Programme or system accreditation
There are two basic forms. Programme accreditation assesses a single degree programme: content, structure, examination system and student support. System accreditation, by contrast, assesses the internal quality assurance system of the entire institution. If that system is accredited, the institution may award the seal to its own programmes.
Both forms are equivalent. A system-accredited institution is neither better nor worse; it has simply gone through a different, more comprehensive assessment route.
The bodies in Germany
In Germany, the Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat) sits at the top and takes the formal decisions. The actual procedures are carried out by approved agencies, often FIBAA in the economics and social sciences field, alongside ZEvA, ACQUIN, AHPGS and others. The seal of the Accreditation Council is the decisive feature.
Austria and Switzerland
In Austria, AQ Austria is the central agency for accreditation and quality assurance, and it is particularly relevant for private universities and universities of applied sciences. In Switzerland, the AAQ handles accreditation on the basis of the Higher Education Funding and Coordination Act. The names differ, but the function is the same: independent quality assessment.
In the comparison, the accreditation status of every institution is recorded together with the responsible body and the source.
What a seal does not mean
An accreditation seal confirms the quality and structure of a degree programme. It is not, however, a guarantee of recognition abroad and not a promise of career success. Those questions rest with other bodies and depend on the individual case. A seal is a strong argument, but not a free pass.