Longford International College

a. Private Institutions in Switzerland

• Switzerland has no legal restriction preventing private institutions from designing and offering educational programmes and self-declaring ECTS values based on the Bologna Process framework (i.e., 60 ECTS = 1 full-time academic year = 1500–1800 hours).

• Rushford Business School, operating under Swiss private law, uses the ECTS system as a framework, rather than as part of an officially state-accredited qualification.

• The ECTS in this context is indicative, not state-validated. It reflects an alignment with the volume of learning and workload standards set by the Bologna Process, but not necessarily with the quality assurance and formal recognition mechanisms of the Swiss federal education system.

In short: Rushford assigns ECTS based on self-regulation, not through national or European academic accreditation.

b. The Swiss Legal and Accreditation Context

• In Switzerland, official higher education institutions (Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences) are accredited and quality assured by the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) under the authority of the Federal Higher Education Act (HEdA).

• Rushford is not listed among the federally accredited institutions nor under nqf.ch-HS (the Swiss National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education).

• Instead, Rushford operates as a private, non-accredited entity with eduQua certification—which is only a quality label, not academic accreditation.Description text goes here

DRushford follows the ECTS workload calculation model (commonly used across Europe), whereby:

• 1 ECTS = 25–30 hours of student workload (including lectures, self-study, assessments).

• They build modular curricula that mirror those used in state-recognised programmes (e.g., MBA = 60 ECTS; DBA = 180 ECTS).

• This is legally permissible in Switzerland, but the critical issue is that such ECTS are non-binding and may not be automatically recognised outside the institution unless there is:

  • Formal external validation

  • Articulation agreements with accredited universities

  • Professional or employer acceptanceescription text goes here

ECTS as a Workload Measurement (Private Institutions like Rushford)

• Private institutions can calculate and assign ECTS credits based on the Bologna Process guidelines for student workload (typically 25–30 hours per credit).

• These ECTS allocations are internal to the institution and are non-binding for external recognition.

• There are no legal restrictions on using ECTS language in programme descriptions or marketing materials, provided there is no misleading claim of formal academic accreditation.

ECTS as an Academically Recognised Credit (State-Accredited Institutions)

• Only state-recognised or formally accredited higher education institutions can issue official ECTS credits that are valid across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

• Such ECTS credits guarantee academic mobility, credit transferability, and progression rights within national and cross-border education systems.

• The recognition of these credits is determined by adherence to national qualification frameworks and validated through formal quality assurance mechanisms.

• Students receiving a Rushford MBA with 60 or 90 ECTS hold a private qualification whose ECTS are not guaranteed to transfer to other universities or be recognised for further academic progression (e.g., in a public Swiss university, Irish NFQ Level 9, or UK Level 7 programme).

• Some professional bodies or employers may still value these degrees, especially if they are supplemented by dual-degree partnerships (e.g., Rushford’s UCA UK Global MBA).

• QQI-accredited programmes in Ireland confer nationally and internationally recognised ECTS, embedded in the NFQ and European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

• Irish ECTS are portable, transferrable, and protected by statutory law, offering academic progression rights across Europe.Item description

At Longford International College, our Professional Master’s Programmes are designed and delivered in accordance with the eduQua quality assurance standards for adult and continuing education in Switzerland. These programmes are tailored to meet the needs of working professionals seeking to enhance their skills, leadership capacity, and sector-specific expertise through flexible, high-quality learning experiences.

Legitimacy within Private Sector Education

Our programmes are offered under Swiss private higher education regulations and are eduQua-certified, reflecting our commitment to educational quality and continuous improvement. We maintain full transparency regarding the private nature of these qualifications, which are intended for professional advancement rather than formal academic mobility.

Scope and Purpose of ECTS Usage

The allocation of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits in our Professional Master’s Programmes follows the Bologna Process guidelines to represent student workload and learning volume. While these credits serve as a useful measure of programme intensity and study commitment, they are not issued under state-accredited academic frameworks and do not confer automatic recognition within public higher education systems in Switzerland, Ireland, or other European countries.

Professional Recognition and Application

Our degrees are particularly valuable for individuals seeking:

• Career progression and professional development

• Executive education and specialised industry knowledge

• Global business exposure in an international educational setting

While these qualifications may be recognised by employers, professional bodies, and industry sectors, they are not equivalent to QQI-accredited degrees in Ireland or to formally accredited Swiss university qualifications. Students are encouraged to consider their personal, professional, and academic objectives when selecting these programmes.