External quality assurance entity (EQAE)

In the context of the IQS, an external quality assurance entity is an institution that has been entrusted by an authorised minister with the function of providing external quality assurance to an awarding body. The EQAE supports awarding bodies in properly performing the processes of validating and awarding qualifications. It continuously monitors the activities of the awarding body and performs periodic external evaluations of these activities.

The authorised minister may entrust the function of external quality assurance of regulated qualifications to an entity from the list of EQAE or another entity of his/her choice.
The authorised minister enters into a contractual agreement with an entity selected from the EQAE list to have it perform external quality assurance activities for an awarding body.