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Successfully re-accredited: BFH affirmed in its quality strategy
01.10.2024 Bern University of Applied Sciences was re-accredited as an institution of higher education on 20 September 2024. The group of experts that performed the assessment gave BFH a very good rating. BFH is the first public university of applied sciences in Switzerland to be institutionally accredited for the second time. This represents an important seal of quality at home and abroad.
The group of experts from the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) wrote in their expert report that they had encountered “a university that is in transition and moving forward with a great deal of positive energy”. They observed at many points during the process that BFH is dynamically positioned as an active contributor to social issues.
President of Bern University of Applied Sciences, Sebastian Wörwag, stressed: “The renewed accreditation as a federally recognised university is of paramount importance to us,” adding: “The positive assessments of the expert group confirm us in our quality strategy.”
Clear goals, just two requirements
“BFH possesses a coherent overall strategy with clear objectives and guiding principles that permeate the university and its members,” the expert group noted. They see a clear endeavour to improve relationships and permeability between the Schools, to supplement the disciplinary approach with an overall perspective on overarching issues and also to learn more from each other in the area of structures and processes. BFH actively lives “a culture of quality”.
BFH has achieved a remarkable result with just two stipulations: the only criticisms were the lack of an evaluation concept for the services offered and the still less-than-optimum communication of the quality strategy. Both stipulations must be fulfilled within 18 months. In addition, six helpful recommendations were made for the further development of BFH.
The path to accreditation
Successful accreditation is required under the Federal Act on Funding and Coordination of the Swiss Higher Education Sector (HEdA) for the right to be designated a University of Applied Sciences and for BFH to have access to federal and intercantonal funding. It also facilitates national and international recognition for researchers, lecturers and students. The accreditation is valid for seven years, after which re-accreditation must be obtained.
The accreditation procedure at BFH was carried out by the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) and includes a self-evaluation report with all BFH activities and a personal visit by the external expert group. The Swiss Accreditation Council awarded accreditation on the basis of the report. With that, BFH is now accredited until 2031.
