Abstract: the Forum International Resources The concept of accreditation can be very foreign to people who are not familiar with the U.S. system of education. In many countries, the Ministry of Education recognizes institutions of higher education, and accreditation does not exist. However, even in the most regulated of countries, this system is changing due to the rise of private universities and the world-wide demand for higher education. What does accreditation mean in the United States? In the United States, accreditation is a voluntary process, but is essential for a number of reasons. by a regional accrediting agency means that students may receive federal government financial support through loans and other means. Those who graduate from regionally accredited institutions are eligible to continue on to graduate study at prestigious institutions. Americans generally accept accreditation as a means of validating a specific educational institution. Accreditation is a means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community. The accrediting process is intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). It is a process by which a group of educational institutions establish criteria for the assessment of the quality of degree programs or institutions. When a school or educational program is accredited, it says that the institution has met quality standards established by a peer group. The two major types of accreditation are and specialized or professional accreditation. There are six major institutional, regional accrediting agencies in the United States, which are responsible for different geographic areas of the country. They are the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). Also, the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges should be included in this list, as these are commissions within the six organizations. The addresses for these organizations are included at the end of this article. The accredited colleges and universities in each region make up the membership of the regional accrediting agencies. How do colleges get accredited? Before an institution can even apply, it must show that it has met certain conditions for eligibility. Among other requirements, it must show that it has sufficient financial resources, physical facilities, library facilities, faculty, academic programs, and student services. It must have a charter, a mission statement, and a governing board. Each of the regional accrediting agencies has a Commission, such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Colleges and schools must apply to the Commission. This is a two-step process: first, an institution completes a self-study of its own academic programs and submits the self-study to the Commission; second, the Commission sends a team of evaluators to the school to review the institution. If the Commission approves, the school is accredited. The team of evaluators issues a report to the school, and the institution has the opportunity to respond to the report. The Commission reviews all the documents submitted to it. While this is a very truncated version of the accreditation process, which can take years, the entire process is designed to improve the quality of education. Colleges and universities, at least in the Middle States area, are generally evaluated every five years, with a comprehensive evaluation every ten years. While colleges and universities in the United States are not ranked as to quality, an institution can lose its accreditation if it does not continue to meet the requirements of the Commission. …
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
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