NQA (Netherlands Quality Agency) also undertakes audit visits in Switzerland. In this case it concerns three unsubsidised master study programmes developed by the “Zentrum für Agogik”, ZAK GmbH, in Basel. ZAK has long established links with institutes for higher education in The Netherlands and was awarded a Dutch certificate for its master study programmes. NQA has investigated the quality of ZAK study programmes in accordance with quality criteria endorsed by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie (NVAO) as recognition of scientific master study programmes at Dutch institutes for higher education.
The corresponding audit visits were carried out by panels with internationally selected members working on the basis of NVAO procedures and criteria for audit visits of institutes of higher education that apply in the Netherlands. The audit visit was positive in its verdict of the study programme quality which means they comply with quality norms for Dutch certified scientific master study programmes. This quality norm (including the so-called Dublin Descriptors) is also applied in other countries of the European Union. NQA has certified ZAK’s scientific master study programmes on the basis of the positive results outlined above.