Confidence in quality

The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) has been established by the Dutch and Flemish governments as an independent accreditation body. NVAO operates on both a binational and international level. The NVAO conclusions underpin the recognition of higher education programmes and ensure that students receive worthy degrees.

About NVAO

Procedure

Recognise a new programme

New programmes are first subjected to initial accreditation at NVAO, a procedure to assess their potential quality. After a few years, a newly recognised programma can obtain a first accreditation.
The NetherlandsFlanders

Review existing programme

Each programme must periodically attain a programme accreditation. How this review is organised is based on the type of institution.
The NetherlandsFlanders

Review existing institution

All the institutions in Flanders that are recognised as a university college or university are periodically subjected to an institutional review. In the Netherlands, an institution can participate in an Institutional Accreditation.
The NetherlandsFlanders

Recognise a new institution

#non-recognised institutions
Higher education institutions need to be recognised by the Flemish and Dutch government before they can organise accredited programmes, issue recognised degrees and, if necessary, be eligible for funding.
The NetherlandsFlanders

QUALITY AGREEMENTS

The Quality Agreements are assessed by NVAO. They pertain to the study advance funds allocated to institutions for the improvement of the quality of education.
All procedures The Netherlands All procedures Flanders All procedures Luxembourg

quality assurance systems

The Netherlands, Flanders and Luxembourg each have their own quality assurance system, an integrated system for external quality assurance. A quality assurance system includes the various procedures and conditions for obtaining accreditation. All NVAO procedures are based on assessment frameworks.

Quality assurance system of The Nederlands
Quality assurance system of Flanders
Quality assurance system in Luxembourg

 

The NetherlandsFlanders Luxembourg

Decisions and reports search

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

NEWS

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Frameworks for the Flemish Quality Assurance System 2025–2031 formally adopted and published
06/02/2026

On 19 December 2025, the Flemish Government formally adopted the assessment and operational frameworks for the Flemish quality assurance system 2025–2031. This decision establishes the formal framework for the application of the quality assurance system during the period 2025–2031.

 

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SAMENarie_kz

SAMENarie Flemish Quality Assurance System 2025-2031
28/11/2025

In September 2025, the new cycle of the Flemish quality assurance system commenced. To mark this transition, NVAO organised a fully booked SAMENarie for quality assurance professionals from Flemish universities and universities of applied sciences. All participants actively engaged with the operationalisation of the quality assurance system and the ways in which it is implemented within their own institutions.

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Bouwstenen_min

Revision of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG)
13/11/2025

At the Tirana (Albania) Ministerial Communiqué in May 2024, a mandate was given to revise the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

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Events

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