Shanghai vocational university receives German accreditation

Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University announced that it has received official accreditation from the German Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute (ACQUIN).

Authorized by the German Accreditation Council, ACQUIN is an international organization dedicated to assessing the quality of higher education. Its accreditation certificates are authoritative not only in the European Union, but also widely recognized internationally. Top German universities accredited by ACQUIN include the University of Munich, the Technical University of Munich, Heidelberg University, the Free University of Berlin and Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen.

This is the first time that a vocational institution in China has received the German higher education accreditation.

Zhongqiao was a privately run vocational institution established in 1993. It became the first vocational school to offer bachelor's degrees in Shanghai in 2019.

The accreditation was granted after an ACQUIN panel with five experts conducted a two-day online peer review visit in March, carrying out a comprehensive examination of the university according to the ACQUIN accreditation criteria, regarding development strategies and objectives, governance, study programs, research, faculty, financial resources, facilities, quality assurance system and internationalization.

Finally, the expert group commended that Zhongqiao has fully fulfilled the accreditation criteria of ACQUIN with student-centered teaching approaches and offerings of applied skills closely linked to the regional economy.

The international accreditation will help Zhongqiao play a more important role in international education and expand its international impact, according to the university.

"Obtaining ACQUIN accreditation is an important achievement and development milestone of the university's internationalization strategy," said Huo Jiazhen, president of the university.

"It is also an important symbol of the university's transformation from a relatively traditional vocational school to a vocational undergraduate university with a global vision and international landscape."

He said one third of Zhongqiao's graduates would continue their study to pursue masters degrees in China, another one third would go abroad for work or study, while the rest would work in China.

Shanghai has been attaching more and more importance on vocational skills and related education as an important option for the career development of young people and an indispensable supporting force for its industrial and economic development.

The city is trying its best to connect its vocational education and training in line with international standards.

Notably, the city will host the WorldSkills Competition in 2026, which is one of the highest-level event for vocational skills. By organizing this international event, China wishes to promote a social atmosphere that respects skills and craftsmanship as well as to enhance skills standards in the country.