What ACQUIN does

ACQUIN (Akkreditierungs-, Zertifizierungs- und Qualitätssicherungs-Institut ACQUIN e.V.) is a non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Bayreuth, Germany, founded on January 26, 2001 by Bavarian universities. It conducts peer-review-based accreditation, certification, and quality assurance procedures for higher education institutions in Germany and internationally. Its service offerings include Programmakkreditierung (programme accreditation of Bachelor, Master, and PhD study programmes across all disciplines), Systemakkreditierung (system accreditation of institutional quality management systems), Zertifizierung (certification of continuing education programmes), Internationale Akkreditierung (international programme and institutional accreditation), the European Approach for Joint Degrees, and the newly launched European Degree Label. Service delivery is governed by an Accreditation Commission, expert reviewer groups, and an internal quality management system aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG).

The organization operates without a proprietary technology platform; its "product" is the credentialing methodology itself. ACQUIN has been a full ENQA member since 2006, registered with EQAR since 2008, and re-accredited by the German Akkreditierungsrat through June 30, 2026, following the 2025/2026 Targeted Review which confirmed ESG compliance. It is governed by approximately 150–160 member institutions (universities, Fachhochschulen, art and music Hochschulen, and professional associations) and documents 1,906 completed programme accreditation procedures. International members span Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Mongolia, Lebanon, and Indonesia, with additional authorization in Kazakhstan (re-registered November 17, 2023).

ACQUIN generates revenue through two primary streams: annual membership dues (€150–€500 per year depending on institutional size, plus scaled tiers for non-higher-education members) and per-procedure accreditation service fees for programme, system, certification, and international reviews. Final accreditation decisions in Germany are made by the Akkreditierungsrat, not by ACQUIN. Distribution is direct to institutions through the Bayreuth office, supplemented by a website, expert publications, ERASMUS+ project partnerships (e.g., CHAISE), and annual membership assemblies. As a member-governed non-profit, ACQUIN is independent of state control and operates under principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy.

Name

ACQUIN

Legal name

Akkreditierungs-, Zertifizierungs- und Qualitätssicherungs-Institut ACQUIN e.V.

Website

https://acquin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ACQUIN is a German non-profit association that conducts peer-review-based programme, system, and institutional accreditation and certification for universities and higher education institutions across Germany and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Quality Assurance

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.) (EDADACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies (EDADACAG), Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF), Assessment Policy, Benchmarking & International Comparability Authorities (EDADAFAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education accreditation
• Programme accreditation services
• System accreditation services
• Quality assurance higher education
• Continuing education certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Bayreuth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ACQUIN operates as a non-profit registered association (e.V.) funded primarily through annual membership fees from higher education institutions and professional associations. Fee tiers are based on institutional size: universities with up to 3,000 students pay €150/year, up to 10,000 students pay €300/year, and over 10,000 students pay €500/year. Non-higher-education members pay scaled fees based on their number of employees/members.
2. Accreditation Service Fees: ACQUIN generates revenue through fees charged to higher education institutions for conducting accreditation reviews of study programs and institutional quality assurance systems. Institutions commission ACQUIN for programme accreditation, system accreditation, and certification of continuing education offerings. The final accreditation decision is made by the Akkreditierungsrat.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACQUIN conducts accreditation, certification, and quality assurance procedures for higher education institutions and study programmes across Germany and internationally. Its services include programme accreditation (Bachelor, Master, PhD), system accreditation of institutional quality management systems, certification of continuing education programmes, international and institutional accreditation abroad, and European Approach/European Degree Label assessments for joint degree programmes, all grounded in peer-review methodology aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG).

Product overview

ACQUIN is an accreditation, certification, and quality assurance institute operating as a non-profit registered association. The organisation functions as a unified accreditation service provider with multiple interrelated service offerings: Programme Accreditation (Programmakkreditierung) for assessing study programmes across all disciplines; System Accreditation (Systemakkreditierung) for evaluating institutional quality management systems; Certification (Zertifizierung) for continuing education programmes; International Accreditation and Institutional Accreditation for foreign higher education institutions; European Approach and European Degree Label for joint degree programmes under the European Higher Education Area; and ERASMUS+ project partnerships. These services are delivered through a structured governance framework including an accreditation commission, expert reviewer groups, and an internal quality management system aligned with the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programme Accreditation (Programmakkreditierung) Peer-review-based assessment of Bachelor, Master, and PhD study programmes across all disciplines at all types of higher education institutions in Germany. Conducted as single or bundle accreditation involving external expert reviewers, with the final accreditation decision made by the German Akkreditierungsrat.
• System Accreditation (Systemakkreditierung) Assessment of the internal control and quality assurance systems at higher education institutions, evaluating institutional quality management frameworks rather than individual study programmes. Allows institutions to self-accredit their programmes under an ACQUIN-certified quality management system.
• Certification (Zertifizierung) of Continuing Education Programmes Peer-review-based assessment of continuing education programmes at higher education institutions, delivered in both national (German) and international formats to certify the quality of post-degree and lifelong learning offerings.
• International Accreditation (Internationale Akkreditierung) Cross-disciplinary accreditation of international Bachelor, Master, and PhD study programmes and higher education institutions abroad, conducted in countries including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Egypt, Mongolia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, and Indonesia, with re-authorization confirmed in Kazakhstan in November 2023.
• Institutional Accreditation (Institutionelle Akkreditierung) Institutional-level accreditation procedures for higher education institutions abroad, evaluating the institution as a whole rather than individual programmes, enabling international recognition of foreign institutions.
• European Approach for Joint Degree Programmes Quality assurance assessment for Joint Degree programmes under the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) framework, enabling providers of joint programmes to obtain recognized cross-border quality assurance.
• European Degree Label (EDL) European quality seal for Joint Degree study programmes, providing a recognized label for joint programmes assessed via the European Approach to enhance international visibility and recognition of joint degrees across the European Higher Education Area.
• ERASMUS+ Project Partnerships Participation in Erasmus+ projects and EU research initiatives as a partner, including the CHAISE Blockchain skills development project and other collaborative European initiatives, contributing quality assurance expertise to cross-European higher education development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1906 completed programme accreditation procedures documented in the public database
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kazakh ENIC/NARIC (National Information Center for Academic Recognition and Mobility)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2023ACQUIN has been re-registered as an authorized accreditation agency by the Kazakh ENIC/NARIC on November 17, 2023. This enables ACQUIN to conduct accreditation reviews for Kazakh higher education institutions, with procedures informed by ACQUIN's Impact Study on Quality Assurance at Universities in Kazakhstan (2017).
• EQAR (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008ACQUIN has been registered with EQAR since 2008. EQAR registration demonstrates that an agency operates in compliance with ESG. ACQUIN's registration was renewed in 2022 and the current application for renewal is being processed following the 2025/2026 Targeted Review.
• ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006ACQUIN has been a full member of ENQA since 2006. ENQA membership is a prerequisite for operating as a recognized quality assurance agency in the European Higher Education Area. Membership requires periodic review against the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area). ACQUIN is currently undergoing its Targeted Review for membership renewal in 2025/2026.
• Stiftung AkkreditierungsratcoreOthersThe Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) is the German governmental body responsible for overseeing the accreditation system and certifying individual agencies. ACQUIN was first accredited by the Akkreditierungsrat in 2001 and has been re-registered multiple times, currently until June 30, 2026.
• CHAISE (Erasmus+ Blockchain Skills Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACQUIN is a partner in the Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliance project CHAISE, which aims to develop a strategic approach to blockchain skills development in Europe. ACQUIN has contributed to the development of a comprehensive online course on blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies. The project involves multiple European stakeholders in blockchain innovation and skills.
• EHEA (European Higher Education Area)coreOthersACQUIN contributes to the European Higher Education Area by conducting accreditation procedures that ensure quality standards aligned with the Bologna Process and ESG, promoting degree comparability and student mobility across Europe.
• Akademie für Krisenmanagement, Notfallplanung und Zivilschutz (AKAST)minorOthersListed among partner organizations displayed on ACQUIN's website footer, indicating cooperation or shared professional community membership.
• Stiftung Ev. StudienförderwerkminorOthersListed among partner organizations displayed on ACQUIN's website footer.
• EUA (European University Association)minorOthersListed among partner organizations on ACQUIN's website footer, indicating shared professional community membership in European higher education.
• INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education)minorOthersListed among partner organizations on ACQUIN's website footer. INQAAHE is a global network of quality assurance agencies in higher education.
• CEENQA (Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies)minorOthersListed among partner organizations on ACQUIN's website footer. CEENQA focuses on quality assurance cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe.
• Swiss Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat CH)minorOthersListed as a partner on ACQUIN's website. Switzerland's national accreditation council with which ACQUIN collaborates given Swiss member institutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AQAS (Agentur für Qualitätssicherung und Akkreditierung): AQAS is a German accreditation agency conducting programme and system accreditation in higher education. It is the most direct competitor to ACQUIN, serving a similar member base of German universities and Fachhochschulen under the same ESG-recognized framework.
• evalag (Evaluationsagentur Baden-Württemberg): evalag is a state-linked accreditation and evaluation agency based in Mannheim that performs programme and system accreditation for German higher education institutions. It operates under the same ENQA/EQAR regulatory regime as ACQUIN and competes for the same German institutional client base.
• FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation): FIBAA is a German-based, internationally active accreditation agency focusing on business, management, and social sciences programmes. It overlaps with ACQUIN in programme accreditation for business schools and universities, including international accreditation work.
• AHPGS (Akkreditierungsagentur im Bereich Gesundheit und Soziales): AHPGS is a German accreditation agency specialized in health and social programmes. It is ENQA-listed and competes with ACQUIN for institutional accreditation mandates in German higher education, particularly in health-related fields.
• ZEvA (Zentrale Evaluations- und Akkreditierungsagentur Hannover): ZEvA is a German accreditation agency historically based in Lower Saxony that has provided programme and system accreditation services. It competes directly with ACQUIN in the German higher education accreditation market under the same regulatory framework.

Regional players

• NVAO (Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organisation): NVAO is a binational accreditation organization for the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium). It is a regional peer operating in the same European ESG framework as ACQUIN and represents a potential cross-border benchmark or partner for international accreditation procedures.
• AEQES (Agence pour l'Evaluation de la Qualité de l'Enseignement Supérieur): AEQES is the Belgian French-speaking quality assurance agency for higher education. It is a regional peer in the EHEA accreditation ecosystem, operating under the same ESG compliance regime as ACQUIN for institutional and programme evaluations.
• ARACIS (Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education): ARACIS is the national quality assurance agency for Romanian higher education. It is a regional peer operating in the same pan-European accreditation landscape and a potential counterpart for cross-border accreditation procedures involving ACQUIN.
• HCERES (Haut Conseil de l'évaluation de la recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur): HCERES is the French national authority for evaluating higher education and research. It is a regional peer with overlapping scope of activity in higher education assessment and quality assurance across Europe.

Broad incumbents

• CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation): CHEA is a US-based meta-accreditation and recognition organization that coordinates quality assurance across the broader higher education field. While not a direct operational competitor, CHEA serves a comparable coordinating role in the US and provides a benchmark for ACQUIN's institutional positioning in the EHEA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acquin-e-v-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ACQUIN