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Policy Version & Review Schedule

Policy Version: v1.0

Effective Date: 2020/06/01

Last Reviewed: 2025/01/15

CEQA updates its policies annually (typically every January) or sooner where required by law, risk, or best practice.

Institutions are notified at least 30 days in advance of major revisions.
The most current version of this framework will always be available on the CEQA website.

1. Scope & Limitations of CEQA Accreditation

(Canonical legal & transparency statement)

1.1 Status of CEQA

CEQA is an independent, international private-sector accreditation authority. CEQA is not:

a national qualifications authority,
a government regulator,
a degree-awarding council, or
a statutory licensing body in any country.

CEQA operates within the global private education sector, accrediting:

professional training providers,
skills and vocational programmes,
short courses and CPD providers,
private academies and colleges,
online and blended-learning providers, and
non-formal and alternative education institutions.

1.2 What CEQA Accreditation Means

CEQA accreditation:

confirms that, at the time of review, an institution or programme meets CEQA’s private-sector quality standards;
validates the legitimacy, governance, and quality systems of the provider;
confirms the accuracy and fairness of key marketing claims relating to CEQA-accredited programmes;
enables inclusion in the CEQA Global Registry (subject to compliance);
provides third-party quality assurance validation recognised in the global private education landscape.

1.3 What CEQA Accreditation Does NOT Mean

CEQA accreditation does not:

guarantee government recognition, statutory licensing, or national qualification status;
automatically make a programme equivalent to a state-recognised diploma or degree;
grant any legal authority to issue degrees or protected titles;
guarantee employment outcomes, salary levels, or visa approval;
guarantee international portability or acceptance of qualifications by third parties.

Decisions regarding recognition, equivalence, visas, and professional registration are made solely by the relevant governments, employers, professional bodies, and evaluators.

1.4 Required Institutional Disclosure

All CEQA-accredited institutions MUST display the following disclaimer (or agreed equivalent) on their websites and key promotional materials for CEQA-accredited programmes:

“CEQA accreditation is a private-sector quality assurance designation.”

Failure to disclose this clearly is treated as a non-compliance breach.

2. Governance & Accountability Framework

CEQA requires accredited institutions to maintain robust, transparent governance.

2.1 Governance Structure Requirements

Each institution must maintain:

a formally appointed governing body or board;
documented lines of authority and responsibility;
clear decision-making protocols;
defined quality oversight responsibilities;
evidence of the qualifications and suitability of directors and key executives.

Mandatory evidence includes, where applicable:

organisational chart;
governance policy or charter;
director CVs and identity documents;
conflict-of-interest declarations;
board or governance meeting minutes.

2.2 Director Responsibilities

Directors and owners accept responsibility for:

ethical conduct and integrity of the institution;
full compliance with CEQA standards and policies;
accuracy and completeness of information submitted to CEQA;
quality and safety of the learner experience;
financial transparency regarding tuition, fees, refunds, and disclosures.

Failure to uphold these obligations may result in:

institutional sanctions, including suspension or revocation;
personal barring from involvement in CEQA-accredited institutions for up to 5 years;
reporting to relevant regulatory or enforcement bodies where warranted.

3. Ethical Standards & Integrity Policy

CEQA operates under a zero-tolerance approach to unethical conduct.

3.1 Core Ethical Requirements

Accredited institutions must:

operate honestly, professionally, and transparently;
provide accurate and non-misleading information about programmes;
ensure staff behaviour upholds professional and ethical norms;
avoid discrimination, harassment, victimisation, or abuse;
protect learner dignity, welfare, and rights;
avoid coercive or manipulative sales and recruitment practices.

3.2 Prohibited Conduct

The following behaviours are strictly prohibited:

selling certificates without genuine training and assessment;
offering “guaranteed pass” or “no-fail” assurances;
misrepresenting programme difficulty, duration, or workload;
predatory recruitment practices targeting vulnerable groups;
manufacturing fake testimonials or reviews;
making false claims of government recognition or statutory status;
using CEQA branding on non-accredited programmes.

3.3 Sanction Levels

Minor breach – incorrect wording, isolated lapses
Action: Written warning + mandatory corrective action plan.
Moderate breach – repeated issues, moderate ethical concern
Action: Suspension of accreditation until compliance is restored.
Severe breach – deliberate deception, serious harm, or fraud
Action: Immediate revocation, registry removal, bar on reapplication for a set period.

4. Quality Assurance, Audit & Monitoring Policy

CEQA uses risk-based, multi-level oversight to ensure ongoing quality.

4.1 Initial Accreditation Audit (IAA)

All new applicants undergo an Initial Accreditation Audit, which may include:

policy and governance review;
programme content and curriculum analysis;
trainer qualification and experience validation;
marketing and website transparency review;
verification of institutional identity and governance;
evaluation of delivery model(s): online, onsite, blended.

4.2 Annual Quality Review (AQR)

Every 12 months CEQA conducts an AQR, requiring institutions to submit evidence of:

updated institutional policies and procedures;
programme and curriculum updates;
trainer qualification renewals and CPD evidence;
learner complaints log and resolutions;
completion rates and key learning outcomes;
marketing and advertising materials (website, social media, ads);
basic financial transparency related to learner fees;
updated risk assessment for the next cycle.

4.3 Five-Year Comprehensive Audit

Every accredited institution undergoes a full comprehensive audit at least once every 60 months, which may involve:

in-depth review of assessment systems and sampling of marked work;
moderation and standardisation evidence;
review of learner support and advising systems;
data protection and information governance compliance;
relevance and currency of programmes;
staff development and CPD frameworks;
optional random learner interviews;
remote or onsite audit observations.

4.4 Triggered Investigations

CEQA may initiate unannounced or special investigations when:

serious complaints or whistleblower reports arise;
there is a sudden surge of certificates;
suspicious marketing practices are detected;
evidence suggests unqualified trainers or unsound assessments;
regulatory alerts or third-party warnings are received.

5. Programme Integrity, Assessment & Moderation Policy

5.1 Curriculum Standards

All CEQA-accredited programmes must demonstrate:

clear, measurable learning outcomes;
defined assessment criteria;
an appropriate balance of theoretical and practical components (where relevant);
clear work-relevance or skills relevance;
a structured sequence of modules or units;
transparent guided learning hours and expected learner workload.

5.2 Assessment Requirements

Assessment must be:

fair and free from bias;
valid and reliably linked to learning outcomes;
clearly documented and communicated to learners;
adequately recorded and retained;
subjected to regular moderation and review.

Acceptable assessment forms may include written exams, practical tasks, case studies, portfolios, viva/oral assessments and written assignments.

5.3 Moderation

Institutions must maintain:

a documented internal moderation policy;
evidence of regular moderation of assessments;
retained sample submissions and scripts;
trainer-to-trainer standardisation exercises.

Moderation is a non-negotiable requirement for CEQA accreditation.

6. Trainer, Assessor & Staff Competency Policy

6.1 Trainer Requirements

Trainers must have:

a qualification relevant to the subject area, OR
at least 3 years of proven industry experience in the field, OR
recognised RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) accepted by CEQA in exceptional cases.

6.2 Assessor Requirements

Assessors must be able to:

evaluate learning outcomes fairly and consistently;
apply assessment criteria correctly;
demonstrate subject competence;
maintain appropriate records of assessment decisions.

6.3 Mandatory Staff Records

Institutions must submit or retain:

CVs and qualifications of trainers and assessors;
ID verification for key personnel;
experience summaries;
CPD logs (if applicable);
contracts or appointment letters.

7. Learner Protection, Support & Welfare Policy

CEQA places learner protection at the centre of its framework.

7.1 Mandatory Learner Protection Systems

Institutions must have:

a transparent refund policy;
a clear written complaints procedure;
student contracts or enrolment terms;
appropriate data protection safeguards;
non-discriminatory policies and fair treatment;
academic support for struggling or at-risk learners.

7.3 Misconduct & Harassment

Institutions must maintain:

anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies;
non-discrimination and equal-opportunity policies;
accessibility and reasonable accommodation arrangements where feasible.

7.2 Required Pre-Enrolment Disclosures

Before enrolment, learners must receive:

a course information sheet with content and structure;
learning hours and expected workload;
assessment requirements and methods;
delivery model (online, blended, onsite);
fees (including all applicable charges);
refund terms and conditions;
the CEQA accreditation tier, where applicable;
realistic statements about outcomes and career relevance, without false promises.

8. Marketing, Advertising & Public Communications Policy

CEQA enforces strict transparency rules in marketing.

8.1 Mandatory Marketing Transparency

All marketing and public information must:

accurately describe course content, duration, and level;
correctly state the applicable CEQA tier;
be honest about recognition, portability, and limitations;
avoid any illegal or protected titles (e.g. “university” where regulated).

8.2 Prohibited Claims

Institutions may not claim:

“CEQA is a government-authorised accreditor”;
“CEQA automatically gives national qualification status”;
“Guaranteed job”, “Guaranteed visa”, or similar promises;
“Internationally recognised degree-level certification” where not legally recognised as such;
“Accredited by CEQA for life” or any implication of perpetual accreditation.

Breaches may result in suspension of use of the CEQA seal, mandatory corrections, registry annotations, and further sanctions including revocation.

9. Certificate Issuance, Security & Verification Policy

9.1 Certificate Requirements

Every certificate issued under a CEQA-accredited programme should include:

CEQA logo and applicable tier;
a clear accreditation validity statement;
a unique CEQA reference or verification code;
programme and institution names;
learner name;
completion date;
reference to CEQA verification methods (registry or email);
QR code (optional where systems allow).

9.2 Certificate Status

Certificates may hold the following statuses:

Active – within current accreditation period;
Expired – programme or institutional accreditation has lapsed;
Suspended – under investigation;
Revoked – confirmed misconduct or fraudulent issuance.

9.3 Verification & 9.4 Fraud Protocol

Verification may be performed via:

the CEQA Registry;
official CEQA email verification;
QR-based verification (where implemented).

If an institution issues:

certificates without proper training,
certificates for non-accredited programmes misrepresented as accredited,
altered or forged CEQA certificates,

CEQA will suspend accreditation, launch an investigation, notify affected learners where feasible, revoke fraudulent certificates, record findings publicly, and may bar the institution from reapplying for up to 7 years (or permanently in severe cases).

10. Data Protection & Information Governance Policy

Aligned with GDPR principles, OECD fair information principles, and high-level ISO/IEC 27001 information security concepts.

10.1 Data Retention

CEQA typically retains:

institutional data: 7 years;
audit and assessment data: 3 years;
complaint data: 5 years;
trainer qualification records: active cycle + 3 years.

10.3 Data Sharing

Data is shared only for verification, legal or regulatory compliance, fraud investigation, and quality assurance audits. CEQA does not use institutional or learner data for marketing purposes.

10.2 Data Security Measures

CEQA employs:

appropriate encryption and secure storage;
access logs and audit trails;
data minimisation;
secure cloud infrastructure;
restricted access based on role.

11. Complaints, Appeals & Tribunal Policy

11.1 Complaints Handling

Complaints from learners, institutions, or third parties are handled by CEQA’s Compliance Unit.

Acknowledgement of receipt: within 14 business days.
Investigation timeframe (standard cases): within 60 days, subject to complexity.
Corrective actions or decisions: typically within 30 days following investigation.

Complaints may be submitted via the official CEQA Complaints Form (where available) or by email to: enquiries@ceqa-international.org.

11.2 Appeals Criteria & 11.3 Appeals Tribunal

Institutions may appeal refusal, suspension, revocation, audit findings, or material compliance directives.

Learners may appeal in limited circumstances relating to how CEQA has handled a complaint or verification. CEQA does not currently charge an appeals fee; if this changes it will be published.

Appeals are reviewed by a 3-member independent tribunal which may confirm, vary, or overturn decisions, impose conditions, or refer matters back for investigation. Tribunal outcomes are final within CEQA processes (without prejudice to any legal rights in the institution’s home jurisdiction).

12. Risk Management & Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Policy

12.1 Risk Categories & 12.2 Risk Scoring

CEQA assigns institutions an internal risk rating: Low, Medium, High, or Critical Risk.

Risk is calculated across multiple factors including complaints, staff turnover, assessment irregularities, marketing accuracy, learner feedback, governance robustness, financial stability (high level), delivery changes, trainer capacity, evidence quality, prior sanctions, audit results, completion rates, responsiveness to CEQA, and data protection performance.

12.3 Risk-Based Audit Scheduling

Low Risk: standard annual review.
Medium Risk: additional document sampling.
High Risk: extra audit (at least once every 12 months).
Critical Risk: immediate triggered investigation.

12.4 CQI Requirements

Institutions must implement a CQI framework including:

an annual quality improvement plan;
a staff development and CPD plan;
curriculum enhancement plans;
learner support improvement measures;
internal monitoring mechanisms.

Evidence may include end-of-year quality reports, learner feedback analysis, assessment reviews, trainer CPD logs, and documented curriculum review decisions.

12.5 Automatic Critical Risk Flags

Certain events automatically place an institution in the “Critical Risk” category and trigger immediate investigation, including:

identity fraud relating to the institution, its owners, or directors;
issuing fake, altered, or forged certificates;
use of the CEQA seal or logo on non-accredited programmes;
verified cases of harassment, abuse, or serious learner mistreatment;
systematically misleading or deceptive advertising and recruitment practices;
refusal to cooperate with audits, investigations, or verification requests;
persistent non-response to CEQA communications.

Critical Risk status leads to enhanced monitoring, immediate review of accreditation status, and may result in suspension or revocation.

13. Programme Variation & Change Control Policy

13.1 Mandatory Notification

Institutions MUST notify CEQA within 10 business days of any material change affecting CEQA-accredited programmes, including:

curriculum or learning outcome changes;
adjustments to learning hours or workload;
changes in assessment methods;
significant shifts in delivery model;
major trainer/assessor changes;
programme title changes;
module additions or removals.

13.2 Changes Requiring Approval & 13.3 Evidence

CEQA approval is required for changes that alter intended outcomes, significantly reduce content or level, change perceived qualification standing, or may mislead learners or third parties.

Institutions must submit updated syllabi, revised assessments, updated trainer profiles, and a rationale/impact analysis. CEQA may deny or condition changes where quality or integrity would be compromised.

14. Institutional Closure & Teach-Out Policy

14.1 Mandatory Closure Notification

Institutions must notify CEQA at least 30 days in advance of permanent closure, significant suspension of operations, sale or transfer of the institution, or loss of core facilities/teaching platforms.

14.3 Record Retention & Transfer

Closing institutions must provide CEQA with learner transcripts, assessment records, certificate logs, trainer records, and attendance records (where applicable) for verification and learner-support purposes.

14.2 Teach-Out Obligations

Closing institutions must:

complete all active programmes where feasible; OR
arrange equivalent teach-out at another suitable provider; OR
refund affected learners in line with contractual and legal obligations.

14.4 Post-Closure Verification

CEQA may continue to verify certificates issued prior to closure for the remaining accreditation period or longer at its discretion. Failure to cooperate may result in public fraud notices, bans, and legal reporting.

15. Conflict of Interest & Independence Policy

15.1 CEQA Independence

CEQA:

does not offer training or assessments for institutions it accredits;
does not design curricula for accredited programmes;
does not enter into financial or commission-based partnerships that compromise impartiality;
does not accept incentives contingent on accreditation outcomes.

15.2 Institutional & 15.3 CEQA Staff Conflicts

Institutions must disclose ownership and conflict relationships; CEQA staff and advisors must declare conflicts, avoid assessing connected institutions, and disclose gifts or benefits.

Serious violations may result in disciplinary action, dismissal, and invalidation of affected decisions.

16. External Review & Advisory Oversight

CEQA is committed to accountability and external scrutiny.

CEQA is subject to periodic external quality review by independent QA consultants and experts.
An International Advisory Board provides non-executive oversight and guidance on standards, ethics, and risk.

17. Document Authenticity & Verification Protocol

17.1 Document Types & 17.3 Formats

CEQA reserves the right to verify all documents submitted, including registration, identity, qualifications, transcripts, curricula, assessment samples, marketing claims, and certificate templates.

Preferred formats include certified PDFs, signed statements on letterhead, notarised documents where required, and high-quality scans. CEQA may refuse editable, low-quality, anonymous, or unverifiable documents.

17.2 Verification Methods

Methods may include:

cross-checks with government or professional registers;
verification with issuing bodies;
digital authenticity checks and metadata analysis;
IP/location checks;
random sampling and spot checks.

18. CEQA Brand & Trademark Usage Policy

18.1 CEQA Seal Usage

Institutions may:

display the CEQA seal only on approved, accredited programmes;
use only approved logo and seal versions;
reference CEQA where claims are accurate and accompanied by required disclaimers.

18.2 Prohibited Use & 18.3 Disclaimer

Institutions may not modify or misuse CEQA branding, use it on non-accredited programmes, imply government endorsement, or place the seal next to untrue degree/university claims.

Any marketing using the CEQA seal must include wording equivalent to:
“This programme is accredited by CEQA, a private-sector quality assurance body.”

Misuse may result in takedown requests, registry flags, suspension or revocation, and legal IP enforcement.

Non-Compliance & Penalty Structure

CEQA applies a graduated penalty model to protect learners and system integrity.

Level 1 – Minor Non-Compliance

Examples: isolated incorrect wording, minor policy gaps, admin delays.

Action: written warning, corrective action plan, enhanced monitoring.

Level 2 – Moderate Non-Compliance

Examples: repeated documentation issues, inconsistent assessments, failure to implement corrective actions.

Action: temporary suspension of some/all programmes, time-bound CAP, follow-up audit at institution cost.

Level 3 – Serious Non-Compliance

Examples: systemic delivery failures, significant misrepresentation, invalid assessments affecting many learners.

Action: immediate suspension, formal investigation, possible revocation.

Level 4 – Critical Misconduct

Examples: large-scale fraud, certificates without training, serious learner-rights violations, refusal to cooperate.

Action: immediate revocation, long-term/ permanent ban, public notice, referral to regulators or authorities.

19. Sanctions Publication & Transparency Rules

19.1 Public Registry Transparency

CEQA may publish on its Registry:

warnings and probation statuses;
suspended institutions;
revoked institutions;
fraud findings and corrective action notes.

19.2 Sanction Categories

Sanctions may be labelled as “Warning Issued”, “On Probation”, “Suspended – Under Investigation”, “Revoked – Quality Breach”, or “Revoked – Fraudulent Activity”.

19.3 Public Notifications & Right of Reply

Major sanctions trigger a registry update with explanation and conditions for reinstatement.

Institutions may request a formal response to be published alongside the sanction record, subject to CEQA approval and space.

Institutional Reinstatement Policy

Suspended Institutions

Reinstatement after suspension is not automatic. Suspended institutions must:

submit a formal reinstatement request;
provide evidence of all corrective measures;
undergo a reinstatement audit or targeted review;
pay any applicable reinstatement or re-audit fees.

Revoked Institutions

Institutions whose accreditation has been revoked may, if permitted, reapply only after the exclusion period.

They must demonstrate complete restructuring of prior issues.
Provide evidence of new governance, policies, and systems.
Undergo a full or near-full accreditation process as a new applicant.

CEQA may decline reinstatement where trust cannot be restored and may impose conditions, probation, or enhanced monitoring on any reinstated institution.

20. Mandatory Notification Policy

Institutions MUST notify CEQA within 10 business days of:

changes in directors or ownership;
key trainer/assessor staffing changes;
material programme or curriculum changes;
delivery model changes (e.g. campus closure, switch to online only);
known or suspected misuse of CEQA accreditation;
significant legal or regulatory actions affecting operations.

Non-notification is treated as a separate non-compliance breach.

21. Policy Acceptance

By applying for, obtaining, or maintaining CEQA accreditation at any tier (2–5), institutions:

acknowledge that they have read and understood this Policies & Compliance Framework;
agree to comply with all current and future policy updates;
accept CEQA’s audit, monitoring, and enforcement powers;
understand that failure to comply may result in warnings, suspension, revocation, public listing, and/or referral to relevant authorities.

CEQA Policies & Compliance Framework

Applies To

Note on Tier 1