What is APEL.Q?

APEL.Q (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for Award of Academic Qualifications) is the award of academic qualifications to individual learners through the assessment of prior experiential learning toward a fully accredited degree offered by the university.

APEL.Q has been widely implemented in Europe and recently in Asia, a number of countries have recognized APEL.Q as an official process with national recognition and it is prioritized for development as an effective policy that serves for liberal education, labor mobility and lifelong learning.

APEL.Q allows professional individuals with no official academic degrees to convert their experiences into a degree. APEL.Q is claimed to be a strict, fair, transparent, accurate and cost-saving process.

In traditional training programs, the award of academic qualification is based on the competencies acquired from the training programs itself. However, APEL.Q is based on the reverse process using the national framework that the government publishes to evaluate an individual’s competency, thereby recognize and grant degrees. Degrees are granted from occupational associations and/or universities if they recognize the assessment procedure.

APEL.Q for the Professional Doctorate from the London Academy of Sciences (LAS)

APEL.Q for Professional Doctorate of the London Academy of Sciences (LAS) is executed using qualifications criteria published and recognized by the United Kingdom government and the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI).

Students can earn a Professional Doctorate degree in 12 months by following a 3-step process: (1) A portfolio listing and describing your working history and experience (Portfolios); (2) Colloquium & End Point Assessment; and (3) Thesis viva defend. This saves 95% of study time and 98% of tuition compared to full-time study in Europe.

The London Academy of Sciences’ APEL.Q program is the world’s first independently implemented program, with published and accepted qualifications assessment criteria by the United Kingdom government and the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI).

Students graduate with a Professional Doctorate in one of the following specializations:

• International Business Administration
• Marketing management
• Financial management
• Strategic Management
• Administration of insurance activities
• Tourism Management.
• Logistics Management
• Human resources management
• Administrative Management
• Engineering Business Management
• E-commerce Management
• Administration of Management Information Systems
• Design Management
• Non-profit Organization Management
• And other majors based on the Viva Thesis

The complete qualifications framework used to evaluate APEL.Q of LAS was designed by the UK government in order to ensure recognition and effectiveness in the workplace, with the assistance of councils such as Tata Steel, Covance, Fera, Photo Centric, Astra Zeneca, Unilever, GSK, Croda, Pfizer, 2sfg, teva runcorn, BASF, nufarm, Grimsby hospital, Health education England.

1. Earn your Professional Doctorate in one of the majors within 12 months

• The APEL.Q process helps recognize accumulated experiences to transfer directly to the Viva Thesis (Dissertation) stage of the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation. Candidates could receive the final results within 12 months if they follow the program’s framework and provide appropriate documents.

2. All degrees and assessment criteria are fully accredited and recognized

• All assessment criteria are published and recognized by the UK government.
• Assessment criteria are recognized in the workplace with the participation of various assessment councils from Tata Steel, Covance, Fera, Photo Centric, Astra Zeneca, Unilever, GSK, Croda, Pfizer, 2sfg, teva runcorn, BASF, nufarm, Grimsby hospital, Health education England.
  • Earn the Research Scientist Certification from the Senior Leader Bureau: Certify the expertise equivalent to Research Scientist in accordance with the United Kingdom government’s Level 8 RQF qualifications framework. The Senior Leader Bureau granted competency certification in accordance with the UK government’s competency standards and recommendations.
• Receive a LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research: LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research complies with the Level 8 UK Regulated Qualification Framework (UK Doctorate’s).
• Receive a Professional Doctorate from the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI):
  • The level of the official degree is consistent with that of a full-time study program in France.
  • SIMI is the first liberal university for Postgraduate with full accreditation.
  • The entire program applies Level 8 European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

3. Saving 95% of study time:

Instead of full-time studying for 3 to 5 years in Europe, with the APEL.Q process for Professional Doctorate, you only have 02 activities and 01 course as below:

• Activity 1: Submit Portfolios to the LAS
• Activity 2: Join the Colloquium, present the research topic, conduct the End-Point Assessment and submit it to the London Academy of Sciences
• Thesis: Defending the doctoral thesis in front of the council of the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation.

4. Saving 98% on tuition fees

• You only have to pay 2% of the total tuition fees compared to the cost of studying and living as a full-time student in Switzerland. Please contact us for more details.

5. Transparent & No extra fees

APEL.Q is a completely fair and transparent procedure. We assure that no costs will be incurred without being announced.

To apply for APEL.Q, the candidates are required to have:

Research application requirements:

• Have at least one Master’s level scientific study.
• Have at least one Professional Doctorate-level Research Proposal (must be submitted and satisfactorily assessed by the scientific panel prior to proceeding with the APEL.Q process for the Doctor of Science program).

English requirements:

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B2 or equivalent.
• IELTS 5.5; Reading and Writing must be at 5.5 or equivalent.
• If you do not have any English qualifications, you may be required to take our English test.

After the completion of the APEL.Q program, candidates will receive:

1. Research Scientist Certified by Senior Leader Bureau:

Certify the expertise equivalent to Research Scientist according to the Level 8 RQF qualifications framework of the UK government. Certification of competence issued by Senior Leader Bureau in full compliance with the UK government’s competency regulations and guidelines with:

Note: The Research Scientist Certified is a Professional Certified from Senior Leader Bureau. The Research Scientist Certified is not a work permit, not a practicing certificate, nor is it an academic degree.

2. LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research

LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research adapt the Level 8 academic competency standard (UK Master’s) with subjects have results recognized includes:

• Level 8 RQF/EQF Develop advanced research approaches in a suitable context (30 credits)
• Level 8 RQF/EQFAdvanced Literature Review (30 credits)
• Level 8 RQF/EQFAdvanced Design Research (30credits)
• Level 8 RQF/EQFAdvanced Data Analytics for Research (30 credits)
• Doctoral Thesis (60 credits)
• Defend Doctoral Thesis

Note: After End-Point Assessment (EPA), candidates will receive the LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research. This diploma is used only for recognition of the academic level and only for registration at the Doctoral Thesis Viva Defend stage of the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI). The LAS Level 8 Diploma in Research is an accredited professional qualification that is not a part of the Ofqual system and is not transferable to other academic degrees if it is not recognized by the LAS.

3. APEL.Q Assessment Report

APEL.Q Assessment Report is a document that evaluates candidates’s competency corresponding to Level 8 RQF (Master). APEL.Q helps the LAS’s partner universities to recognize and admit candidates for the Doctoral Thesis Viva Defend stage.

At the working environment, APEL.Q Assessment Report is also used to demonstrate the competency, the level of professional at enterprises, as well as a tool for human resource managers to evaluate employee performance.

Applicants cannot use the APEL.Q Assessment Report to transfer to other academic programs that are not recognized and authorized in writing by the LAS.

4. Professional Doctorate at the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI):

• Doctor of International Business Management
• Doctor of Marketing Management
• Doctor of Financial Management
• Doctor of Strategic Management
• Doctor of Insurance Management
• Doctor of Hospitality Management
• Doctor of Logistics Management
• Doctor of Human Resource Management
• Doctor of Administration Management
• Doctor of Engineering Business Management
• Doctor of E-commerce management
• Doctor of Information system Management
• Doctor of Design Management
• Doctor of Non-profit organization Management

The degree is equivalent to that of full-time international students at Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation.

The assessment consists of the subsequent:

1. Portfolios Submission

• Submit your portfolios
• The London of Academy of Sciences (LAS) will evaluate your portfolios

2. Colloquium and End Point Assessment (EPA)

• Join Colloquium and present research orientation and research results.
• Complete the End-Point Assessment with the guides and support from the LAS
• Receive APEL.Q report from LAS
• Transfer the APEL.Q result from LAS to the university

3. Doctoral thesis viva defend:

• Defending the doctoral thesis in front of the council of the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation.
• Graduate & get a degree from the Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI).

The APEL.Q process consists of two stages and each stage is independently responsible by The London Academy of Sciences (LAS) and Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI). The responsibility of LAS will end after successful transfer of the End-Point Assessment (EPA) results to SIMI and seeking the recognition from the SIMI. After SIMI has recognized the EPA results, the candidate officially becomes a student of SIMI and can participate in the final stage of SIMI (Doctoral Thesis Viva Defend ). As a student, the candidate will have all the benefits of being an international student from SIMI, including the right to receive a degree and attend the SIMI graduation ceremony if they meet all of the criteria from SIMI.

Depending on the SIMI event schedule, candidates can participate in the graduation ceremony held in Europe or other locations chosen by SIMI. Graduation ceremony attendance fees and additional related fees will be paid by the candidates and excluded from the APEL.Q tuition fee.

In case candidates are unable to attend the graduation ceremony, the degree and diploma from the LAS and SIMI will be delivered to the local partner. Candidates can come to the local partner’s office to pick up their degree.

The entire qualifications framework is used to evaluate APEL.Q for the Professional Doctorate program of Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI) recognized by the United Kingdom government with the participation of a variety of councils such as Tata Steel, Covance, Fera, Photo Centric, Astra Zeneca, Unilever, GSK, Croda, Pfizer, 2sfg, teva runcorn, BASF, nufarm, Grimsby hospital, Health education England.

APEL.Q competency for Professional Doctorate, at Level 8 in accordance with the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF):

Detailed Competency Framework:

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Subject specific knowledge: A deep and systemic understanding of a named / recognised scientific subject as found in an industrial setting, such as biology, chemistry or physics, found in the nuclear, food manufacture, pharmacology or energy production sectors, at a level that allows strategic and scientific decision making, while taking account of inter relationships with other relevant business areas / disciplines

K2: Management, leadership and effective communication. Organisation objectives and where their role contributes to the success achievement of these objectives. How to communicate effectively with a wide range of senior leaders across different departments, up and down the supply chain, within their own team. Advanced mixed media communication, such as presentations, report writing (technical and non-technical) negotiation and influencing. Leadership within a team of multi discipline specialists at different levels across the organisation, ensuring a shared vision and commitment to success. Effective project management as used in their employer’s environment with regard to quality, cost and time. The employers organisational structure and where their own role fits

K3: Ethics, regulation and registration: All current relevant national and international regulations needed to carry out the role. This will include scientific regulation, health and safety and laboratory safe practice, anti-bribery and anti-corruption. Ethical scientific practice and the employers processes and procedures surrounding professional conduct. How to identify, record, mitigate and manage risk. The impact of failure and how to manage risk on the business. The benefits of equality of diversity in the workplace

K4: Research methodologies: Methodologies appropriate to the sector and how to formulate and apply a hypothesis. Appropriate application of scientific process. The unpredictability of research projects and the need to adapt and adjust daily planning needs to accommodate new developments.

K5: Data analysis and evaluation: Statistical analysis techniques, numerical modelling techniques and how they are applied in context. How to interpret and categorise data to make informed and objective decisions against the goals and targets of the project. How to evaluate and interpret the data and associated analysis against company objectives

K6: Data management: How to safely store and handle data in line with national and international data protection and cyber security regulations that apply to the role. How to manage and store data in line with employer processes and security approach. How to create an appropriate data management plan

K7: Entrepreneurial and enterprise: How to consider a multi solution approach to the objective in the key stages of a project. Market analysis awareness (SWOT / PESTLE / feasibility studies) and how to assess the impact of the project on the business. Intellectual property rights as they apply to the role and specific projects. Value for money and the ability to use market analysis to make go / no go decisions

K8: Development of self and others: The importance of continuing professional development and how to maintain their own specialist knowledge in an ever evolving environment. How to effectively coach and mentor colleagues, peers or team members to address identified skills gaps, using appropriate methods. How to upskill non-technical colleagues to enable them to complete their own role as needed.

Skills

S1: Application of Scientific Knowledge: Apply a range of advanced, new and emerging practical and experimental skills appropriate to the role (e.g. chemical synthesis, bio analysis, computational modeling).

S2: Data Collection and Reporting: Capture and evaluate data critically drawing a logical conclusion, e.g. Case Report Forms, Data Management Plans, Data Review Plans, edit checks and User Acceptance Testing Plans

S3: Commercial and Business Issues: Identify issues, including intellectual property and the commercial demands of the business environment. Understand the scientific objectives of work undertaken and its relevance to the organisation

S4: Communication Skills: Write extended reports and critique others’ work across a range of documentation, e.g. protocols, consent forms and scientific reports. Deliver oral presentations and answer questions about their work and/or the work of their team. Utilise interpersonal skills, communication and assertiveness to persuade, motivate and influence. Discuss work constructively and objectively with colleagues customers and others; respond respectfully to and acknowledge the value of alternate views and hypothesis

S5: Project Management and Leadership: Generate effective project plans to include management of scope, schedules, budget and risk. Organise resources, budgets, tasks and people. Co-ordinate team activities to meet project requirements and quality processes. Adapt scientific strategy/delivery to be consistent with requirements. e.g. client, regulatory, ethical, geographic

S6: Critical Thinking: Conceptualise, evaluate and analyse information to solve problems

S7: Research and dissemination: Frame research questions and methodology drawing from current sources e.g., literature and databases. They can produce intellectual insight and innovations in their own discipline to be shared with colleagues, peers and wider stakeholders internal and external to the business

S8: Developing others: Apply a range of coaching and mentoring techniques with colleague’s peers and team members, selecting the correct method to suit the situation and the person being coached / mentored

Behaviours

B1: Team Working: Collaboration, influence, and respect for others

B2: Flexibility and Adaptability: Responsiveness to change, adjusting to different conditions, technologies, situations and environments

B3: Integrity and Reliability: Respect for the confidentiality of individuals and company information. An intrinsic ethical stance to all aspects of day to day activities. Reputation of trust internally and externally

B4: Management of Expectations of senior management, study sponsors, vendors, investigational sites and key opinion leaders

B5: Accountability: For self and others to ensure that actions are in the best interest of affected parties

B6: Planning, Prioritisation and Organisation: Effective time management

B7: Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Accountability of own and others development needs, undertaking CPD. Curiosity of science and proactively develops knowledge to ensure that scientific and business decisions are based on strong science.

Direct Evidence

Certificates

You can provide copies of your diplomas/certificates:

• Diploma/certificate
• Result statement
• Workshops attended at work (certified)

Work samples

You can provide work samples:

• Photos, outline, graph, procedure, etc.
• Report
• Written material
• Project plans
• Objectives
• Products or achievement

Records of work activities

You can provide documents showing your work activities:

• Notes
• Emails
• Completed worksheets, paperwork
• Workplace agreement
• Sale Contract

Other documents

You can provide evidence that shows what you have done in your daily life:

• Media articles
• Meritorious awards from occupational association, community

Indirect Evidence

Records

You can provide copies of document such as (completed form):

• Working Diary
• Records
• Journals
• Articles on blog, media social, etc.

E-mail

You can provide copies of email communication with other related departments to prove your correlative competencies:

• Customer feedback
• To-do-list, check list
• Materials that demonstrate “writing and communication” competency

Supporting letters

You can provide letters to verify your competency from:

• Employer
• Community group
• People you have worked with (colleague, partner, etc.)

General information

• The APEL.Q process is based on the government’s recognized competency, but the process does not belong to and not a part of the UK government.
• Partner university recognizes the LAS’s APEL.Q process but does not involve or redirect the assessment process. LAS will appraise the APEL.Q process and make decisions according to the specific criteria. Partner university will only admit and recognize the result when the LAS finalizes the APEL.Q Assessment Report.
• The APEL.Q results (recognized by the LAS) and other attached documents, diploma, certifies are used as a guideline for partner university to recognize candidate’s qualification corresponding to the equivalent training programs in order to transfer to the final stage Capstone Projects to save time and cost. APEL.Q results from the LAS are not working certification, title recognition, diploma or equivalent documents.
• Partner university will award the degree for participants. The LAS will not award the degree, academic qualifications of any kind.
• Diploma issued by the LAS (if any) is a professional certifies, not academic qualification. It is used as a transition purpose to partner universities. The diploma issued by the LAS does not belong to the Ofqual system and is not allowed to transfer to other universities.
• Candidates are not allowed to use APEL.Q Assessment Report to transfer to other universities that do not belong to the partner university system or officially recognized university/institute by the LAS.
• After being recognized by the partner university, the candidate is now a formal student at the partner university and is admitted to the Capstone Projects stage. Candidates are obliged to comply with the provisions of the partner required during doing the Capstone Projects and other related obligations before and after the graduation. The LAS’s responsibilities will end once the candidates receive a confirmation letter which recognizes them as formal candidates from the partner university and participate in doing the Capstone Projects from the partner university and when the learner drop out of the APEL.Q process.
• Neither LAS nor the partner university undertakes anything that is not under their jurisdiction and decision-making right; is not responsible for the usage and the recognition of the diploma in the workplace and that country, job promotion, immigration opportunities, job opportunities, … after graduation.
• The LAS has the right to terminate APEL.Q results immediately without reimbursing any costs when the candidate violates the provisions signed before applying to the APEL.Q process.
• If candidates provide fake, false or inaccurate information in APEL.Q application, the LAS and partner university has the right to terminate the result (both APEL.Q result and awarded diploma if any). In this case, the LAS and partner university will not reimburse any costs, any additional fee (if any) of any kind. Candidates must be totally responsible for all risks and damages caused by those fake, false and inaccurate information.
• Partner university has the right to terminate the student conduct, do not issue diploma/degree or terminate issued diploma/degree if candidate violates the provisions signed, as well as violations of academic integrity during or after the study program and doing Capstone Projects stage.
• The LAS reserves the right to accept or not to accept candidates’ APEL.Q application.
• The conventional time for the whole procedure is 06 months, only guaranteed when candidates submit a complete application, Portfolios and ensure to complete the End-Point Assessment and Capstone Projects on time. Those who do not comply with the predetermined time frame will not receive a graduation confirmation letter and/or Diploma within 06 months. Candidates will receive a graduation confirmation letter within 01 month from the date of Capstone Projects result and the Diploma will be delivered to the authorized representative office in that country within 02 months. The time to receive a degree will depend on the issuance process, issuance time, printing time and delivery time of the university and express delivery company.
• The APEL.Q process tuition fee will exclude fees related to graduation ceremony (if any), diploma delivery fee and other additional fee that are not related to the APEL.Q process.
• APEL.Q registration fee is non-refundable in any circumstances.

Candidates are encouraged to check and research sufficient information from reliable sources before applying to the APEL.Q procedure from the LAS.

The London Academy of Sciences (LAS) and partner university will not commit as following:

• No commitment that participating in APEL.Q process is qualified and can take part in the program’s final stage from the partner university if candidates do not meet the standards and regulations.
• No commitment that participating in the final stage is able to get the degree/diploma if candidates do not meet the academic standards, financial obligations and related regulations from the partner university.
• No commitment about the degree/diploma usage process after the partner university issued, including the recognition in the workplace and the country where the degree is used.
• No commitment about immigration, job promotion, easy to get a job, student visa or tourism before/during/after graduation and get a diploma/degree.

The LAS and its partners do not commit to anything beyond their jurisdiction.