Over the past 40 years the Scientific Advisory Board has carried out more than 1,000 school inspections in numerous European countries, as well as the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Scientific Advisory Board is an independent body of experts. Its sole obligation is to verify compliance with the Quality Guidelines of the FDSV.
Language schools and accommodation sites are evaluated in the context of routine inspection visits. Interviews are conducted with the school directors, language teachers and group leaders regarding the language programmes, teacher training and programmes of leisure activities. The inspectors sit in on lessons, evaluate teaching materials and ask participants about their level of satisfaction with the respective programme. These language-school inspections are performed on the basis of the FDSV Quality Guidelines, as well as the requirements of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the European standard for language-study tour providers (EN 14804).
The Scientific Advisory Board’s many years of work have been crowned with success. The market for language stays has become more transparent, making it easier for consumers to compare products. The FDSV can now guarantee that all programmes offered by its members and their partner schools are of high quality.
