An Independent Accreditation Agency, Based in Stockholm
The Swedish Accreditation Center reviews higher education institutions and programmes with trained independent assessors and a separate decision committee, bringing a Nordic approach to quality assurance to institutions around the world.
Supporting Quality in Education Worldwide
SAC was founded on the principle that students everywhere deserve an education that meets clear, transparent quality benchmarks, and that institutions deserve an evaluation that is rigorous, fair and focused on improvement.
Our approach draws on the Swedish quality-assurance tradition: evidence-based, independent and transparent. We publish our process and our quality domains, we explain how each decision is made, and we give institutions a route to appeal.
SAC is a new accreditor, founded in 2026. We are opening with Higher Education, with K-12 and vocational frameworks to follow once their standards are approved. Our accreditation process steps and higher education accreditation standards are public.
Founded
2026
Headquarters
Stockholm, Sweden
Approach
Swedish quality-assurance tradition
Data Hosting
the European Union / EEA
Accreditation Cycle
4 years + annual monitoring
Launch Scope
Higher Education
How SAC Separates Assessment From Decisions
The people who examine your evidence are not the people who decide the outcome. That separation is the core of how we protect the fairness of every accreditation decision.
| Role | What it does |
|---|---|
| Applicant institution | Completes the structured self-evaluation, submits evidence and names a focal contact point for the process. |
| Assessor panel | Three independent, trained assessors (up to five for complex cases) review the file. Each scores every domain independently with a written comment, and the panel then agrees a documented consensus and recommends an outcome. |
| Accreditation Decision Committee | A separate body that decides the outcome on the assessors' recommendation: Accredited, Conditionally Accredited or Not Accredited. |
| Appeals panel | An independent panel with no overlap with the original assessors or the committee. It hears appeals and can uphold, modify or overturn a decision, or return it for a fresh review. |
Impartiality and conflicts of interest
Assessors and decision-makers must declare any personal, financial or professional relationship that could affect, or appear to affect, an impartial judgement. Assessors score independently before they compare views, so no one is anchored by another reviewer's number, and where assessors materially disagree the result is not a simple average: the panel records the reasoning behind its final recommendation.
Actions in the platform are recorded in an immutable audit log, which preserves the integrity of the decision trail.
Appeals
An institution that disagrees with a decision may appeal within 30 days. The appeal is heard by an independent panel whose members have no overlap with the original assessors or committee and who also declare conflicts of interest. The panel can uphold the decision, modify it, overturn it, or return the case for a fresh review.
Questions about how a decision was reached are welcome at any time: contact the Swedish Accreditation Center.
The Principles We Work By
Five commitments shape how SAC designs its process, trains its assessors and makes its decisions.
- Independence
- We review institutions from outside. Assessors are independent of the institution they review, and decisions are made by a separate committee.
- Evidence
- Judgements rest on evidence that policies are applied in practice, tested through documents, data, interviews and a site visit.
- Fairness
- The same published quality domains and scoring approach apply to every applicant, whatever its size, age or location.
- Transparency
- The process, the domains and the possible outcomes are published, and you receive written reasons for the result.
- Improvement
- Accreditation is meant to help institutions get better, so findings come with recommendations and annual monitoring.
Who SAC works with
SAC accepts applications from higher education institutions in any country, and supports applicants with regional representation covering the GCC and the wider Middle East. We are opening with Higher Education; the K-12 and Vocational & Technical frameworks will follow once their standards are approved. If you are unsure whether your institution is eligible, read the university accreditation requirements or ask us directly.
What You Can Expect From Us
- A published process. Seven steps from eligibility to certificate, with indicative timings and a 3–6 months target. See the full process.
- Published quality domains. Eight Higher Education domains, so you know what you are being assessed against before you apply.
- Written reasons. A written report with domain-by-domain findings and recommendations, whatever the outcome.
- Ongoing support. Annual monitoring is a proportionate progress review, and improvement recommendations help institutions keep improving after accreditation.
- Straight answers. Read our accreditation FAQ for how impartiality, timelines, outcomes and appeals work in practice.
The People Behind SAC
Assessments are carried out by independent, trained assessors with sector and regional expertise.
Regional Manager — GCC & Middle East
Supports institutions in the region.
Organisation details
Swedish Accreditation Center
Registered in Sweden · Org. nr 802555-9975
Stockholm, Sweden · info@sac-sweden.com
Learn about accreditation
What is accreditation in higher education?
A plain-language definition, why it matters and how a review works.
Read moreThe seven accreditation process steps
From eligibility to certificate, with indicative timings.
Read moreHigher education accreditation standards
The eight quality domains and how assessors score them.
Read moreAccreditation FAQ
Impartiality, the review itself, timelines, outcomes and appeals.
Read moreUniversity accreditation requirements
Eligibility rules and the evidence an application usually needs.
Read moreContact the Swedish Accreditation Center
Ask about eligibility, scope or the application process.
Read more