Swiss theological school STH Basel loses university accreditation

STH Basel, a private Protestant theological institution located in Riehen, Switzerland, has officially lost its status as an accredited university. The school’s leadership chose not to appeal a decision by the Swiss Accreditation Council to the Federal Supreme Court, allowing the withdrawal of accreditation to become legally binding. The school had previously seen an appeal dismissed by the Federal Administrative Court in September.

Despite the loss of accreditation, the institution announced that it will continue its teaching, research, and degree-granting activities. Under Swiss law, the school will temporarily adopt a title translating to "academic theological institution of higher education" and will no longer use the term "university." While the school maintains its right to issue diplomas and the habilitation, it acknowledged that students may face increased difficulty transferring credits or having their degrees recognized by other institutions.

STH Basel stated that the loss of accreditation will not impact its finances, as the school has historically declined state funding to maintain its independence. The institution is currently preparing a new application for accreditation while continuing to dispute the findings of the Swiss Accreditation Council regarding its academic standards.