Recognised Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)

In order to recognise a foreign qualification, it is important to establish that the awarding institution and/or the study program is quality assured. Quality Assurance is a term used in the discussions of the recognition and accreditation of institutions and programmes. It should be established whether the institution is authorised to award qualifications which are accepted for academic and professional purposes in the home country, or, where applicable, if the programme is accredited. Depending on the country, different terms may be used in reference to the status of the institution or programme. The two most common are “recognition” and “accreditation”. They are often used interchangeably, but they are not synonyms.

A recognised higher education institution is one that has been quality assured within the quality assurance system of a specific country and operates with a formal accreditation/authorisation/recognition status given by this official authority. The institution has the authority to award ‘official’ qualifications that form part of the national education system where the institution operates.

Generally, the most straightforward way to check the status of an institution is to refer to the official lists of recognised/accredited institutions in the country where the institution is based. Such lists are published by the official authority in charge of higher education (i.e. Ministries, QA Agencies, etc.) in most countries in the world.

Be aware that in some countries not only the HEIs need to have formal accreditation/recognition status but also the study programmes.

Official lists of recognised/accredited higher education institutions for ENIC-NARIC countries on the Recognised Higher Education Institutions section are available on each country page. Please click on "Countries of the Networks", select the country of interest, and click on the "Quality Assurance in Higher Education" section.

Further information:

Quality assurance: accredited programmes

For more detailed information on recognised higher education institutions in other countries, please visit the Recognition Conventions section and/or directly contact the national authority of the country concerned.

There are very few examples of Higher Education institutions that are not formally part of any national higher education system, but they are recognised by different countries, because they are founded by international organisations.

See also:

List of Universities of the World provided by the International Association of Universities (IAU)