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Institutional Status & Accreditation

A Swiss Business School with Internationally Accredited Programmes

Swiss-SASEM
Swiss-SASEMBusiness School · Switzerland
ARQA — Independent Agency for Recognition & Quality Assurance
ARQA Accredited
MBA & DBA Programmes
ENQA — European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
ENQA Standards
ESG 2015 Compliant

Swiss-SASEM is a Swiss business school offering postgraduate programmes in management.

Its MBA and DBA programmes are accredited by ARQA.

Degrees are issued in Switzerland on the basis of accredited programmes and structured academic frameworks.

Recognition of qualifications is subject to the regulations of each country and competent authorities.

Home › Accreditation & Recognition
Transparency · Honesty · Clarity

Understanding Your
Degree Recognition

We believe every prospective student deserves a complete, honest picture of what our accreditation means — and what it doesn't. This page explains exactly how Swiss-SASEM degrees are recognised, by whom, and through what legal framework.

Institution
Swiss-SASEM
→
Accredited by
ARQA
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ARQA is member of
ENQA
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Kazakhstan signed
Lisbon Convention
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Member of
ENIC-NARIC
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Pathway
NARIC Recognition on Request
Our Accreditation

Four Pillars of Recognition

01
Programme Accreditation
ARQA — Independent Agency for Recognition & Quality Assurance

ARQA is an independent quality assurance agency officially recognised by the Republic of Kazakhstan and listed on the national register of accreditation bodies maintained by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. It conducts institutional and programme accreditation according to national and international standards.

Officially recognised by the Republic of Kazakhstan (national register of accreditation bodies)
Conducts institutional and programme accreditation
Applies ESG international quality standards
Swiss-SASEM programmes are formally accredited by ARQA
02
European Quality Standards
ENQA — European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education

ARQA is a full member of ENQA — the European umbrella organisation for quality assurance agencies. ENQA membership means ARQA has been reviewed and found to comply with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015).

ARQA reviewed by ENQA against ESG 2015 standards
ENQA membership confirms European-standard methodology
ENQA is the designated QA stakeholder of the Bologna Process
03
Legal Recognition Framework
Lisbon Recognition Convention — Council of Europe & UNESCO

Kazakhstan ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention — the main international legal instrument regulating recognition of higher education qualifications across Europe. This creates a binding legal obligation on all 57 signatory states to evaluate Swiss-SASEM degrees fairly.

Kazakhstan ratified the Convention — creating legal obligations
57 signatory states including all EU member states
Presumption of recognition — refusal requires justification
04
Recognition Network
ENIC-NARIC — European Network of Recognition Information Centres

Kazakhstan is a full member of the ENIC-NARIC network — the joint Council of Europe / European Commission system through which graduates request official evaluation of their foreign qualifications in any signatory country.

Kazakhstan is an active ENIC-NARIC member country
Graduates submit recognition requests to the national NARIC centre
Swiss-SASEM provides documentation support to all graduates
How It Works in Practice

The Recognition Process for Graduates

Recognition of a Swiss-SASEM degree in a European country does not happen automatically — it happens upon request by the graduate. This is true for virtually all foreign higher education qualifications across Europe.

The process is straightforward and well-established. The graduate contacts the national NARIC centre in their target country, submits the required documentation, and receives a formal recognition statement.

Swiss-SASEM actively supports its graduates through this process, providing all necessary institutional documentation, accreditation evidence, and guidance specific to the target country.

1
Contact national NARIC centre

Each EU country has a designated NARIC centre. The graduate submits an application for qualification evaluation online.

2
Swiss-SASEM provides documentation

We supply a complete dossier: ARQA accreditation certificate, ENQA membership evidence, and programme details.

3
NARIC evaluates and recognises

Under the Lisbon Convention, they must recognise unless they can demonstrate a substantial difference.

4
Graduate receives recognition statement

The statement can be used with employers, professional bodies or academic institutions as official equivalence evidence.

The Lisbon Recognition Convention

The Legal Framework for Recognition in Europe

The Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region — the Lisbon Recognition Convention — is the primary international legal treaty governing academic recognition across Europe. Ratified by 57 states including Kazakhstan.

"A foreign qualification must be recognised unless the recognising authority can demonstrate that the qualification is substantially different from the comparable national qualification."

Kazakhstan ratified this Convention and is an active participant — including ENIC-NARIC membership and Bologna Process participation.

57
Signatory States

All EU member states and non-European countries including Kazakhstan, Australia, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.

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Presumption of Recognition

The Convention reverses the burden of proof — authorities must recognise unless they can justify refusal.

✓
Kazakhstan Ratified

Kazakhstan is a full signatory and active participant — including ENIC-NARIC membership.

Recognition applies in
🇫🇷 France
🇩🇪 Germany
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇹 Italy
🇪🇸 Spain
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇵🇱 Poland
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇦🇺 Australia
🇨🇦 Canada
+ 44 more
The Swiss Legal Framework

Private Degrees in Switzerland

Swiss-SASEM operates under the principle of economic freedom — a constitutional right allowing private institutions to offer higher education courses and issue degrees without prior government authorisation.

Swiss-SASEM degrees are private Swiss qualifications. They are not issued by the Swiss state and do not carry the "University" title reserved for state-accredited institutions under the Higher Education Act (HEdA). This is clearly communicated to all students.

For unregulated professions — which includes the vast majority of management and business roles — the value of a degree is assessed by employers directly.

Official Position — Swiss State Secretariat for Education

Private institutions not part of Switzerland's public higher education sector offer a different, but not necessarily lower, level of quality. There are several prestigious private institutions entirely independent from Switzerland's public higher education sector.

For unregulated professions, it is up to employers to decide whether to recognise the value of a degree — and these degrees carry more weight when the institution holds accreditation from recognised bodies.

Source: State Secretariat for Education and Research (SERI), Office Circular, September 2010
Academic University Partners

Our International Partner Network

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Semey
Shakarim State University
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Almaty
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Shymkent
M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Astana
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Semey
Alikhan Bokeikhan University
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — Semey
Semey Medical University
🇵🇱 Poland — Leszno
Jan Amos Komenski University of Applied Sciences
🇵🇹 Portugal — Viseu
Instituto Politécnico de Viseu
Frequently Asked Questions

Honest Answers to Common Questions

Is my Swiss-SASEM degree recognised in France / Germany / the UK?

It can be recognised upon request via your country's NARIC centre. Under the Lisbon Convention — which Kazakhstan has ratified — signatory states are legally obliged to evaluate the degree fairly. Swiss-SASEM provides full documentation support.

Is the degree recognised by the Swiss state?

No. Swiss-SASEM is a private institution. Our degrees are private Swiss qualifications — fully legitimate under Swiss law, but not state-accredited under the HEdA. For most professional roles, employer recognition is what matters.

Can I use the MBA or DBA title professionally?

Yes. For unregulated professions — which includes the vast majority of business and management roles — you may use the MBA or DBA title. For regulated professions, the relevant professional body determines recognition.

What does ARQA accreditation actually mean?

ARQA is an independent quality assurance agency officially recognised by the Republic of Kazakhstan and a full member of ENQA, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. ARQA accreditation means our programmes have been evaluated against international quality standards including the ESG 2015.

How does the NARIC recognition process work?

After graduation, you submit an application to the NARIC centre in your target country with your diploma, transcripts and our institutional documentation. The centre issues an official recognition statement, typically within 4–8 weeks.

Will Swiss-SASEM help me through the recognition process?

Absolutely. We provide every graduate with a complete documentation pack and country-specific guidance. Our team is available to assist throughout the process.

Questions About Recognition?

Our admissions team is happy to discuss your specific country and situation before you apply.

Speak to an Advisor Request Accreditation Pack