INQAAHE
INQAAHE is a non-profit international membership association headquartered in Barcelona that serves 300+ quality assurance agencies and accreditation bodies across 100+ countries. It provides standards alignment, professional development grants, research, events, and publications to advance higher education quality assurance globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What INQAAHE does
INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education) is a non-profit international membership association founded in 1990 and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. It serves national and regional quality assurance agencies, accreditation bodies, and organizations responsible for evaluating tertiary education institutions across more than 100 countries organized into seven global regions (Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Arab States, Africa, and Asia-Pacific). The association's core mission is to promote excellence in higher education by supporting an active international community of external quality assurance providers.
Its core offerings include membership services, professional development and capacity-building grants, research grants and a Global Study, an ISG (International Standards and Guidelines) alignment and review scheme, events (Fora, Conferences, and INQAAHE Talks), and publications (Communiqué, Quarterly Newsletter, Annual Reports). The technology foundation is a digital platform providing membership database access, event registration, research publications, and professional development resources, supplemented by an interactive global membership map. The platform is not a commercial SaaS product but a member-services infrastructure.
INQAAHE's business model is membership-fee based, with additional revenue from events, grants administration, and publications. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors elected through General Assembly votes, has 1-10 employees, and is not backed by venture capital or private equity. Strategic priorities are evident through the 2025 launch of revised ISG Standards and a forward event calendar (Forum 2026 in South Africa, Conference 2027 in Qatar, Forum 2028 in Colombia) that extends the association's footprint into emerging regions.
INQAAHE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- INQAAHE
- Legal name
- The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education
- Website
- https://inqaahe.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- INQAAHE is a non-profit international membership association headquartered in Barcelona that serves 300+ quality assurance agencies and accreditation bodies across 100+ countries. It provides standards alignment, professional development grants, research, events, and publications to advance higher education quality assurance globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
INQAAHE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Quality Assurance Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies (EDADACAG)
Keywords
Where INQAAHE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
INQAAHE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
INQAAHE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
INQAAHE is a non-profit international membership association that provides a platform for organizations active in quality assurance in higher education. Its core offerings include membership services to 300+ agencies worldwide, ISG (International Standards and Guidelines) Alignment and Review processes, professional development and research grants, international Fora and Conferences, virtual INQAAHE Talks, and publications such as the Communiqué, Quarterly Newsletter, and Annual Reports.
Product overview
INQAAHE is a membership-based international association of quality assurance agencies in higher education, not a software product company. It provides a platform for networking, professional development, research, and standards alignment among its 300+ member organizations. The organization's core offerings include membership services, professional development grants and projects, research grants and studies, ISG (International Standards Group) alignment processes, events (Fora, Conferences, INQAAHE Talks), publications (Communiqué, Quarterly Newsletter, Annual Reports), and an interactive global membership map. There are no distinct commercial product lines, software modules, or technology offerings to enumerate.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- INQAAHE Membership Organizational membership program for external quality assurance agencies and accreditation bodies in higher education, providing access to global networking, ISG alignment, grants, events, and publications across 300+ member organizations.
- ISG Alignment and Review Scheme Standards alignment and review process enabling QA agencies to align their practices with the INQAAHE International Standards and Guidelines (ISG) and gain international recognition.
- Capacity Building Grants Grant program funding professional development initiatives for QA professionals and member organizations to build capacity in quality assurance practices.
- Research Grants Grant program supporting research studies on quality assurance in higher education, including the INQAAHE Global Study on external QA.
- INQAAHE Fora and Conferences International conferences and forums bringing together QA professionals, agency leaders, and higher education stakeholders for knowledge exchange and networking.
- INQAAHE Talks Virtual webinar sessions hosted by INQAAHE featuring discussions on quality assurance topics relevant to member organizations and the broader higher education community.
Companies that use INQAAHE
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
INQAAHE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
INQAAHE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights4 records
INQAAHE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education): European membership association for QA agencies in the EHEA; the closest regional counterpart to INQAAHE and the most direct peer for ISG-style alignment work and policy advocacy on QA in higher education.
- CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation): US-based coordinating body for higher education accreditation and QA. Operates a parallel role to INQAAHE in convening accreditors and setting recognition standards — directly comparable in mission and member-base model.
- QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, UK): UK's independent QA body for higher education and a founding INQAAHE member. Comparable as a national-level QA agency that participates in INQAAHE's network and ISG framework.
Regional players
- AQAN (ASEAN Quality Assurance Network): ASEAN regional QA network. Comparable to INQAAHE as a regional counterpart targeting member states in Southeast Asia for capacity building and QA harmonization.
- African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN): Africa-focused QA network under the Association of African Universities. Directly comparable as a regional membership association serving QA in higher education — overlapping with INQAAHE's African region (16 countries).
- APQN (Asia-Pacific Quality Network): Regional QA network covering the Asia-Pacific, one of the seven regions INQAAHE explicitly serves. Highly comparable as a peer membership association focused on QA capacity-building and peer review.
- RIACES (Red Iberoamericana para la Acreditación de la Calidad de la Educación Superior): Ibero-American accreditation network covering Latin America and the Iberian peninsula. Comparable as a regional QA association serving member agencies in the LAC region that INQAAHE also covers.
Broad incumbents
- AACSB International: Global accreditation body for business schools with a member-driven model. Comparable to INQAAHE as a recognized global standards-setter and accreditation convener in higher education, though focused on a discipline-specific niche.
- EUA (European University Association): Larger, broader European association representing universities (not just QA agencies). Comparable as a European higher-education convener with overlapping agenda on QA and quality, but with a wider institutional remit than INQAAHE.
Others
- IIEP-UNESCO (International Institute for Educational Planning): UNESCO-affiliated institute supporting educational planning and QA capacity in developing countries. Comparable as an ecosystem partner offering training, research, and policy support to QA agencies — adjacent rather than directly competing with INQAAHE.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
INQAAHE social profiles
Digital presenceINQAAHE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
INQAAHE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
INQAAHE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
INQAAHE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about INQAAHE
What does INQAAHE do?
INQAAHE is a non-profit international membership association that provides a platform for organizations active in quality assurance in higher education. Its core offerings include membership services to 300+ agencies worldwide, ISG (International Standards and Guidelines) Alignment and Review processes, professional development and research grants, international Fora and Conferences, virtual INQAAHE Talks, and publications such as the Communiqué, Quarterly Newsletter, and Annual Reports.
Is INQAAHE a public or private company?
INQAAHE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was INQAAHE founded?
INQAAHE was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is INQAAHE based?
INQAAHE is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
Who are INQAAHE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) and QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, UK). Regional players are AQAN (ASEAN Quality Assurance Network), African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN), APQN (Asia-Pacific Quality Network) and RIACES (Red Iberoamericana para la Acreditación de la Calidad de la Educación Superior). Broad incumbents are AACSB International and EUA (European University Association). IIEP-UNESCO (International Institute for Educational Planning) is listed as an others.
Does INQAAHE have an API?
No public API is recorded for INQAAHE.
What industry is INQAAHE in?
INQAAHE's product category is Higher Education Quality Assurance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADACAG, International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.