IUS has been awarded the International Institutional Accreditation Certificate by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC/YÖKAK) — a historic first for any university outside Türkiye.
The International University of Sarajevo (IUS) has been awarded the International Institutional Accreditation Certificate by the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC/YÖKAK) for a period of five years, having successfully demonstrated compliance with the International Institutional Accreditation Program 2025.
The certificate was officially presented by Prof. Dr. Ümit Kocabıçak, President of THEQC/YÖKAK, to Prof. Dr. Sevgi Kurtulmuş, President of the IUS Board of Trustees. With this achievement, IUS has become the first university outside of Türkiye to receive this prestigious accreditation, marking a historic milestone.
This recognition stands as a testament to the University’s continuous commitment to quality assurance, institutional development, and internationally recognized standards in higher education.
— IUS Institutional Statement, 2025
The accreditation confirms that IUS operates in accordance with internationally recognized standards across key areas, including teaching and learning, research, governance, student support, quality assurance, and institutional effectiveness.
Prof. Dr. Sevgi Kurtulmuş, President of the IUS Board of Trustees, receiving the 5-year International Institutional Accreditation Certificate on behalf of the University.
Three interconnected bodies form the foundation of IUS’s international accreditation — each reinforcing the credibility of the others.
Turkish Higher Education Quality Council
The national quality assurance agency of Türkiye, responsible for accrediting higher education institutions. YÖKAK’s International Institutional Accreditation Program evaluates universities outside Türkiye against rigorous standards of academic quality, governance, and student support.
yokak.gov.trEuropean Quality Assurance Register
EQAR is the official register of quality assurance agencies operating in the European Higher Education Area. YÖKAK is registered with EQAR, meaning its decisions are included in DEQAR — the Database of External Quality Assurance Results. This gives IUS’s accreditation European-level recognition and visibility.
eqar.euStandards and Guidelines for QA in the EHEA
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) set the benchmark for quality assurance across Europe. YÖKAK operates in full alignment with the ESG, meaning IUS’s accreditation reflects compliance with these pan-European principles.
Download ESG 2015The accreditation process covered all major dimensions of institutional quality — confirming IUS meets rigorous international benchmarks in each area.
Curriculum design, learning outcomes, student-centred teaching methods, and assessment practices across all programs.
Research output, academic integrity, research environment, and integration of research into educational activities.
Institutional management, transparency, decision-making processes, and strategic planning capacity.
Guidance, counselling, career services, and academic support systems available to all IUS students.
Internal QA mechanisms, self-evaluation processes, and continuous improvement systems across all units.
Alignment of resources with mission, stakeholder engagement, and overall institutional performance and impact.
Six strategic advantages that follow from being externally quality-assured by an EQAR-registered agency operating in line with the European Standards and Guidelines.
IUS accreditation is validated against European quality criteria — not only national standards. THEQC/YÖKAK is part of the European framework (ENQA), and EQAR’s strict registration process protects students from “accreditation mills,” ensuring IUS degrees are recognized across Europe and internationally by employers and universities.
IUS is listed in DEQAR, the Database of External Quality Assurance Results managed by EQAR. This central EHEA record helps recognition centres (ENIC-NARIC), embassies, and foreign universities verify that IUS meets the same ESG quality guidelines as a university in Germany or France — supporting recognition under the Lisbon Convention.
IUS degrees use ECTS credits and a Diploma Supplement, making credit hours instantly comparable across the EHEA. Students can transfer credits between institutions more smoothly when both belong to EQAR-listed quality-assured systems, and IUS qualifications are easier to have recognized abroad for further study and employment.
While automatic legal recognition remains a national matter, DEQAR listing creates a powerful “fast track” for academic and professional purposes — reducing the delays and “substantial difference” claims that often block recognition. Several European countries are moving toward automatic recognition for EQAR-reviewed institutions.
For students studying outside their home country, EQAR-listed accreditation provides assurance that their qualification will be accepted for academic and professional purposes back home. Major international employers use the EQAR list to distinguish legitimate degrees from “degree mills,” and it is a prerequisite for many regulated professions such as healthcare.
EQAR-linked QA strengthens Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) credibility, joint programmes, and automatic recognition of credits — reducing repeated accreditation checks. For Horizon Europe proposals it demonstrates institutional credibility, governance quality, and compliance with open-science and ethics expectations.
The achievement resulted from an extensive and demanding process involving the entire IUS community.
Thorough internal preparation and self-assessment across all academic and administrative units of the University, documenting compliance with YÖKAK standards.
An expert team from THEQC conducted a four-day on-site evaluation at IUS, reviewing governance, education, research, administrative processes, and facilities in line with international quality assurance standards.
Based on the peer review findings, YÖKAK’s committee formally confirmed IUS’s compliance with the International Institutional Accreditation Program 2025 standards.
Prof. Dr. Ümit Kocabıçak, President of THEQC/YÖKAK, officially presented the 5-year certificate to Prof. Dr. Sevgi Kurtulmuş, President of the IUS Board of Trustees — a historic first outside Türkiye.
Contact the IUS Quality Assurance Office for full documentation, DEQAR records, and student recognition inquiries.
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