VIGeneral Terms and Conditions (GTC)

1. Scope and Purpose

1.1 These General Terms and Conditions apply to all inquiries, applications, and procedures in connection with the review and accreditation of academic projects by the Free Minds Accreditation Network (hereinafter “FMAN”).

1.2 FMAN is a state, religious, political, and ideologically independent accreditation body.

1.3 The purpose of FMAN is the promotion of freedom-oriented academic projects as well as support for the unrestricted search for truth, evidence-based teaching, and education toward independent thinking, maturity, and responsible action.

2. Subject of the Service

2.1 FMAN reviews and accredits exclusively state-independent and ideology-free academic projects (institutes, academies, study programs, colleges, and the like).

2.2 Accreditation takes place in a two-stage procedure (provisional and full accreditation) according to the published accreditation requirements and the points system of FMAN.

2.3 Accreditation certifies formal quality as well as the intellectual independence and seriousness of the educational purpose. It does not constitute state recognition and does not establish any claim to equivalence with state-regulated degrees.

3. Submission and Application

3.1 Inquiries and project documents are to be submitted exclusively in writing by email to free.minds.accreditation@gmail.com.

3.2 The applicant warrants that the submitted information and documents are complete and truthful.

3.3 FMAN reviews exclusively ideology-free and state-independent projects. Submissions that are subject to recognizable ideological, religious, or political requirements or that are in a dependency relationship with state authorities will not be admitted to the procedure.

3.4 Submission does not establish any claim to the conduct or completion of an accreditation procedure.

4. Procedure and Decision

4.1 The procedure is governed by the currently applicable submission guidelines and accreditation requirements of FMAN.

4.2 Evaluation is carried out using a transparent points system.

4.3 The decision on the granting, refusal, limitation, or revocation of an accreditation lies in the sole discretion of FMAN.

4.4 To the extent permitted by law, civil claims against FMAN and the members of the Accreditation Council in connection with the conduct or outcome of accreditation procedures are excluded, unless intent or gross negligence is present. Criminally relevant conduct remains unaffected.

4.5 Provisional accreditation is generally limited to 2–3 years, full accreditation to 5 years, and may be extended or revoked.

5. Cooperation and Communication of the Applicant

5.1 Applicants shall ensure the best possible and continuous communication in the interest of a swift and smooth conduct of the reviews.

5.2 In the event of conduct by the applicant that delays or obstructs work processes without a comprehensible reason, FMAN reserves the right to terminate the review.

6. Cost-Free Nature

6.1 The review and conduct of accreditation procedures by FMAN is currently free of charge.

6.2 FMAN reserves the right to introduce fees in the future. Any such introduction will be announced to those affected in good time beforehand and will apply only to applications submitted thereafter.

7. Obligations of the Applicant

7.1 The applicant shall provide FMAN with all information and documents required for the review in a timely and complete manner.

7.2 The applicant undertakes, for the duration of the validity of an accreditation, to permanently comply with the accreditation requirements of FMAN and to notify any material changes without delay.

7.3 The use of the FMAN name, logo, or accreditation statements is permitted only within the scope of the granted accreditation and the specifications established by FMAN.

8. Confidentiality

8.1 FMAN treats submitted documents confidentially, unless legal disclosure obligations exist or the applicant has consented to disclosure.

8.2 Assessment reports and evaluation documents of FMAN remain the property of FMAN and may not be published without prior consent.

9. Liability

9.1 FMAN is liable only for intent and gross negligence.

9.2 Liability for indirect damages, lost profits, data loss, or consequential damages is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

9.3 FMAN assumes no warranty that a granted accreditation will be recognized by third parties, authorities, or other institutions.

10. Revocation and Termination

10.1 FMAN may revoke a granted accreditation, in particular in the event of:

• Violation of the accreditation requirements,
• Incorrect information in the application procedure,
• Loss of intellectual or institutional independence,
• Misuse of the accreditation.

10.2 The applicant may withdraw the application at any time until the decision.

11. Final Provisions

11.1 Should individual provisions of these GTC be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.

11.2 Changes to these GTC will be announced in an appropriate manner.

Contact

Free Minds Accreditation Network

Email: free.minds.accreditation@gmail.com
Phone: +41 76 370 18 44