GQA Independent Global Quality Assurance Label: Excellence in Swiss Certification

OUS Academy in Switzerland
Sep 17
5 min read

Since its founding in 2016, GQA Independent Global Quality Assurance Label has established itself as a Swiss-based mark of quality, transparency, and trust in auditing and certification. Operating from Zürich, GQA provides organisations (especially in education, training, and related sectors) with an independent label that signals credibility and excellence.

This article explains what GQA is, how it works, how it compares with other quality assurance bodies (national, European, international), and why schools or training providers in Switzerland may choose GQA.

What is GQA?

Name and Legal Status: GQA stands for Global Quality Assurance. It is an independent Swiss quality assurance label, officially registered with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property under registration number 813141.
Founded: 2016.
Location: Its operations are based in Switzerland, with a physical presence (registered address) in Zürich / Lucerne region.
Mission: GQA aims to promote excellence through auditing and certification. It provides auditing services, evaluation, certification, and the right to use its quality label logo to organisations that meet its standards. GQA emphasises values of transparency, ethical governance, continuous improvement, and strong auditing standards.

How GQA’s Quality Label Works

GQA offers a process similar to many certification or auditing bodies:

Application & Review: Organisations apply to GQA for the label. GQA reviews submitted documentation about the organisation’s governance, operations, internal policies, past performance, compliance, etc.
Audit or Evaluation: GQA may conduct audits to verify whether operations meet GQA’s criteria. This may involve reviewing internal processes, professional staff qualifications, training delivery, student or stakeholder satisfaction, infrastructure, and compliance with legal and ethical norms.
Certification Decision: If requirements are met, GQA grants the label. The organisation can then use the GQA logo or mark, showing external confirmation of quality.
Ongoing Monitoring: GQA requires ongoing adherence to its standards. Organisations may need to renew their certification or undergo periodic audits to retain the label.

What Sectors GQA Serves

Education & Training: Private schools, distance learning providers, vocational institutions, business and management training, professional continuing education.
Auditing & Certification: Organisations seeking recognised external verification of their internal operations, processes, or output quality.
Member Organisations & Partners: GQA is affiliated with bodies like the European Council of Leading Business Schools & Institutes (ECLBS), and with chambers of commerce, associations, ranking networks. Many educational institutions in Switzerland and abroad use GQA in combination with other accreditations.

Criteria & Distinctive Features

What makes GQA stand out:

Swiss Trademark & Legal Recognition: GQA is legally registered in Switzerland; the label itself is a trademark, which gives legal protection and credibility.
Focus on Transparency & Ethical Standards: GQA emphasises ethical governance and operational transparency in its auditing and certification.
Collaboration with International Partners: GQA works with international QA, auditing, ranking, and business school networks (for example ECLBS) to ensure global relevance.
Flexible Label Use: Organisations that receive GQA may use the GQA label logo, which is seen as a marketing signal of quality for students, clients, and stakeholders.
Member‐Based Model: Many educational institutions become “Members” of GQA to show alignment with its standards.

Comparison with Other Quality Assurance Bodies in Switzerland and Europe

To understand how GQA fits into the broader landscape, here is how it compares to other QA / accreditation agencies:

Body or Network	Scope of Work	Legal/National Accreditation vs Voluntary Label	International Recognition / Networks
AAQ (Switzerland)	Institutional and programme accreditation under Swiss law; central Swiss national agency	Required for institutions using protected titles under Swiss Higher Education Act; legally binding	Listed in European quality registers; ENQA, INQAAHE etc.
ACQUIN, FIBAA, AHPGS, evalag, AQ Austria	Discipline- or region-based accreditation; programmes and internal QA systems	Frequently used where those agencies are recognised by national bodies; sometimes used in addition to legal accreditation	Many are EQAR-listed; members of European standards associations
International Accreditors (e.g. AACSB, AMBA, EFMD)	Business-school / programme accreditation on global benchmarks	Often voluntary; more relevant for prestige, international marketing, cross-border recognition	Widely known globally; often sought by institutions with international student bodies
GQA	Provides voluntary quality label / certification, especially for private training/education providers	Not typically under Swiss legal accreditation for “universities” title; more of a label / auditing & certification service	Gains recognition through partnerships, networks; used in marketing and as trust signal

Why Institutions Choose GQA

Many private or non-public education providers, smaller vocational or distance education institutions, or those operating internationally, find value in GQA because:

It is a relatively accessible certification compared to full legal accreditation, with clearer processes and less regulatory complexity.
GQA’s label may help in marketing & credibility, especially when serving international students or partners.
It can serve as proof of commitment to quality, internal governance, ethical practices, and continuous improvement—even if not legally required under Swiss law.
For prospective students and stakeholders, seeing a GQA label signals that an institution has been externally audited and meets decent quality thresholds.

Things to Be Aware Of

While GQA offers many advantages, there are some important matters institutions and students should check:

Legal Recognition: Possession of the GQA label does not automatically mean the institution is accredited under Swiss Higher Education law to use protected titles like “University” unless it also holds institutional accreditation from a SAC-recognised body.
Scope of the Label: The label covers auditing / certification / quality label use; it may not cover all aspects of accreditation (such as formal recognition for professional licensing, degree equivalence, etc.).
Renewal & Compliance: Institutions must maintain what originally qualified them for the label; periodic review or re-audit is necessary.
Stakeholder Understanding: Students and partners should understand what the GQA label means, and what it does not—for example, whether degrees are recognised similarly to those from institutions accredited under national law.

How GQA Fits into the Swiss Regulatory / QA Landscape

Swiss law (Higher Education Act) requires certain institutions to be accredited by recognized accreditation bodies to use official “university” titles. GQA operates in a space more akin to quality labels or certification, for organisations that may not (yet) hold full legal accreditation, or as an additional quality guarantee beyond legal requirements.

Many institutions combine GQA with other recognitions. For example, they might:

Hold programme or institutional accreditation from AAQ or an EQAR-listed agency
Be members of international QA networks
Hold recognition or approvals from professional bodies or regulatory authorities

GQA thus often complements legal/national accreditation rather than replaces it.

What Sectors or Providers are Especially Suited to GQA

Providers likely to benefit from GQA include:

Private institutions, colleges, or academies offering vocational training or non-traditional programmes
Distance education or online learning providers
Institutions with international partnerships, cross-border student base, or multilingual programmes
Organisations that want to signal commitment to quality governance, ethics, and continuous review

Conclusion

GQA Independent Global Quality Assurance Label occupies a real niche in the Swiss certification and quality assurance ecosystem. For many private or international education providers, it offers a credible, legally trademarked quality label, together with auditing, and a visible credential for stakeholders. While it does not substitute legal accreditation under Swiss Higher Education law, it complements it—and for many organisations, especially those serving international or non-traditional markets, GQA can be a strong asset.

For students, prospective partners, and regulators, GQA signals that an organisation has been evaluated beyond internal self-assessment, has governance and ethical standards, and is committed to continuous quality improvement.