We safeguard standards and improve
qualities of higher education
about QAA International
We are an independent body entrusted with monitoring & advising on standards and quality in EU & UK higher education.
We also build international partnerships to enhance and promote the reputation of EU & UK higher education worldwide.
What We Work
QAA International is the designated quality body under a new regulatory framework, with responsibility for assessing quality and standards in EU & UK higher education. We are also responsible for the scrutiny of applications for university title and degree awarding powers.
Where We Work
- To secure academic standards in EU & UK higher education delivered internationally.
- To be an authority on international quality assurance and enhancement matters.
- To maximise the influence of QAA international quality assurance developments.
Academic Integrity
QAA International Provides Excellent Horizon on
the EU & UK Quality Assurance for You
QAA.World

World-Leading Reputation for Quality
National Assurance Body

EA
EA is formally appointed by the European Commission in Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 to develop and maintain a multilateral agreement of mutual recognition based on a harmonized accreditation infrastructure.

EQAA
EQAA is the first international quality assurance agency for higher education that offers institutional accreditation. It offers universities and other higher education institutions international institutional accreditation and programme accreditation.

UKSCQA
The UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment provides sector-led oversight of higher education quality assessment arrangements that continue to be shared across the UK

SAC
the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) is the national accreditation body. Managed by Enterprise Singapore, SAC maintains the integrity and impartiality of conformity assessment practices.
Supporting Higher Education
IN THE ASEAN REGION
The project aims to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance the quality, regional competitiveness and internationalization of Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) higher education institutions and students.
Academy related Accreditation
Non-Academy related Accreditation
On-Request Accreditation
What does QAA ACCREDITATION Mean?
A successful IQR means that you are officially accredited by QAA. You will be able to use the IQR Accreditation Badge on your website and marketing materials, which shows that you are accredited by us against internationally recognised standards.

International Quality Review (IQR) has been specially developed to provide institutions outside EU/UK with an independent peer review leading to accreditation by QAA International. IQR tests whether an institution meets the 10 European standards of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).
- Demonstrate effective quality assurance measured against international benchmarks
- Strengthen your global positioning
- Drive improvement and excellence
- Develop partnerships with EU/UK institutions
IQR has five key stages including analysing and evaluating your own processes, taking part in an external review by QAA’s peer reviewers and follow-up action planning.
Two QAA International experts may visit your institution to:
- meet with key staff and students, and tour your facilities
- deliver a briefing on the IQR process and answer any questions you might have
- gather further information in order to determine whether to recommend your institution for review, and, if so, the number of days required for the review visit.
There are three possible outcomes of the review:
- the institution meets all the standards for IQR
- the institution meets all the standards for IQR subject to meeting specific conditions
- the institution does not meet the standards for IQR.
The review panel will put forward a recommendation to the QAA International Accreditation Panel on whether or not Institutional Accreditation should be awarded.
Connie Lai, Coordinator for Hotel Management and Tourism Event Management Programmes, Macao Professional Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM)
The Macao Professional Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) is nestled in Macao, a city with a truly tourism-driven economy on the southeastern coast of China. We’re the only public higher education institution (HEI) solely dedicated to the provision of hospitality and tourism-related education in Macao, and so we (and Macao itself) have a vested interest in delivering quality education. For us, securing global accreditation from a reputable quality assurance agency to achieve the level of quality we want.
IFTM has developed a strong network in Europe throughout our 25 years, partially attributable to Macao’s colonial past, and this led us to choose a quality assurance agency that has a high standing both in Europe and internationally. Being an observer of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN), we knew that QAA International would have a sound knowledge of the way higher education operates in this part of the world.
As a result, we went through QAA’s International Quality Review, and were proud to be the first HEI in the world to successfully complete the process in 2017. Last year we passed the mid-cycle review and our validity was further extended to 2022. We also received international accreditation for successfully completing the IQR. The entire process was smooth and transparent, following a set of clear guidelines.
What are the Benefits of IQR & International Accreditation?
It will be different for everyone, of course, but we are very much motivated by the best practices identified in the IQR report; in particular to those pertaining to our interactive relationship with industry partners, effective organisation of internships, and the high-level of student engagement in our quality assurance process. At the same time, we have received useful suggestions for areas which can be enhanced.
In summary, International Quality Review provided us with a guided journey to self-evaluation, bringing the following benefits:
- Identification of our strengths and weaknesses by external experts
- Help to ensure the right resources are in place for continuous improvement
- Enhanced reputation, competitiveness and global image
- Assurance to students and parents that the programmes offered meet international academic standards, giving added confidence.
These benefits are pivotal to the long-term development of any HEI. In the case of IFTM, we can further expand our network, both locally and internationally, as our institution’s reputation, competitiveness and global image have been endorsed by a globally-recognised quality agency. IFTM currently has 113 non-local partners spread across 34 countries and regions, six of which are in the EU.
As IFTM moves towards a new milestone, marked by the launch of postgraduate programmes and the recently revised Institute Charter, we will continue to honour our mission statement of becoming an 'international tertiary institution of choice for tourism and service industry studies' by seeking global accreditation and quality assurance for both new and existing programmes. After all, quality is at the heart of education and it should not only be performed, but also be assured.
For Enquiry
QAA International supports you to improve quality and standards continuously by giving you access to insight and valuable resources based on our extensive expertise.
Look to the Future
Focus & Beyond

China

Hong Kong

Ireland

Nigeria

Philippines

Thailand
Our Board
Demonstration of Your
Substantial Competence
International Accreditation Network
- Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities (AQA)
- Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
- China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE)
- Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE)
- Committee for Private Education (CPE), SkillsFuture Singapore
- European Union Support to Higher Education in the ASEAN Region
- European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)
- Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT)
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai (KHDA)
- Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
- National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, Japan (NIAD-QE)
- Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
- Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
- The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR)
- The International Federation of Infant Massage (IFIM)
- UK National Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC)