Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance Two key principles characterise QA: "fit for purpose" and "right first time" (mistakes should be eliminated). QA includes regulation of the quality of raw materials, assemblies, products and components; services related to production; and management, production and inspection processes process under which services and operations of an educational institution or program are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by the agency.

In most countries in the world, the function of educational accreditation Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited certification bodies". The accreditation process ensures that their certification practices are acceptable, typically meaning that they are is conducted by a government organization, such as a ministry of education. In the United States ^ b. English is the de facto language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language, however, the quality assurance process is independent of government and performed by private membership associations.[1]

Contents

Canada

In Canada most universities are operated by the provincial governments The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country. There are ten provinces and three territories in all. The major difference between a Canadian province and a territory is that provinces are jurisdictions that receive their power and authority directly from the Constitution Act, 1867, whereas for their respective provinces. There is no institutional accreditation in Canada. Membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada along with the provincial charter is considered de facto accreditation for not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges.[2][3]

Germany

The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz The Kultusministerkonferenz is the assembly of ministers for education of each Bundesland state in Germany. The body is not part of the federal government however its directives effectively constitute nationwide law or KMK) was founded in 1948 by an agreement between the states of the Federal Republic of Germany Germany is made up of sixteen Länder , generally referred to in English as states. In official English translations, the term "land" is commonly used. A Land (colloquially but rarely in a legal context also called Bundesland, for "federal state") is one of the partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of.[4] Among its core responsibilities, the KMK ensures quality development and continuity in tertiary education Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school, or gymnasium. Higher education is taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate.[5] Bachelor A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . The term's origin in this sense dates from 1385, Middle English and Master A master's degree is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. Within the area studied, graduates possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, programs must be accredited in accordance to a resolution of the Kultusministerkonerenz.[6]

The German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat The Wissenschaftsrat is an advisory body to the German Federal Government and the state (Länder) governments. It makes recommendations on the development of science, research, and the universities, as well as on the competitiveness of German science. These recommendations involve both quantitative and financial considerations, as well as their) was founded on September 5, 1957, and conducts institutional accreditation of private and religious universities since 2001.[7]

The Foundation for the Accreditation of Study Programs in Germany or Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat) was created in a KMK resolution on October 15, 2004.[8] The Accreditation Council certifies accreditation agencies and establishes guidelines and criteria for program accreditation.[9] There are currently seven certified agencies.[10]

These agencies accredit programs of study for Bachelor and Master degrees from state or state recognized Higher Education Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided at academies, universities, colleges, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and certain other collegiate-level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools, and career colleges, that award academic degrees or institutions in Germany.[11]

Hong Kong

Main article: Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications

The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualificati is appointed by the Secretary for Education of Education Bureau as the Accreditation Authority and QR Authority under the Qualifications Framework of Hong Kong (HKQF).

Assessment is made with reference to local and internationally recognised standards through a process of peer review. The HKCAAVQ will issue an accreditation report on the outcome of the accreditation activity.

India

Accreditation is compulsory for all universities in India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the except those created through an act of Parliament. Without accreditation, "It is emphasized that these fake institutions have no legal entity to call themselves as University/Vishwvidyalaya and to award ‘degrees’ which are not treated as valid for academic/employment purposes."[12] The University Grants Commission Act (1956) explains,

"the right of conferring or granting degrees shall be exercised only by a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, or a State Act, or an Institution deemed to be University or an institution specially empowered by an Act of the Parliament to confer or grant degrees. Thus, any institution which has not been created by an enactment of Parliament or a State Legislature or has not been granted the status of a Deemed-to-be-University, is not entitled to award a degree."[12]

Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised universities and colleges. Its headquarters are in New.[12]

Ireland

Legitimate higher education qualifications in Ireland are placed on, or formally aligned, with the National Framework of Qualifications. This framework was established by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland or NQAI was set up under the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act, 1999 to develop and promote the implementation of a National Framework of Qualifications across education and training in Ireland in accordance with the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act (1999). It is illegal under the Universities Act (1997) for any body offering higher education services to use the term "university" without the permission of the Minister for Education and Science. It is likewise illegal under the Institutes of Technologies Acts (1992–2006) to use the term "institute of technology" or "regional technology college" without permission.

Israel

Main article: Council for Higher Education in Israel

The Council for Higher Education is, by a 1958 law,[13] the only institution qualified to accredit universities and colleges in Israel. The council acts as a reviewer of the activity of the academic centers in Israel and sets terms and requirements for every degree given.

Malaysia

Main article: Malaysian Qualifications Agency

Accreditation was done by the Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (English English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into South-East Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria. Following the economic, political, military, scientific, cultural, and colonial influence of Great Britain and the United Kingdom from the 18th century, and of: National Accreditation Board), a statutory body created through an act of Parliament, for certificates, diplomas and degree courses provided by private higher educational institutions (defined as institutions providing tertiary or post-secondary Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided at academies, universities, colleges, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and certain other collegiate-level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools, and career colleges, that award academic degrees or education) until 2007 when the body was replaced with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.

Prior to the enactment of the legislations that provided for the establishment of these bodies, no specific framework for accreditation existed and institutions only required a valid registration status from the Ministry of Education of Malaysia.

Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium)

The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) is a binational organization formed by treaty A treaty is an agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as: agreement, protocol, covenant, convention, exchange of letters, etc. Regardless of the terminology, all of these international agreements under international law are in 2003 to independently ensure the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders by assessing and accrediting programs. As a result of separate legislation in the two jurisdictions, accreditation policies and procedures differ between the two countries.[14]

Portugal

Main article: Higher education in Portugal Higher education in Portugal is divided into two main subsystems: university and polytechnic education. It is provided in autonomous public universities, private universities, public or private university institutes, polytechnic institutions and higher education institutions of other types. Higher education in state-run educational establishments

The Portuguese Agência de Acreditação (state-managed Accreditation Agency) for higher education is, since 2007, responsible for the publication of the national ranking of higher education institutions and degrees.

Within the Bologna process The purpose of the Bologna Process is to create the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It is named after the place it was proposed, the University of Bologna in the Italian city of a state agency was set up by the Portuguese Government Politics in Portugal take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The President of the Republic is the head of state and has several significant political powers, which he exercises often. Executive power is exercised by the to offer central and regulated accreditation. Previously, Portugal had used a system of professional accreditation and degree recognition by sector, with a number of associations, Unions and Professional Orders (Ordens Profissionais): the Ordem dos Médicos (for medical doctors A physician—also known as doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor—practices the ancient profession of medicine, which is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury. This properly requires both a detailed knowledge of the academic disciplines underlying), the Ordem dos Engenheiros The Ordem dos Engenheiros is the regulatory and licensing body for the engineer profession in Portugal. It is headquartered in Lisbon, and has several regional branches in other Portuguese cities (for engineers An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to design and develop solutions for technological systems problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, safety and cost. The word), and the Ordem dos Advogados (for lawyers A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political and social authority, and deliver).

The Sindicato dos Engenheiros Técnicos (for technical engineers), was created as the professional association of technical engineers, who were not full chartered engineers, having as mandatory qualification a simple short-cycle 3-year bachelor degree (bacharelato) awarded by the Portuguese polytechnical institutes and now discontinued since the mid-2000s.

The Associação de Técnicos de Contas (for accounting technicians Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually performed by an accountant. The accountant creates reports from), the Câmara de Revisores Oficiais de Contas (for financial auditors A financial audit, or more accurately, an audit of financial statements, is the review of the financial statements of a company or any other legal entity , resulting in the publication of an independent opinion on whether or not those financial statements are relevant, accurate, complete, and fairly presented. Financial audits are typically, similar to Chartered Accountants), and the Sindicato dos Enfermeiros (for nurses A nurse is a healthcare professional who, in collaboration with other members of a health care team, is responsible for: treatment, safety, and recovery of acutely or chronically ill individuals; health promotion and maintenance within families, communities and populations; and, treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide range of health) are examples of organizations which were oriented towards professions that at least until the 1990s did not demand a specific academic degree A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education. Such as with other professions, teaching in universities is only carried out by people who are properly qualified. In the same way that a carpenter would pass through the grades of apprentice and journeyman to attain the status of master carpenter when. For example, to be member of the Câmara de Revisores Oficiais de Contas (for financial auditors A financial audit, or more accurately, an audit of financial statements, is the review of the financial statements of a company or any other legal entity , resulting in the publication of an independent opinion on whether or not those financial statements are relevant, accurate, complete, and fairly presented. Financial audits are typically), candidats needed to have two years of experience and must have a degree in a range of possible area (Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Accounting or Law). Like in other similar international associations (Chartered Accountant Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries (1854) and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants (1867) were each granted a royal charter almost from their inception. The title is an), the Câmara de Revisores Oficiais de Contas have very selective examinations.

Some organizations (starting as Associations or Unions) were upgraded later into Ordens like, for example, the Ordem dos Farmacêuticos (for pharmacists Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the science of pharmacy. In their traditional role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a prescribing health care provider in the form of a medical prescription, evaluate the appropriateness of the prescription, dispense the medication to the patient and counsel them on the), the Ordem dos Arquitectos (for architects An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings, and is licensed to practice architecture. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings,), the Ordem dos Biólogos (for biologists A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work. Biologist involved in applied research attempt to develop), the Ordem dos Economistas (for economists An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this field there are many sub-fields, ranging from the broad philosophical theories to the focused study of minutiae within specific markets,), the Ordem dos Enfermeiros (for nurses A nurse is a healthcare professional who, in collaboration with other members of a health care team, is responsible for: treatment, safety, and recovery of acutely or chronically ill individuals; health promotion and maintenance within families, communities and populations; and, treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide range of health), and the Ordem dos Revisores Oficiais de Contas (for Chartered Accountants Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries (1854) and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants (1867) were each granted a royal charter almost from their inception. The title is an and financial auditors A financial audit, or more accurately, an audit of financial statements, is the review of the financial statements of a company or any other legal entity , resulting in the publication of an independent opinion on whether or not those financial statements are relevant, accurate, complete, and fairly presented. Financial audits are typically). In addition, the state through the ministry for higher education, has usually been the central highest accreditation entity, and thus it is illegal to award degrees without government approval.

For many years, there were state-accredited institutions, both public and private, awarding unaccredited degrees by the Ordens. This dubious situation changed in the mid-2000s with the deep reorganization imposed by the Bologna process The purpose of the Bologna Process is to create the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It is named after the place it was proposed, the University of Bologna in the Italian city of implementation in Portugal, the creation of the new central state-managed Accreditation Agency and the foundation of many regulated new Ordens covering dozens of professions until then unregulated by this type of professional organization.

In 1999, over 15,000 students enrolled in Portuguese higher learning institutions and newly graduates in the fields of engineering and architecture, were enrolled or were awarded a degree in a non-accredited course. Those students and graduates with no official recognition were not admitted to any Ordem and were unable to develop professional activity in their presumed field of expertise (e.g. architect; chemical, electrical, or civil/structural engineer; lawyer; accountant; and financial auditor, among other professionals). At the same time, only one accredited engineering course was offered by a private university, and over 90% of the accredited courses with recognition in the fields of engineering, architecture, and law were exclusively provided by state-run universities.[15]

In 2007, the compulsory closing of some problematic and unreliable private higher education institutions (like the defunct Independente University and the Moderna University) which in general had been accredited by the state during the boom of private teaching of the 1990s, but usually without providing any accredited degrees in accordance with the requirements of the main Ordens was seen as a remedy of last resort in order to prevent a further loss of credibility among some sectors within the non-public university higher education.[16]

Russia

In Russia accreditation/ national recognition is directly overseen by the Education Ministry of Russia.[17] Since 1981, Russia has followed the UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of international regulations to ensure Russian institutions and international institutions meet high quality standards. It is illegal for a school to operate without government approval.

The Russian Federation has a two-step recognition system:[citation needed]

  1. License
  2. Accreditation.

South Korea

It is illegal to falsely claim a degree in South Korea if it does not meet accredited approval. For example, in March 2006 prosecutors in Seoul "broken up a crime ring selling bogus music diplomas from Russia, which helped many land university jobs and seats in orchestras."[18] People who falsely used these degrees were criminally charged.

United Kingdom

In the UK it is illegal to offer a qualification that is or might seem to be UK degree unless the awarding body is recognised by the Secretary of State, a Royal Charter or Act of Parliament to grant degrees.[19] Prosecutions under the Education Reform Act are rare, as many unaccredited awarding bodies are based outside UK jurisdiction. It is also worth noting in this context that the Business Names Act 1985 made it an offence for any business in the UK to use the word "university" in its name without the formal approval of the Privy Council Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Its members are largely senior politicians, who were or are members of either the House of Commons or House of Lords of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.[20]

Private higher (HE) and further education (FE) institutions (here distinguished from the qualifications that they offer) are unregulated, but may choose to become accredited by various non-regulatory bodies such as the British Accreditation Council or the British Council The British Council is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation based in the United Kingdom which specialises in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is a non-departmental public body, a public corporation incorporated by royal charter, and is registered as a charity in England and Accreditation Service for International Colleges in order to demonstrate third-party assessment of the quality of education they offer. The Universities Funding Council, and Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council established in the UK under the 1988 Education Reform Act[21] have responsibility for the public funding of the FE and HE sector.

Prosecutions under legislation other than the Education Reform Act 1988 do occur. In 2004, Thames Valley College in London was prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act for offering degrees from the 'University of North America', a limited liability company A limited liability company or, more rarely, a company with limited liability (WLL), is a flexible form of business enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of business company, in the law of the vast majority of United States jurisdictions, that provides limited liability to its owners. Often set up by themselves in the US with no academic staff and no premises other than a mail forwarding service.[22] (Note that this organization differs from the current University of North America, a non-accredited institution.[23])

United States

A school does not necessarily need to be accredited to operate in the United States.[citation needed] The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a United States organization of degree-granting colleges and universities. It identifies its purposes to include providing national advocacy for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation and providing scrutiny and certification of the quality of higher education accrediting (CHEA) (a non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted, non-governmental organization created by natural or legal persons with no participation or representation of any government. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from) both recognize reputable accrediting bodies for institutions of higher education Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided at academies, universities, colleges, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and certain other collegiate-level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools, and career colleges, that award academic degrees or and provide guidelines as well as resources and relevant data regarding these accreditors. Neither the U.S. Department of Education nor CHEA accredit individual institutions.[24] Since 2001, the use of the Internet domain name A domain name is an identification label that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control on the Internet, based on the Domain Name System extension .edu The domain name .edu is a sponsored top-level domain in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Its name is derived from education, indicating its intended use as a name space for educational institutions, primarily those in the United States. Although not officially mandated for much of the domain's existence, in practice it has been used has been restricted to accredited institutions, but non-qualifying institutions can still use .edu domain names obtained before the current rules came into force.[25]

In the United States, educational accreditation has long been established as a peer review Peer review is a generic term that is used to describe a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals with the related field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance, and provide credibility process coordinated by accreditation commissions and member institutions. The federal government began to play a limited role in accreditation in 1952 with reauthorization of the GI Bill The G.I. Bill was an omnibus bill that provided college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. It also provided many different types of loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses. Since the original act, the term has come to for Korean War The Korean War was a military conflict between the Republic of Korea, supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and People's Republic of China (PRC), with air support from the Soviet Union. The war began on 25 June 1950 and an armistice was signed on 27 July 1953. The war was a result of the political division veterans. The original GI Bill legislation had stimulated establishment of new colleges and universities to accommodate the influx of new students; but some of these new institutions were of dubious quality. The 1952 legislation designated the existing peer review process as the basis for measuring institutional quality; GI Bill eligibility was limited to students enrolled at accredited institutions included on a list of federally recognized accredited institutions published by the U.S. Commissioner of Education.[26]

With the creation of the U.S. Department of Education and under the terms of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, the U.S. Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary has determined to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. There is no similar federal government list of recognized accreditation agencies for primary or secondary schools. There is wide variation among the individual states in the requirements applied to non-public primary and secondary schools.[27][28]

Regional accreditors

Main article: Regional accreditation

There are six regional accreditors. They accredit (and therefore include among their membership) nearly all elementary schools, junior high schools, middle schools, high schools, and public and private institutions of higher education that are academic in nature.[citation needed]

National accreditors

Main article: List of recognized accreditation associations of higher learning#National accreditation

There are 52 recognized national accrediting bodies.[29] National accreditors get their name from their common policy of accrediting schools nationwide or even worldwide. Requirements for accreditation vary from each national accreditor according to the specialty. In general terms, the national accreditors accredit post-secondary programs that are vocational, technical and career in nature. Some of these programs offer degrees and some only certificates.

Five of these bodies are listed by the Department of Education as general in nature and national in scope. These are[30]

Regional versus national accreditation

Regionally accredited schools are predominantly academically oriented, non-profit institutions.[31][32] Nationally accredited schools are predominantly for-profit and offer vocational, career or technical programs.[31][32] Every college has the right to set standards and refuse to accept transfer credits. However, if a student has gone to a nationally accredited school it may be particularly difficult to transfer credits (or even credit for a degree earned) if he or she then applies to a regionally accredited college.[citation needed] Some regionally accredited colleges have general policies against accepting any credits from nationally accredited schools, others are reluctant to because regional schools feel that national schools' academic standards are lower than their own or they are unfamiliar with the particular school.[31][32][33][34] There have been lawsuits regarding nationally accredited schools who led prospective students to believe that they would have no problem transferring their credits to regionally accredited schools.[35][36][37] The U.S. Department of Education has stated, however, that its criteria for recognition of accreditors "do not differentiate between types of accrediting agencies, so the recognition granted to all types of accrediting agencies — regional, institutional, specialized, and programmatic — is identical." However the same letter states that "the specific scope of recognition varies according to the type of agency recognized."[38]

Specialized and professional accreditors

Specialized and professional accreditors are recognized as reputable by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Best practices are shared and developed through affiliation with the Association of Professional and Specialized Accreditors.[39] The more visible specialized and professional accreditors include the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, the American Bar Association (whose accreditation is a prerequisite to sitting for the bar exam in the vast majority of states, the most notable exception being California), the National Architectural Accrediting Board (whose accreditation is a prerequisite to sitting for the architectural licensing exams in most states), the Association of American Medical Colleges for medical schools, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for business schools, the American Veterinary Medical Association for schools of veterinary medicine, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology for engineering schools, the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation automotive schools, and HVAC Excellence for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) programs.

Religious accreditors

Religious schools may seek regional accreditation or a secular national accreditation, or they have the option of four different specialized agencies, which include

These groups specialize in accrediting theological and religious schools including seminaries and graduate schools of theology, as well as broader-scope universities that teach from a religious viewpoint and may require students and/or faculty to subscribe to a Statement of Faith.

Several U.S. states allow exemption from accreditation for certain religious schools.[40][clarification needed] This means that religious schools can grant legal degrees (doctoral degrees, bachelor's degrees etc.) to students, without government oversight.[citation needed] Religious exempt degrees are often used in a religious, and not a secular, context.[citation needed] In certain US states it is illegal to include religious-exempt degrees on resumes, letterheads, business cards, advertisements and announcements.[41][42][clarification needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dr. Marjorie Peace Lenn, Global Trends in Quality Assurance in Higher Education, World Education News & Reviews, v. 5, no. 2, Spring 1992, pages 1 and 21
  2. ^ Degree Accreditation in Canada
  3. ^ About AUCC: Membership
  4. ^ Standing Conference of the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, Foundation and Composition
  5. ^ Standing Conference of the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, Qualitätssicherung im Hochschulbereich
  6. ^ Kultusministerkonferenz. Ländergemeinsame Strukturvorgaben gemäß § 9 Abs. 2 HRG für die Akkreditierung von Bachelor- und Masterstudiengängen. October 10, 2003, amended September 18, 2008
  7. ^ Council of Sciences and Humanities, Function
  8. ^ Resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministeries of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany of December 16, 2004. Agreement on the Foundation "Foundation: Accreditation of Study Courses in Germany."
  9. ^ Accreditation Council, Mission Statement
  10. ^ Accreditation Council, Accreditation Agencies
  11. ^ Accreditation Council, Accreditation of Programs
  12. ^ a b c Higher Education
  13. ^ http://www.moit.gov.il/NR/exeres/23EF518B-39A3-4365-A9E3-A9D600E509BA.htm
  14. ^ Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders official website
  15. ^ 15 mil alunos frequentam cursos não reconhecidos - Expresso (Nº1382), 24 April 1999, accessed December 2006 (in Portuguese)
  16. ^ (Portuguese) Pedro Sousa Tavares, Governo desencadeia saneamento das privadas, Diário de Notícias (26 May 2007)
  17. ^ NIC ARaM of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation
  18. ^ [1]
  19. ^ The Education Reform Act 1988, section 214 (Unrecognised degrees)
  20. ^ Evidence given by Charles Clarke, then Secretary of State for Education and Skills MP, to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and Skills, 7 July 2004
  21. ^ 1988 Education Reform Act sections 132 and 133
  22. ^ Alex Thompson, 2004. College fined £1,000. East End Life 29/11/04, Tower Hamlets Council.
  23. ^ "Private & Out-of-State Colleges & Universities Certified to Operate in Virginia". State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. http://www.schev.edu/Students/PrivateCollegeList.asp. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  24. ^ U.S. Department of Education, Accreditation in the United States
  25. ^ ".edu Internet Addresses", Diploma Mills and Accreditation - Diploma Mills, United States Department of Education, http://www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/diploma-mills.html, retrieved 2010-02-19
  26. ^ "Recognition of Accreditation Organizations: A Comparison of Policy & Practice of Voluntary Accreditation and The United States Department of Education". CHEA. January 1998. http://www.chea.org/pdf/RecognitionWellman_Jan1998.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  27. ^ U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private Schools, June 2000.
  28. ^ College Review Journal, Complete List of National Accrediting Agencies.
  29. ^ Accreditation Search from the United States Department of Education
  30. ^ 'Accreditation in the United States', United States Department of Education website
  31. ^ a b c Types of Accreditation, Education USA website
  32. ^ a b c What is the Difference Between Regional and National Accreditation, Yahoo! Education website
  33. ^ Demanding Credit, Inside Higher Education website, dated October 19, 2005 by Scott Jaschik
  34. ^ Tussling Over Transfer of Credit, Inside Higher Education website, February 26, 2007 by Doug Lederman
  35. ^ Student Takes on College and Wins, Seattle Times, February 24, 2006 by Emily Heffter and Nick Perry
  36. ^ Bad Education Orlando Weekly, April 14, 2005, by Jeffrey C. Billman
  37. ^ A Battle Over Standards At For-Profit Colleges, Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2005 by John Hechinger
  38. ^ Carol Griffiths, US Department of Education Office of Post Secondary Education, letter dated August 30, 2007
  39. ^ Association of Professional and Specialized Accreditors
  40. ^ Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization (ODA): Religious Exempt Schools
  41. ^ ODA: Frequently Asked Questions
  42. ^ ISOM Graduates May Receive an Associate, Bachelor or Master’s Degree from Christian Leadership University

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County school board incumbents hope to keep seats - Lexington Dispatch
Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:07:01 GMT+00:00
board incumbents hope to keep seats Lexington Dispatch The accreditation provides a national protocol for school districts committed to systemic, systematic and sustainable continuous improvement. ... County school board set to OK administrative positions, local budget Lexington Dispatch
Google News Search: School accreditation,
Fri Jul 23 21:52:53 2010
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