Partners of SQA

African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) - Skills and qualifications of the people in Africa are at the heart of African renaissance. Therefore, the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) is a vital policy of the African Union Development. The African Continental Qualifications Framework contributes to transparency of qualifications and trust between African qualifications frameworks. https://acqf.africa/

International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) - A world-wide association of organisations that is active in the theory and practice of quality assurance (QA) in higher education (HE). https://www.inqaahe.org/

Southern African Development Community Qualifications Framework (SADCQF) - It was approved and launched by Ministers responsible for Education and Training, Science, Technology and Innovation to set minimum standards for quality assurance and to facilitate the recognition of qualifications in the SADC region. Seychelles NQF is aligned to that of the SADCQF. https://www.sadc.int/latest-news/sadc-tcca-meets-and-draws-roadmap-implement-sadcqf.

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Education Counseling and Credit Transfer Information Service (Ecctis) - Ecctis is one of the world’s leading providers of services in the recognition and evaluation of qualifications and skills. They offer solutions in the development of national education systems and frameworks for professional and student mobility. https://www.ecctis.com/Default.aspx

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) - An advocate and institutional voice for academic quality through accreditation, CHEA is an association in the United States of America, of degree-granting colleges and universities, it recognizes institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations. CHEA is the only U.S. organization focused exclusively on higher education accreditation and quality assurance. https://www.chea.org/

African Qualifications Verification Network (AQVN) - A body formed in 2016 in response to the challenges faced by many African government entities in respect to the verification of foreign qualifications.

Mauritius Qualifications Authority (MQA) - The Mauritius Qualifications Authority (MQA) was established as a body corporate under the Mauritius Qualifications Authority Act 2001 and falls under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research. The MQA became operational since 08 May 2002 and its main role as a regulatory body is to be the guardian of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). http://www.mqa.mu/English/Pages/default.aspx

South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) - It is the oversight body of the NQF and the custodian of its values and quality character. The role of SAQA, is to advance the objectives of the NQF, oversee the further development and implementation of the NQF, and co-ordinate the Sub-Frameworks. https://www.saqa.org.za/index.php/ 

The Seychelles Qualifications Act

The Seychelles Qualifications Act 2005 was repealed in 2021, and to replace it, a new Act was enacted by the President and the National Assembly. The Seychelles Qualifications Authority now has more responsibilities and more power to implement its functions.
The Act will provide for the development, implementation and maintenance of a national qualifications framework and the quality assurance of education and training.

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Vision, Mission and Values

Functions of SQA

The Seychelles Qualifications Authority (SQA) came into existence in March 2006, following enactment of the Seychelles Qualifications Authority Act in 2005.

The 2005 SQA Act was repealed and a new one was enacted by the President and National Assembly in 2021; it came into operation on 1st May 2022.

The Seychelles Qualifications Authority now has the following functions:

1. recognise, evaluate and register national qualifications and part qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework;
2. generate and register national unit standards and qualifications for occupations and professions and ensure their relevance to social and economic needs;
3. maintain a national database of registered and accredited providers, programmes, qualifications and part qualifications, as prescribed;
4. design, develop and implement a common quality assurance system, and regulate compliance therewith;
5. develop and review quality standards and ensure compliance by providers through a monitoring system;
6. accredit tertiary education and training providers and other providers of post compulsory education and training and monitor that such providers continue to comply with prescribed standards and criteria;
7. accredit programmes and courses of education and training and monitor that such programmes and courses continue to comply with prescribed standards and criteria;
8. conduct inspection of established and registered schools to ensure national education quality and standards are maintained;
9. review the policies and criteria on which the National Qualifications Framework is based;
10. establish policy, criteria and procedures for, and monitor the process of evaluation and recognition of, competencies acquired formally, informally and non-formally through Recognition of Prior Learning;
11. establish policy and criteria for credit accumulation and credit transfer;
12. recognise, evaluate and establish equivalence of foreign qualifications to the levels of the National Qualifications Framework and record the decisions made;
13. develop a policy and criteria for the recognition of foreign programmes leading to the award of qualifications and part qualifications delivered by or through local tertiary education and training providers;
14. develop a policy for recognition by the Authority of any foreign qualification before the qualification bearer may be entitled to enter into an occupation or a profession;
15. promote international recognition of the national qualifications and the international comparability of national qualifications;
16. register tertiary education and training providers and other providers of post compulsory education and training and maintain a register to this effect;
17. establish criteria for classification of providers and for the transitioning from one category of provider to another in accordance with this Act and made hereunder;
18. establish criteria and procedures for the protection of the interests of enrolled learners, which include arrangements for the protection of learners where learners have begun but not completed a programme of education and training where a provider ceases to provide the programme before completion, or ceases to operate;
19. establish standards and criteria for teachers and lecturers of providers to deliver programmes and courses to ensure learners are protected;
20. provide a national advisory service on foreign qualifications and foreign providers of education and training;
21. collaborate with international counterparts on all matters of mutual interest concerning national qualifications frameworks;
22. advise the Minister on matters relating to the functions of the Authority and perform any function consistent with this Act that the Minister may, by regulations, determine;
23. do all such things and perform all such functions as may be necessary or conducive for the achievement of the purposes of this Act.

Find out more on how the Units of SQA are interlinked  The interconnectivity of Units in the Seychelles Qualifications Authority.