Who We Are

ATHE Accredited Programmes

All programmes delivered by E-Ascencia are officially accredited by ATHE (Awards for Training and Higher Education), a global awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual and since 2011.

ATHE accredited programmes can be easily recognized and mapped to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) via an EU country’s national higher education authority.

This ensures that every qualification you earn through E-Ascencia is internationally recognised, transparent in level, and aligned with European and Global higher education standards.

Ofqual Regulated Qualifications

All programmes delivered by E-Ascencia are awarded by UK awarding organisations that are regulated by Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation), the official qualifications regulator for England.

Ofqual ensures that qualifications meet strict standards of quality, consistency, assessment integrity, and academic level. It oversees awarding bodies such as ATHE and guarantees that their qualifications are credible, comparable, and aligned with the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Because Ofqual-regulated qualifications are level-based within the RQF, they can be transparently compared and referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). This provides clarity regarding academic level and progression pathways across Europe and internationally.

This regulatory oversight ensures that every qualification you earn through E-Ascencia is quality-assured, internationally benchmarked, and recognised within both UK and global higher education systems.

Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)

The RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) is the national framework used in England to classify regulated qualifications according to their academic level and complexity. It is overseen by Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation), which ensures that awarding bodies meet strict standards of quality, assessment integrity, and consistency.

The RQF is structured in levels that indicate the depth of knowledge, skills, and autonomy expected from a learner. These levels range from Entry Level to Level 8:

• Entry Level – Foundational knowledge and basic skills
• Level 3 – Comparable to A-Level standard
• Level 4 and 5 – equivalent to the first stages of higher education
• Level 6 – comparable to a Bachelor’s degree
• Level 7 – Comparable to a Master's degree
• Level 8 – Comparable to a Doctorate

Each level is defined through learning outcomes. The framework focuses on what a learner knows, understands, and is able to do. It does not measure study duration. Instead, it measures academic demand and complexity.

Because it is regulated at a national level, the RQF ensures that qualifications are credible, comparable, and aligned with the UK education system. Qualifications placed on the RQF clearly state their level, which supports progression pathways and international recognition.

Brief Comparison with EQF

The EQF (European Qualifications Framework) is a broader European meta-framework designed to make national qualification systems comparable across different countries. Like the RQF, it is structured in eight levels based on learning outcomes.

The key difference is scope:

• The RQF is a national framework used in England.
• The EQF is a European reference framework used to compare qualifications across countries.

RQF levels are referenced to the EQF to ensure transparency. For example, an RQF Level 6 qualification corresponds to EQF Level 6. This referencing process allows employers, institutions, and authorities across Europe to understand the academic level of a UK qualification.

In simple terms, the RQF defines levels within England, while the EQF allows those levels to be understood and compared across Europe.

RQF accredited programmes can be easily recognized and mapped to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) via an EU country’s national higher education authority.