About us
Mission and Vision
Our Mission:
To provide rigorous, internationally aligned accreditation that strengthens trust in
education and supports continuous improvement.
To provide rigorous, internationally aligned accreditation that strengthens trust in
education and supports continuous improvement.
Our Vision:
To be the Mediterranean’s leading international reference for trustworthy, forward-
looking accreditation—empowering institutions, learners and societies worldwide
through quality, transparency and continuous educational improvement.
To be the Mediterranean’s leading international reference for trustworthy, forward-
looking accreditation—empowering institutions, learners and societies worldwide
through quality, transparency and continuous educational improvement.
Core Values
- Integrity & Independence – We take evidence-based decisions, free from political, institutional or commercial influence.
- Excellence & Rigor – We apply demanding, internationally aligned standards to ensure genuine educational quality.
- Transparency & Accountability – Our criteria, procedures and decisions are clear, documented and openly communicated.
- Partnership & Constructive Dialogue – We work with institutions as supportive external partners focused on improvement.
- Learner-Centred Impact – We prioritise student success, employability, inclusion and meaningful learning outcomes.
- Inclusiveness & Diversity – We respect different contexts and cultures, promoting equity and stakeholder participation.
- Sustainability & Social Responsibility – We value programmes that integrate ethics, sustainability and societal benefit.
- Innovation & Responsiveness – We adapt our approaches to new trends, supporting innovation while ensuring reliability.
Main Activities
The Mediterranean Council for Quality and Accreditation (MCQA) is an independent quality
assurance body dedicated to enhancing the credibility, transparency, and international
recognition of education.
Working with higher education institutions, educational centres, and professional bodies,
MCQA designs and implements robust accreditation and evaluation procedures for study
programmes and micro-credentials. Our work is grounded in internationally recognised
standards, guidelines, and best practices, ensuring that our decisions are fair, transparent, and
globally comparable.
Based in and inspired by the Mediterranean region, MCQA operates with a global outlook,
supporting institutions that seek to position themselves in an increasingly competitive and
interconnected educational landscape.
Our accreditation services are designed for higher education institutions, educational centres and professional bodies, covering both full study programmes and flexible learning pathways such as micro-credentials and continuing professional development.
assurance body dedicated to enhancing the credibility, transparency, and international
recognition of education.
Working with higher education institutions, educational centres, and professional bodies,
MCQA designs and implements robust accreditation and evaluation procedures for study
programmes and micro-credentials. Our work is grounded in internationally recognised
standards, guidelines, and best practices, ensuring that our decisions are fair, transparent, and
globally comparable.
Based in and inspired by the Mediterranean region, MCQA operates with a global outlook,
supporting institutions that seek to position themselves in an increasingly competitive and
interconnected educational landscape.
Our accreditation services are designed for higher education institutions, educational centres and professional bodies, covering both full study programmes and flexible learning pathways such as micro-credentials and continuing professional development.
Regulations and Legal Standing
The Mediterranean Council for Quality and Accreditation (MCQA) operates within the legal and regulatory framework of the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union, as an independent external quality assurance body specialising in international programme accreditation.
MCQA’s activities are fully compatible with national and European provisions governing higher education and quality assurance. In Cyprus and in every country where it operates, MCQA respects the exclusive responsibilities of national authorities and designated quality assurance agencies for licensing institutions and granting official national recognition to programmes and qualifications.
Within this framework, MCQA is legally entitled to:
MCQA’s activities are fully compatible with national and European provisions governing higher education and quality assurance. In Cyprus and in every country where it operates, MCQA respects the exclusive responsibilities of national authorities and designated quality assurance agencies for licensing institutions and granting official national recognition to programmes and qualifications.
Within this framework, MCQA is legally entitled to:
- Offer independent, voluntary international accreditation of higher education programmes, micro-credentials and continuing education offerings;
- Work with universities, colleges, educational centres and professional bodies in Cyprus, across the Mediterranean and globally;
- Provide external evaluation, benchmarking and quality labels that complement, but do not replace, the procedures and decisions of national regulatory bodies.
- International and independent – awarded by an external body that is not tied to any single national system;
- Voluntary and complementary – it adds value and visibility to programmes and institutions, while official recognition continues to depend on national authorities (in Cyprus – the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA) – the competent national authority for QA and accreditation of higher education)
- Transparent and standards-based – grounded in internationally recognised guidelines and good practice for external quality assurance.
What We Do
1. Programme Accreditation
We accredit bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes, ensuring that they meet clearly defined academic and professional international standards, respond to societal and labour market needs, and provide meaningful learning outcomes for students.
2. Micro-Credential and Lifelong Learning Evaluation
MCQA evaluates micro-credentials, short courses, and continuing professional development offerings, supporting flexible learning pathways and lifelong learning in line with emerging international frameworks.
3. External Quality Assurance Reviews
MCQA conducts external evaluations of internal quality assurance systems, benchmarking institutional practices against internationally recognised guidelines and supporting governance, management, and academic leadership.
4. Advisory and Capacity-Building Services
Beyond formal accreditation, MCQA provides tailored advisory services, workshops, and training for academic and administrative staff. We help institutions design or refine quality assurance processes, learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and improvement plans.
5. Regional and Global Engagement
MCQA actively engages with regional and international networks, contributing to policy dialogue and good practice exchange in quality assurance and accreditation, and promoting the visibility of Mediterranean institutions worldwide.
We accredit bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes, ensuring that they meet clearly defined academic and professional international standards, respond to societal and labour market needs, and provide meaningful learning outcomes for students.
2. Micro-Credential and Lifelong Learning Evaluation
MCQA evaluates micro-credentials, short courses, and continuing professional development offerings, supporting flexible learning pathways and lifelong learning in line with emerging international frameworks.
3. External Quality Assurance Reviews
MCQA conducts external evaluations of internal quality assurance systems, benchmarking institutional practices against internationally recognised guidelines and supporting governance, management, and academic leadership.
4. Advisory and Capacity-Building Services
Beyond formal accreditation, MCQA provides tailored advisory services, workshops, and training for academic and administrative staff. We help institutions design or refine quality assurance processes, learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and improvement plans.
5. Regional and Global Engagement
MCQA actively engages with regional and international networks, contributing to policy dialogue and good practice exchange in quality assurance and accreditation, and promoting the visibility of Mediterranean institutions worldwide.