Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education Earns International Accreditation from AQAS

The Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education (S3 Pendidikan IPS) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Negeri Semarang, has achieved a significant milestone. On September 8, 2025, the program officially obtained international accreditation from AQAS (Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen), a quality assurance agency based in Germany.

Established in 2002, AQAS is widely recognized as an independent accreditation institution operating under the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). This recognition signifies that the Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education has met international quality standards, on par with higher education institutions in Europe.

This accreditation is expected to strengthen the program, which has been running for seven years, in stepping onto the global stage. “We now have international recognition from a reputable accreditation body. Hopefully, with this acknowledgment, the Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education can move forward as a globally recognized program,” said the Dean of FISIP, Prof. Arif Purnomo, with optimism.

Students also expressed their pride in this achievement. Andy Suryadi, a doctoral student in Social Studies Education, shared his joy: “Congratulations to the entire team for their hard work. Hopefully, this will be the first step toward greater progress and strengthened competencies,” he said.

The validity of this international accreditation is set for six years, starting from September 8, 2025, until September 30, 2031, although it is still granted with conditional status.