Accreditation standards

Institutional accreditation standards

Every requirement below must be addressed. Link each claim to current evidence that a CQASE reviewer can verify online.

How a standard is assessed

Each requirement is recorded as met, partially met, not met, or not applicable with justification. A domain is met only when all applicable requirements are met. Missing evidence is not treated as compliance. There is no average score that can cancel out a serious failure.

All six domains must be met before accreditation is awarded. Critical domains identify risks that pause the review immediately. A reviewer must approve any non-applicability claim; legal identity, truthful claims, learner protection and data responsibilities cannot be excluded. Corrective actions are assessed before a decision, not hidden behind a conditional badge.

A01

Identity & responsibility

Critical domain

The provider is identifiable and takes responsibility for the education it offers.

Requirements

Provide an official registration link, institutional website, legal name and contact. Show any operating permission required for the education actually offered.
Name the person responsible for the institution and educational quality. Describe the institution, delivery methods and who awards its qualifications without unsupported recognition claims.

Evidence to provide

Registry and website links, any applicable permission, and a short institutional profile with the responsible person.

How we verify it

CQASE checks the official source against the website and the requested institutional scope.

A02

Clear teaching & learning

The published offer matches a real learning experience.

Requirements

Describe the intended learners, entry requirements, learning goals, duration and delivery method. Explain assessment or completion rules, including how a learner can question a result where assessment is used.
Provide one representative example of education already delivered: its outline, a learning material sample and anonymised evidence of delivery or completion. Explain how this reflects the wider institution.

Evidence to provide

Public course information and one existing teaching example. An anonymised completion record, dated delivery record or equivalent source is sufficient; no full course archive is required.

How we verify it

CQASE compares the published offer with the example. It may request a further sample if the first does not represent the agreed scope. Courses are sampled, not individually accredited.

A03

Suitable educators

Teaching is delivered by people with relevant knowledge or experience.

Requirements

Identify who teaches and summarise their relevant qualifications or professional experience. Formal academic qualifications are not mandatory where equivalent experience is suitable.
Provide a verifiable professional profile or qualification source for one or two representative educators and explain who checks their suitability and supports their work.

Evidence to provide

A short staff overview and one or two professional profile links or redacted qualification records. Full personnel files and annual appraisal records are not routinely required.

How we verify it

CQASE checks the sample against the subject taught and the original professional or issuing source; clarification is requested when a claim cannot be verified.

A04

Fair learner terms & support

Critical domain

Learners understand the terms and can obtain help or raise a concern.

Requirements

Publish fees, cancellation and refund terms, support contacts and a complaints procedure with response times. Explain how learners are informed and supported if teaching is interrupted.
Explain how access needs are handled and, where children or vulnerable learners are served, the relevant protection arrangements and responsible contact.

Evidence to provide

Existing terms and support pages or a short learner handbook. Include safeguarding arrangements where relevant; routine complaint logs and recovery-test reports are not required.

How we verify it

CQASE checks the linked information for clarity and consistency with the actual learners and delivery model.

A05

Privacy & data handling

Critical domain

Learners can understand how their information is handled and whom to contact.

Requirements

Publish privacy information and a contact for data questions. Briefly explain who may access learner records and how the institution protects them.

Evidence to provide

An existing privacy page and a brief explanation of access to learner records. A formal supplier register, technical audit and separate internal policy for every tool are not routinely required.

How we verify it

CQASE checks the public statements and requests clarification of material inconsistencies. This review is not a legal or technical security certification.

A06

Feedback & practical improvement

The institution listens to learners and has a realistic plan to improve.

Requirements

Provide one anonymised feedback sample or a short summary from education already delivered, with its date, source and number of responses. Explain what was learned; no minimum survey size or year of statistics is required.
Set out two practical improvements for the next year, with an owner and target date. At annual monitoring, provide a short progress update and confirm material changes and continued compliance.

Evidence to provide

A feedback example and a one-page improvement plan. A completed improvement cycle, financial statements, risk registers and a formal annual quality report are not entry requirements.

How we verify it

CQASE checks the origin of the feedback and whether the actions respond to it. Missing or contradictory evidence is clarified before a decision.

Read the evidence guide ↗