Free Minds
Accreditation
Network
Accrediting Excellence. Empowering Potential.
Independent Accreditation Body for Ideologically Free Academic Education. It reviews and accredits academic projects committed to the unrestricted search for truth, evidence-based teaching, and education toward independent thinking, maturity, and responsible action.
IPreamble
The Free Minds Accreditation Network was established as a state, religious, political, and ideologically independent accreditation body to promote and accredit academic projects committed to the unrestricted search for truth, pure, science-based teaching, the education of individuals toward creativity, maturity, and reason, as well as comprehensive humanity through independent thinking and forward-looking, responsible action.
We stand for the freedom of the mind and a return to the original ideals of the university: intellectual honesty, evidence-based knowledge, critical thinking, and the transmission of ideology-free knowledge.
In light of recent developments and the strongly growing demand for interdisciplinary offerings, the Free Minds Accreditation Network is also open to novel, innovative, and forward-looking projects, including those based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) or organized globally and digitally. Accreditation certifies not only formal quality but also intellectual independence and the seriousness of the educational purpose.
The projects we accredit educate free minds – people who learn to think for themselves rather than to recite. Their degrees are at least equivalent to state-regulated degrees such as “Bachelor” or “Master.”
- Prof. Dr. Philipp Bagus
- Prof. Dr. Michael Esfeld
- Christoph Heuermann
- Prof. Dr. Boris Kotchoubey
- Prof. Dr. Henrieke Stahl
IIAccreditation Requirements
The Free Minds Accreditation Network awards its accreditation exclusively to state-independent academic projects (institutes, academies, study programs, colleges) that fully meet the following criteria:
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01
Intellectual and Institutional Independence
15 points · Core Criterion- Complete independence from state funding, supervision, accreditation, or regulation.
- No adoption of ideological frameworks.
- Transparent disclosure of funding sources and exclusion of influence by governments, political parties, or ideologically affiliated foundations.
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02
Commitment to Pure Teaching and Ideology-Free Science
15 points · Core Criterion- All teaching content must be based on empirical evidence, logical rigor, and intellectual honesty.
- Prohibition of presenting political, religious, or worldview dogmas as scientific truth.
- Active promotion of diversity of opinion, critical questioning, and the principle of “falsifiability” (Popper) in all disciplines.
- No sanctioning of dissenting opinions; instead, institutionalized culture of debate and protection of academic freedom.
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03
Degrees, Performance Records and Employability
12 points · High- The degrees offered may not use the legally protected designations “Bachelor,” “Master,” “Diploma,” or similar.
- Instead, distinctive, meaningful designations are to be used (e.g., “FMAN Certified Scholar in [Subject],” “Advanced Studies Diploma,” “Excellence Degree,” “Advanced Excellence Degree,” “Fellow of the Free Minds Academy,” etc.).
- The programs must correspond in scope, depth, and level of requirements at least to state Bachelor’s/Master’s programs, ideally surpassing them.
- Transparent documentation of acquired competencies through detailed transcripts, portfolios, and performance overviews.
- Programs shall emphasize professional relevance, practical applicability, and long-term employability of graduates.
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04
Examination Procedures
12 points · High- Clear, demanding, and transparent examination regulations. Examinations must be objective, comprehensible, and at a high professional level.
- Stringency: Examinations must maintain a high level of academic rigor, objectivity, and resistance to manipulation. Clear, demanding standards are required.
- Implementation / Conduct: Transparent, fair, and reliable administration of examinations, including appropriate integrity measures, plagiarism checks, and verifiable performance records.
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05
High-Quality Curricula and Teaching Standards
12 points · High- Structured, demanding study programs with clearly defined learning objectives, examination regulations, and performance records that do justice to the educational purpose of pure teaching.
- High proportion of primary sources, classical texts, and foundational specialist literature.
- Integration of interdisciplinary approaches where appropriate, while strictly maintaining scientific standards.
- Regular internal quality assurance by independent subject-matter experts.
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06
Qualification and Independence of Teaching Staff
12 points · High- Lecturers must demonstrably possess deep subject-matter competence and academic or practical expertise.
- Obligation of teaching staff to ideology-neutral, fact-based instruction.
- No hiring or promotion based on characteristics such as gender, origin, political conviction, or other identity categories.
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07
Ethics and Values
11 points · Medium-High- Commitment to the dignity of every individual human being regardless of group affiliation.
- Rejection of cancel culture, political, ideological, and religious indoctrination.
- Promotion of intellectual honesty and the pursuit of objective truth.
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08
Transparency and Accountability
6 points · Medium- Publicly accessible publication of the curriculum, lecturer profiles, and examination modalities.
- Regular external review by FMAN (every 3–5 years).
- Complaint mechanisms for students and mechanisms to safeguard academic freedom.
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09
Resources, Infrastructure and Governance
6 points · Medium- Adequate personnel, technical, and infrastructural resources for high-quality academic operations.
- Sustainable and transparent governance structures that permanently safeguard institutional independence and academic quality.
- Clear organizational form, decision-making processes, and regulations to protect academic freedom.
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10
Additional Requirements for Digital and AI-Supported Projects
10 bonus points · AI-supported and digital projects- For academic projects that are predominantly organized digitally or supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the following additional requirements apply. These ensure that the specific challenges and opportunities of digital and AI-based education are adequately addressed while upholding the core principles of intellectual independence, ideology-free science, and high academic quality. Compliance with these requirements is assessed as part of the accreditation procedure and is reflected in the dedicated bonus criteria of the points system.
- 10.1 Accessibility — Accessibility to learners regardless of their geographic location, including those living in remote or underserved areas, through digital, hybrid, or other flexible learning formats. Affordability of the Study Programs, ensuring adequate access for students from diverse social and economic backgrounds.
- 10.2 Quality of Examination Procedures (Digital/AI-specific) — Digital and AI-supported projects must demonstrate particularly robust examination procedures that guarantee academic integrity, fairness, and high standards in a remote or technology-mediated environment.
- 10.2.1 Stringency — Examinations must maintain a high level of academic rigor, objectivity, and resistance to manipulation (including AI-assisted cheating or unauthorized assistance). Clear, demanding standards equivalent to or exceeding traditional on-site formats are required. Assessment designs should actively counteract the specific risks of digital delivery.
- 10.2.2 Implementation / Conduct — Transparent, fair, and technically reliable administration of examinations, including appropriate measures for identity verification, secure digital proctoring or equivalent integrity safeguards, systematic plagiarism and AI-generated content checks, and clear protocols for technical failures. The practical execution must be documented and subject to regular review.
- These additional requirements are evaluated in conjunction with the main accreditation criteria. Projects that successfully address them may receive the corresponding bonus points provided in the points system for AI-supported and digital projects.
IIIAccreditation Procedure
The accreditation procedure of the Free Minds Accreditation Network is two-stage and serves to ensure the highest quality standards while simultaneously promoting serious, aspiring projects – expressly including novel, AI-based, and global educational projects.
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1
Provisional Accreditation
generally 2–3 years · from 75 points
Prior to the granting of full (final) accreditation, suitable academic projects first receive a provisional accreditation. This is granted after a thorough examination by FMAN and is generally limited to 2–3 years.
Quality Standards to Be Demonstrated for Provisional Accreditation:
- Teaching Quality and Curriculum: Detailed presentation of study content, learning objectives, and didactic concepts. Teaching must clearly serve the educational purpose of pure, ideology-free knowledge transmission.
- Examination Standards: Clear, demanding, and transparent examination regulations. Examinations must be objective, comprehensible, and at a high professional level (e.g., written exams, term papers, oral examinations, final theses with plagiarism checks).
- Qualification of Teaching Staff: Proof of professional expertise and independence of all full-time and part-time lecturers.
- Institutional Structure and Governance: Clear organizational form, decision-making processes, and regulations to safeguard academic freedom.
- Resources and Infrastructure: Adequate personnel and technical equipment for high-quality study operations.
- Transparency and Ethics: Publication of statutes, study regulations, and funding principles as well as commitment to the values of FMAN.
- Admission Procedures: Fair, performance-oriented admission criteria without ideological or quota regulations.
- Internal Quality Assurance: Initial mechanisms for regular evaluation of teaching and studies.
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2
Full Accreditation
generally 5 years · from 88 points
After the expiry of the provisional phase and successful in-depth review (including student feedback, graduate tracking, and renewed external assessment), full accreditation may be granted. This is generally valid for 5 years and is then reviewed again. Full accreditation confirms that the project not only meets the formal requirements but in practice offers outstanding, ideology-free academic education at the highest level.
- Student feedback
- Graduate tracking
- Renewed external assessment
The focus of the review by FMAN is on a sensible study structure and modularization, the achievement of defined learning objectives (competencies), appropriate forms of examination and workload, the qualification of teaching staff, facilities and resources of the institution, as well as professional relevance and employability.
Points System
The Free Minds Accreditation Network (FMAN) evaluates all applications using a transparent, weighted points system totaling 101 points. This ensures objective, evidence-based, and consistent assessments.
- Thresholds
- Provisional Accreditation: minimum 75 points
- Full Accreditation: minimum 88 points
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101
Points
Transparent, weighted points system totaling 101 points
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75
Points
Provisional Accreditation: minimum 75 points
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88
Points
Full Accreditation: minimum 88 points
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10
Bonus Points
Additional bonus criteria for AI-supported and digital projects
| No. | Criterion | Max. Points | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intellectual and Institutional Independence | 15 | Core Criterion |
| 2 | Commitment to Pure Teaching and Ideology-Free Science | 15 | Core Criterion |
| 3 | Degrees, Performance Records and Employability | 12 | High |
| 4 | Examination Procedures | 12 | High |
| 5 | High-Quality Curricula and Teaching Standards | 12 | High |
| 6 | Qualification and Independence of Teaching Staff | 12 | High |
| 7 | Ethics and Values | 11 | Medium-High |
| 8 | Transparency and Accountability | 6 | Medium |
| 9 | Resources, Infrastructure and Governance | 6 | Medium |
| Base score | 101 |
For academic projects that are predominantly AI-supported or digitally organized, the following additional bonus criteria totaling 10 points apply:
| No. | Criterion | Max. Points | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accessibility | 5 | High |
| 2 | Quality of Examination Procedures | 5 | High |
| 2.1 | Stringency | 2.5 | Sub-criterion |
| 2.2 | Implementation / Conduct | 2.5 | Sub-criterion |
| Bonus | 10 |
These 10 bonus points are available exclusively for predominantly AI-supported or digitally organized projects and are added to the base score from the main criteria table.
- 1. Accessibility
- Accessibility to learners regardless of their geographic location, including those living in remote or underserved areas, through digital, hybrid, or other flexible learning formats. Affordability of the Study Programs, ensuring equitable access for students from diverse social and economic backgrounds.
- 2. Quality of Examination Procedures
- Assessment of the quality, rigor, and practical execution of examinations in AI-supported and digital learning environments.
- 2.1 Stringency
- Examinations must maintain a high level of academic rigor, objectivity, and resistance to manipulation (including AI-assisted cheating). Clear, demanding standards equivalent to or exceeding traditional formats are required.
- 2.2 Implementation / Conduct
- Transparent, fair, and technically reliable administration of examinations, including secure digital proctoring or alternative integrity measures, plagiarism checks, and verifiable identity of examinees where appropriate.
The evaluation is carried out by independent reviewers under the leadership of the FMAN Accreditation Office. The detailed point allocation is disclosed to the applicant in the assessment report.
IVMembers of the Accreditation Council
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Prof. Dr. Philipp Bagus
Philipp Bagus is Professor of Economics at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid. His research focuses on monetary and business cycle theory.
His work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Business Ethics, The Independent Review, and the American Journal of Economics & Sociology.
He has received several prestigious awards, including the O.P. Alford III Prize in Libertarian Scholarship, the Sir John M. Templeton Fellowship, the IREF Essay Prize, and the Ludwig Erhard Prize (2016).
He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Ludwig von Mises Institute Germany and author of several books, including:
- “Wir schaffen das – alleine! Warum kleine Staaten einfach besser sind.” (2017) [We Can Do It – Alone! Why Small States Are Simply Better]
- “Blinder Raub! Wie die Fed, Banken und die Regierung unser Geld stehlen” (2014) [Blind Robbery! How the Fed, Banks and the Government Steal Our Money]
- “Die Tragödie des Euro” (2011) [The Tragedy of the Euro]
In September 2024, his highly regarded book “Die Ära Milei” about Argentine President Javier Milei was published.
He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Elementum International, a Swiss company specializing in the storage of precious metals.
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Prof. Dr. Michael Esfeld
Michael Esfeld, born in 1966 in Berlin (West), has been Full Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) since 2002.
He received his doctorate in philosophy in 1994 from the University of Münster and completed his habilitation in 2000 at the University of Konstanz. He was a lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, a Heisenberg Fellow of the German Research Foundation, and from 2001 to 2002 Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cologne. Since 2010 he has been a member of the Leopoldina – National Academy of Sciences. In 2013 he received the Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Since 2022 he has been a member of the Foundation Board of the Liberal Institute of Switzerland, one of Europe’s leading classical-liberal and libertarian think tanks.
His research focuses on the philosophy of physics, the philosophy of mind, and in particular the relationship between the natural and human sciences. In his work he advocates scientific realism in the natural sciences and opposes scientism and its political instrumentalization.
Major book publications in English
- Holism in philosophy of mind and philosophy of physics (2001)
- Conservative reductionism (2011, with Christian Sachse)
- A minimalist ontology of the natural world (2017, with Dirk-André Deckert)
- Science and human freedom (2020)
- Restoring science and the rule of law (2024, with Cristian Lopez)
Major book publications in German
- Wissenschaft und Freiheit (Suhrkamp, 2019) [Science and Freedom]
- Und die Freiheit? Wie die Corona-Politik und der Missbrauch der Wissenschaft unsere offene Gesellschaft bedrohen (riva, 2021, with Christoph Lütge) [And Freedom? How Corona Policy and the Abuse of Science Threaten Our Open Society]
- Land ohne Mut (Achgut, 2023) [Country Without Courage]
- Selbstbestimmt jetzt! (Achgut, 2026) [Self-Determined Now!]
Homepage: www.michaelesfeld.com
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Christoph Heuermann
Career & Profile
Entrepreneur, investor, author, and extreme traveler (born 1990). Founder of Staatenlos.ch. Lives as a permanent world traveler and is the leading expert on flag theory, international tax optimization, and individual freedom beyond state compulsory systems. He is not a theorist – he lives 100% what he preaches.
Background & Mindset
- Studies: Politics & Administration in Konstanz (B.A.).
- The turning point: A missed lecture led to the compulsory assignment of a presentation on Friedrich A. von Hayek – the starting signal for his deep libertarian conviction.
- Education: Study abroad semester in Madrid with Philipp Bagus (Austrian School), studies at the Scholarium (Vienna), and formative internships (including Frank Schäffler, Rahim Taghizadegan).
Business & Investments
- 2015: Deregistration from Germany and flight to Mexico with less than €2,000 starting capital. Launch of the Staatenlos blog.
- Today: Staatenlos.ch is the number 1 platform in the DACH region for geographic freedom.
- Portfolio: Over 70 worldwide company holdings (FinTech, crypto, private equity) plus tangible assets for crisis protection (including own vineyard and own walnut plantations).
Extreme Travel & Lifestyle
- World record: Youngest most-traveled person in the world. Has already traveled to all 265 autonomous countries of the Earth (326 of 330 TCC territories).
- Setup: Maximum independence. Travels in his own 4x4 expedition vehicle (6.7 m × 3.2 m) and on his own catamaran.
- Family: Traveling worldwide with partner Katerina and foster son Maxi (9 years old, already in over 50 countries, temporary base for primary school in Dubai).
- 2025: Acquisition of second citizenship in Vanuatu.
Publications & Media
- Spiegel bestseller: “Staatenlos: Ein globales (Steuer)freies Leben mit der Flaggentheorie” (2026) [Staatenlos: A Global (Tax-)Free Life with Flag Theory].
- Travel blog: On christoph.today he documents his global expeditions and the exploration of the world’s relief.
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Prof. Dr. Phil. Boris Kotchoubey
Born 1952.
Studied human medicine 1969–76 and psychology 1978–81 in Moscow.
Doctorate in psychology 1981 (Russian Academy of Education).
Habilitation 2002 in Medical Psychology at the University of Tübingen. Since 2005 Associate Professor at the University of Tübingen.
Total of over 170 scientific (peer-reviewed) publications, primarily on the neurophysiological foundations of consciousness and disorders of consciousness, learning processes and language (neurolinguistics), as well as extreme states (incurable illness, dying process).
Journalistic contributions inter alia at “Novo-Argumente”, “Achse der Guten”, “Cicero”.
Most recent books include
- “Why Are You Free: Biology and Psychology of Voluntary Action” (Nova Science Publishers, 2012)
- “Irrsinn der Sterbehilfe” (Tübingen University Library, 2018) [The Madness of Assisted Dying]
- “Der Untergang einer Institution: Wissenschaft zwischen Früh- und Postmoderne” (Deutscher Wissenschaftsverlag, 2023) [The Decline of an Institution: Science Between Early and Postmodernity]
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Univ.-Prof. Dr. Henrieke Stahl
Born 1970.
Since 2003 Professor of Russian and Polish Literary Studies at the University of Trier.
Studied Slavic Studies, German Studies, and Philosophy at the University of Münster 1990–1996.
2000 Doctorate at the University of Trier.
1996–2001 Research Assistant in Slavic Studies at the University of Trier, 2001–2003 Research Assistant in Slavic Studies at the University of Heidelberg.
Publications on Slavic literature, philosophy, and culture in the European context with focuses on lyric poetry and philosophy of religion.
Since 2023 independent journalistic work inter alia for Berliner Zeitung, Tichys Einblick, Cicero, Achgut, Globkult.
Monographs
- Renaissance des Rosenkreuzertums. Initiation in Andrej Belyjs Romanen “Serebrjanyj golub’” und “Peterburg”. (Trierer Abhandlungen zur Slavistik, edited by Gerhard Ressel. Volume 3.). 478 pp. Frankfurt/M. et al., 2002. [Renaissance of Rosicrucianism. Initiation in Andrei Bely’s Novels “The Silver Dove” and “Petersburg”.]
- Sophia im Denken Vladimir Solov’evs – eine ästhetische Rekonstruktion. Münster: Aschendorff, 2019. (Texte und Studien zur Europäischen Geistesgeschichte, Series B, Volume 18). 573 pp. Russian translation 2024. [Sophia in the Thought of Vladimir Solovyov – an Aesthetic Reconstruction.]
VSubmission Guidelines
The Free Minds Accreditation Network is a state-independent, international accreditation body. It reviews and accredits academic projects committed to the unrestricted search for truth, evidence-based teaching, and education toward independent thinking, maturity, and responsible action.
Independence
FMAN is religiously, politically, and ideologically independent. It is not subject to any state supervision and is not bound to any government, party, or ideologically affiliated organization. Accreditation certifies formal quality as well as intellectual independence and the seriousness of the respective educational purpose.
Admission to the procedure
Only state-independent and ideology-free projects are accredited. Submissions with recognizable ideological, religious, or political requirements will not be admitted to the procedure.
Accreditation does not constitute state recognition and does not establish any claim to equivalence with state-regulated degrees. Our General Terms and Conditions apply.