Sertifikaat

Sertifikaat is a term used in several languages to denote a certificate: a formal document or digital record that attests to the completion of requirements, qualification, authenticity, compliance, or ownership. It functions as proof issued by an authorized body — such as an educational institution, professional association, testing laboratory, certification body, or certification authority — and can be awarded for skills, achievements, product conformity, or identity verification.

Types of sertifikaat include academic and vocational certificates, professional certifications, product or system conformity certificates (e.g., safety and standards compliance), and digital certificates used in information security (e.g., public key infrastructure). Each type has specific criteria, scope, and validity periods; some are prerequisite for regulated work or industry practice, while others serve as supplementary credentials.

Issuance normally follows assessment, audit, examination, or inspection, and may involve renewal or recertification. Validation methods range from physical seals and signatures to registries, QR codes, and cryptographic verification for digital sertifikaadid. Legal and regulatory recognition varies by jurisdiction and certificate type; some confer legal rights or licensure, others are informal acknowledgments of completion.

Sertifikaat systems aim to provide trust, transparency, and standardized measures of competence, quality, or conformity. Their effectiveness depends on the credibility of issuing bodies, clear standards, and accessible mechanisms for verification and dispute resolution.