The 32 Qualiopi indicators explained in plain English

Understanding the Referentiel National Qualite

The Referentiel National Qualite (RNQ — National Quality Framework) is the foundation of Qualiopi certification. It is organized around 7 criteria, broken down into 32 indicators. Each indicator specifies a concrete requirement that your training organization must meet. This guide reviews every single one in plain language, with the expected evidence and practical advice.

Not all indicators apply to every organization. Some are specific to CFA (Centres de Formation d'Apprentis — apprenticeship training centers), skills assessment providers, or organizations offering VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Experience). Indicators that apply to all providers are clearly flagged.

Criterion 1 — Public information

This criterion verifies that your target audience has all the information needed to make an informed decision before enrolling in a training course.

Indicator 1 — Accessible information dissemination

What it means: you must make public the information about your services, your results, and your access timelines. This information must be easily accessible (website, catalog, social media).

Expected evidence:

• Website or catalog with complete training course pages
• Objectives, durations, prices, prerequisites, delivery methods listed
• Published performance indicators (satisfaction rates, pass rates)
• Access timelines mentioned

Tip: your training pages must be detailed and up to date. A vague program like "management training — 2 days" is insufficient. Specify the learning objectives, methods, assessment methods, and exact prices.

Indicator 2 — Performance indicators

What it means: you must publish performance indicators appropriate to your services and update them regularly.

Expected evidence:

• Satisfaction rate (immediate evaluations)
• Pass rate (if certifying)
• Professional integration rate (if qualifying)
• Number of learners trained
• Date the indicators were last updated

Tip: if you do not yet have data (new organization), state it clearly: "Indicators not available — first session." Honesty is better received than silence.

Indicator 3 — Certification results (if applicable)

What it means: if your training courses prepare for a certification, you must provide information on pass rates and options for partial validation.

Expected evidence:

• Certification pass rate
• Bridges and equivalences
• Possible follow-up pathways

Criterion 2 — Clear identification of service objectives

This criterion ensures that each training course has clear objectives and that the learning path is adapted to the learner's profile.

Indicator 4 — Needs analysis

What it means: before each training course, you must gather the learner's needs and profile to adapt the service.

Expected evidence:

• Needs assessment questionnaires
• Documented placement interviews
• Written exchanges (emails, forms)
• Job descriptions or employer requests

Tip: a simple online form with 5-6 targeted questions is sufficient. Systematically keep the responses — they will be requested during the audit.

Indicator 5 — Service objectives and content

What it means: learning objectives must be defined, measurable, and communicated to the learner before the course starts.

Expected evidence:

• Detailed programs with objectives formulated using action verbs (Bloom's taxonomy)
• Signed training agreements or contracts mentioning the objectives
• Session opening presentation materials

Tip: use precise action verbs. "Understand digital marketing" is not a measurable objective. "Create and optimize a Google Ads campaign independently" is.

Indicator 6 — Service content and delivery methods

What it means: you must formalize the training content, pedagogical methods, and resources used.

Expected evidence:

• Detailed pedagogical outline (hour-by-hour sequencing)
• Description of pedagogical methods used
• List of support materials and resources
• Delivery methods (face-to-face, remote, blended)

Indicator 7 — Content alignment (CFA and certifications)

Specific to CFA and certifying courses: content must align with the requirements of the targeted certification.

Indicator 8 — Entry-level assessment

What it means: you must assess the learner's level before the training to adapt the path if necessary.

Expected evidence:

• Placement tests (quizzes, MCQs, interviews)
• Documented results
• Evidence of course adaptation based on results

Tip: an online quiz of 10-15 questions before the course is sufficient in most cases. On OpenFormations, you can integrate a placement quiz directly into the learner journey — results are automatically recorded and available for the audit.

Criterion 3 — Adaptation to target audiences

This criterion checks that you account for the specific needs of each learner, particularly people with disabilities.

Indicator 9 — Information on delivery conditions

What it means: the learner must be informed of the delivery conditions before the training starts.

Expected evidence:

• Welcome email or convocation with practical information
• Welcome booklet
• Internal regulations communicated and signed
• Access details (location, schedule, login for e-learning)

Indicator 10 — Service adaptation and support

What it means: you must demonstrate that you adapt your services and support your learners (technical assistance, pedagogical follow-up, tutoring).

Expected evidence:

• Evidence of individualized support (emails, progress reports)
• Documented adaptations (pace, materials, delivery methods)
• Technical support system for e-learning
• Pedagogical office hours or tutoring

Indicator 11 — Objective achievement assessment

What it means: you must evaluate skill acquisition during and/or at the end of the training.

Expected evidence:

• Quizzes, MCQs, practical exercises, case studies
• Completed evaluation grids
• Results documented and communicated to the learner
• Training completion certificate specifying objectives achieved

Tip: integrate formative assessments throughout the course, not only at the end. Intermediate quizzes reinforce learning and provide continuous evidence.

Indicator 12 — Learner engagement and dropout prevention

What it means: you must implement measures to promote learner engagement and prevent dropouts.

Expected evidence:

• Procedure for following up with absent or behind-schedule learners
• Completion statistics
• Actions taken in cases of disengagement
• Documented follow-up interviews

Indicator 13 — Learning coordination (CFA)

Specific to CFA: coordination between center-based and workplace-based training.

Indicator 14 — Citizenship education (CFA)

Specific to CFA: activities promoting citizenship.

Criterion 4 — Adequacy of pedagogical, technical, and supervisory resources

Indicator 15 — Human and technical resources

What it means: you must have resources appropriate to your services (qualified trainers, premises, equipment, e-learning platform).

Expected evidence:

• List of trainers with qualifications
• Equipment and facilities inventory
• Screenshots or demonstration of the e-learning platform
• Room rental agreements if applicable

Indicator 16 — Instructor coordination

What it means: if multiple instructors participate in the same training, you must ensure their coordination.

Expected evidence:

• Documented coordination meetings
• Shared schedule
• Pedagogical briefs
• Information-sharing process between instructors

Indicator 17 — Pedagogical resources and materials

What it means: pedagogical resources must be accessible, up to date, and appropriate.

Expected evidence:

• List of resources provided
• Evidence of material accessibility (online, downloadable)
• Content update process
• Learner feedback on resources

Indicator 18 — Accessibility for people with disabilities

What it means: you must designate a disability officer (referent handicap) and demonstrate that you adapt your courses for people with disabilities.

Expected evidence:

• Name and contact details of the disability officer
• Procedure for welcoming people with disabilities
• Examples of adaptations made
• Partnerships with specialized organizations (Agefiph, Cap Emploi)

Tip: even if you have not yet welcomed a person with a disability, the procedure must exist. Document your capacity for adaptation and the contacts you can mobilize.

Criterion 5 — Instructor qualifications and professional development

Indicator 19 — Instructor competencies

What it means: you must verify and document the competencies of your instructors (internal and external).

Expected evidence:

• Up-to-date instructor CVs
• Diplomas and certifications
• Professional references
• Learner evaluations of instructors

Indicator 20 — Internal instructors or subcontractors (CFA)

Specific to CFA: supervision of apprenticeship mentors.

Indicator 21 — Instructor expertise

What it means: your instructors must be competent in their subject area AND in pedagogy.

Expected evidence:

• Documented subject-matter expertise
• Training-of-trainers certification or pedagogical experience
• Learner feedback on teaching quality

Indicator 22 — Instructor professional development

What it means: you must ensure the continuing education of your instructors.

Expected evidence:

• Professional development plan
• Certificates of training completed by instructors
• Conferences, trade shows, and webinars attended
• Documented pedagogical and technical monitoring

Tip: courses taken by your instructors serve double duty — they satisfy indicator 22 and feed your monitoring activities (criterion 6 indicators).

Criterion 6 — Engagement with the professional environment

Indicator 23 — Legal and regulatory monitoring

What it means: you must monitor legal and regulatory developments in your sector and in the training industry.

Expected evidence:

• Subscriptions to specialized newsletters
• Dated monitoring notes
• Reports of content updates following regulatory changes
• Concrete examples of how your courses were adapted

Indicator 24 — Pedagogical and technological innovation monitoring

What it means: you must follow pedagogical and technological innovations to evolve your methods.

Expected evidence:

• Attendance at trade shows, conferences, webinars
• Articles or publications read and documented
• New methods or tools integrated into your courses
• Regular benchmarking of market practices

Indicator 25 — Skills and profession evolution monitoring

What it means: you must track the evolution of professions and skills in your area of expertise.

Expected evidence:

• Sector studies reviewed
• Exchanges with industry professionals
• Program updates based on profession evolution
• Professional network participation

Indicator 26 — Actions supporting employment and integration

What it means: you must contribute to professional integration and employment, and mobilize public funding.

Expected evidence:

• Partnerships with employment organizations (France Travail, local employment centers)
• Listing on funding platforms (MonCompteFormation, OPCOs)
• Employment support integrated into training courses
• Connecting learners with employers

Indicator 27 — Disability monitoring and partnerships

What it means: you must stay informed on disability issues and maintain a network of partners.

Expected evidence:

• Contacts with Agefiph, Cap Emploi, MDPH
• Disability officer training
• Monitoring of disability-related regulatory changes

Indicator 28 — Regulatory compliance (CFA/certification)

Specific: compliance with professional certification requirements.

Criterion 7 — Collection and processing of feedback and complaints

Indicator 29 — Stakeholder feedback collection

What it means: you must collect feedback from all stakeholders — learners, funders, instructors, companies.

Expected evidence:

• Satisfaction surveys (immediate and delayed)
• Surveys of funders and companies
• Instructor feedback
• Results summary

Indicator 30 — Complaints handling

What it means: you must have a formalized complaints handling procedure for complaints and difficulties encountered.

Expected evidence:

• Written complaints management procedure
• Complaints register with tracking
• Evidence of processing (responses, corrective actions)
• Response time targets met

Tip: even if you have never received a complaint, the procedure must exist and be documented. Prepare an accessible complaint form and a ready-to-use register.

Indicator 31 — Continuous improvement measures

What it means: you must demonstrate that you use feedback and complaints to improve your services.

Expected evidence:

• Continuous improvement plan
• Corrective actions implemented
• Links between learner feedback and modifications made
• Management review or annual quality report

Indicator 32 — Improvement measures based on results analysis

What it means: you must analyze your performance indicators and derive concrete improvement actions from them.

Expected evidence:

• Analysis of satisfaction, pass, and completion rates
• Trends observed from one session to the next
• Actions taken based on analyses
• Evidence of corrective action effectiveness

Summary table

Cross-cutting advice for success

Adopt an evidence-based mindset

The auditor will not take your word for it. Every indicator must be supported by at least one piece of concrete evidence. Build the habit of documenting, dating, and archiving everything. A needs assessment email, a screenshot of your satisfaction scores, a meeting report — anything can serve as evidence.

Use tools that centralize compliance

Document fragmentation is the main stumbling block during an audit. If your attendance sheets are on Google Drive, your evaluations on Google Forms, your agreements buried in email folders, and your tracking on Excel, the auditor will struggle to verify consistency. A tool like OpenFormations centralizes all of these elements — attendance sheets, evaluations, certificates, agreements — in a single dashboard, considerably simplifying both preparation and the audit itself.

Do not confuse compliance with quality

Qualiopi compliance is a baseline. It guarantees that your processes are in place, documented, and applied. But genuine quality goes beyond that: it is measured by the transformation your learners experience, their lasting satisfaction, and the concrete impact of your training on their careers. Aim for quality, and compliance will follow naturally.

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