQAR and holds full membership in ENQA, INQAAHE and ECA.
• What is the difference between programme and system accreditation?
  Programme accreditation reviews individual degree courses, while system accreditation evaluates an institution’s internal QA framework so it can self‑accredit future programmes.
• Can AQAS accredit joint or double degrees?
  Yes – it applies the European Approach for such cross-border programmes, often involving two or more universities.
• How long is accreditation valid?
  Accreditation decisions are generally valid for 5 to 7 years; renewal requires a new review process.
• How are appeals handled?
  AQAS provides an independent Complaints Commission to ensure fair handling of appeals at every accreditation stage.
• Does AQAS work outside Germany?
  Yes, it accredits study programmes and systems on four continents, often supporting international universities in meeting German or European quality standards.

Organization Name

Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e.V.
Agency for Quality Assurance through Accreditation of Study Programmes

Acronym

AQAS

Year of Establishment

1/01/2002

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

International

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA); European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA); International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE); European University Association (EUA)

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Hohenstaufenring 30-32
Köln
50674 North Rhine-Westphalia Germany

Phone

+49 (221) 995006-0

Fax

+49 (221) 995006-99

List of Universities accredited by Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e.V. (AQAS), the German Agency for Quality Assurance through Accreditation of Study Programmes:

- Universitäten -
Rheinisch-Westfälische-Technische Hochschule Aachen
Freie Universität Berlin
Universität Bielefeld
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn
Universität Bremen
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Universität Duisburg-Essen
Technische Universität Dortmund
Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Europa-Universität Flensburg
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Universität Greifswald
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
FernUniversität in Hagen
Leibniz Universität Hannover
Stiftung Universität Hildesheim
Universität Hohenheim
Gelisim Universität Istanbul
Technische Universität Kaiserslautern
Universität Koblenz-Landau
Universität zu Köln
Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln
Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
Universität Osnabrück
Universität Paderborn
Universität Siegen
Universität Trier
Private Universität Witten/Herdecke gGmbH
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
- Fachhochschulen -
Fachhochschule Aachen
Hochschule Albstadt-Sigmaringen
Hochschule Amberg-Weiden
Hochschule Anhalt
Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin
Evangelische Hochschule Berlin
Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin
Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin
Fachhochschule Bielefeld
Technische Hochschule Bingen
Hochschule Bochum
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig
Ostfalia Hochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel
Hochschule Bremen
Hochschule Bremerhaven
Hochschule Darmstadt
Hochschule für Musik Detmold
Fachhochschule Dortmund
Hochschule Düsseldorf
Hochschule der bildenden Künste Essen
Fachhochschule Flensburg
Provadis School of International Management and Technology AG (Frankfurt am Main)
Hochschule Fresenius
Hochschule Fulda
Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Gelsenkirchen)
SRH Hochschule Hamm gGmbH
SRH Hochschule Heidelberg gGmbH
Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt
Hochschule Kaiserslautern
Hochschule Karlsruhe
Hochschule Koblenz
Technische Hochschule Köln
Rheinische Fachhochschule Köln gGmbH
Hochschule Landshut
Hochschule Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Hochschule Mainz
Katholische Fachhochschule Mainz
Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften München
Fachhochschule Münster
Hochschule Niederrhein
Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen
Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen
Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe
Hochschule Pforzheim
Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten
Hochschule Rhein-Waal
Hochschule Ruhr West
Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes HTW
Fachhochschule Südwestfalen
Evangelische Hochschule Tabor (Marburg)
Hochschule Trier
Hochschule Ulm
Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf
Westfälische Hochschule
Hochschule Worms
- Berufsakademien-
ASW – Berufsakademie Saarland e.V.

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Wikipedia Article

Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e.V.'s Wikipedia article

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