Liechtenstein

• Governmental membership
  Liechtenstein has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since February 2008.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  Liechtenstein’s higher education system includes the University of Liechtenstein, the International Academy of Philosophy (currently authorized to award degrees until December 31, 2022 to students inscribed before January 28 2020), the Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein (UFL) and the Liechtenstein Institute.

   

  In association with a number of Swiss cantons, Liechtenstein is part of the Interstate University of Applied Sciences of Technology in Buchs (NTB) and the University of Applied Sciences for Special Needs Education in Zurich.

   

  Higher education institutions are supervised by the Government and the Office of Education, including those based in Liechtenstein which offer distance learning.

• National external quality assurance requirements

  • Initial institutional accreditation
    New higher education institution need to be authorised by a decision of the Liechtenstein Government. Accreditation by an EQAR-registered agency (see below) is a pre-condition to receive authorisation. If granted, authorisation is valid indefinitely unless revoked (see Periodic evaluation

  • Initial programme accreditation
    New study programmes need to be authorised by a decision of the Liechtenstein Government. Accreditation by an EQAR-registered agency (see below) is a pre-condition to receive authorisation. If granted, authorisation is valid indefinitely unless revoked. (See Periodic evaluation)

  • Periodic evaluation
    Higher education institutions are required to be evaluated by an EQAR-registered agency (see below) every 6 years. The Liechtenstein Government takes note of the evaluation report.

• EHEA key commitment

  Fully aligned with the ESG

  A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: Registration on EQAR is sufficient.

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): The agency has to follow the accreditation and quality assurance criteria set out in the Law on Higher Education and the corresponding ordinance. Additional agency-specific criteria may be applied in accordance with the authority. Criteria and procedures must be in line with ESG.

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: The final decision is taken by the Government based on the result of the evaluation.

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach available to all higher education institutions

  For the programme accreditation of a joint degrees, higher education may choose an EQAR registered agency using the European Approach.

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/99/
• Further information

  • Ministry responsible for higher education

  • Liechtenstein - European Higher Education Area

  • ENIC NARIC

  • Higher Education Law (Hochschulgesetz) LGBL Nr. 5/2005 (in German)

  • Ordinance on Higher Education (Hochschulverordnung) LGBl. Nr. 337/2011

  • Qualification Framework for Higher Education in Liechtenstein

Registered agencies operating in Liechtenstein