THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCREDITATION

Deciding on where to pursue your higher education degree can be a difficult task. There are thousands of schools to choose from worldwide. Some schools are more expensive and prestigious than others, while others may be less expensive and less prestigious, but better suited to your academic needs.

To know the differences and understand the suitability of a program to your needs, you need to first be able to evaluate the quality of the program and school. That is what accreditation is for. The three essential things to remember about accreditation are:

1. Accreditation is the evaluation tool used to ensure a high level of quality in higher education,
2. Accreditation is the process that gives public recognition to institutions that meet certain standards, and
3. Accreditation is the school’s mark of legitimacy.

In almost every country in the world, save for the United States, schools are accredited by the nation’s Ministry of Education. In the United States there is no Federal Ministry of Education. The U.S. Department of Education does require, however, that the Secretary of Education publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies. There are several private, non-profit accrediting agencies in the U.S. who have taken it upon themselves to assure the quality and standards of higher education. Like the Ministries of Education in the other nations of the world, they too issue certain requirements that a school must have before they can get accreditation.

Make sure that the school you are applying to is nationally accredited and recognized by the country, or in the case of the United States, by one of the main accrediting agencies. If it is not, there is probably a reason why it is not. Once you know the accrediting agency, go to its website to see its criteria and the other universities it sponsors.

1 - WORLDWIDE MINISTRIES OF EDUCATION

Most of the following sites are available in the native language and English, unless otherwise specified. When on the site look for the British flag or the word "English".

• EUROPE

Austria- www.bmbwk.gv.at
Belgium- www.restode.cfwb.be (French), www.flanders.be (English)
Bulgaria- www.minedu.government.bg
Croatia- www.mips.hr
Czech Republic- www.msmt.cz
Denmark- www.uvm.dk
Finland- www.minedu.fi
France- www.education.fr (French only)
Germany- www.bmbf.de (German only)
Greece- www.ypepth.gr
Hungary- www.om.hu
Ireland- www.irlgov.ie/educ
Italy- www.istruzione.it (Italian only)
Luxembourg- www.men.lu (French only)
Netherlands- www.minocw.nl, www.Nuffic.nl/gateway
Norway- http://odin.dep.no
Poland- www.men.waw.pl
Portugal- www.min-edu.pt (Portuguese only)
Romania- www.edu.ro (Romanian only)
Russia- www.ed.gov.ru (Russian only)
Slovenia- www.mss.edus.si
Spain- www.ince.mec.es
Sweden- http://utbildning.regeringen.se
Switzerland- http://edkwww.unibe.ch
United Kingdom- www.dfes.gov.uk

• NORTH AMERICA

Canada- www.edu.gov.on.ca
Mexico- www.edumexico.org, www.sep.gob.mx (Spanish only)
United States- www.ed.gov , see private agencies below(by subject)
Art, Design, Dance, Music & Theater- www.arts-accredit.org
Business and Business Management- www.acics.ogr
Dental- www.ada.org
Distance Education & Training- www.detc.org
Law- www.abanet-org/legaled/
Liberal Education- www.aale.org
Medicine- www.ama-assn.org or www.lcme.org
Nuclear Medicine Technology- www.jrcnmt.org
Nursing- www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation/index.htm
Pharmacy- www.acpe-accredit-org
Physical Therapy- www.apta.org
Psychology- www.apa.org/ed/accred.htm
Public Health- www.ceph.org
Theology- www.abs.edu
Veterinary Medicine- www.avma.org

• SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina- www.mcye.gov.ar (Spanish only)
Brazil- www.mec.gov.br (Portuguese only)
Chile- www.mineduc.cl (Spanish only)
Colombia- www.mineducacion.gov.co (Spanish only)
Costa Rica- www.mep.go.cr (Spanish only)
Peru- www.minedu.gov.pe (Spanish only)
Venezuela- www.me.gov.ve (Spanish only)

• MIDDLE EAST

Bahrain- www.education.gov-bh
Egypt- www.emoe.org
Israel- wwwl.education.gov.il
Jordan- www.moe.gov.jo
Turkey- www.yok.gov.tr
United Arab Emirates- http://education.gov.ae

• AFRICA

Algeria- www.meducation.edu.dz (French only)
Botswana- www.ibis.bw/~cde
Ghana- www.ghana.edu.gh
Ivory Coast- www.refer.org/ivoir_ct (French only)
Kenya- www.kenyaweb.com/educ
Morocco- www.mincom.gov.ma
Mozambique- www.mined.gov.mz (Portuguese only)
Namibia- www.nied.edu.na
Senegal- www.education.gouv.sn
South Africa- www.deetya.gov.au, www.saqa.org.za
ADEA(Association for the Development of Education in Africa)- www.adeanet.org

• ASIA

China- www.edu.cn/english/index
Hong Kong- www.ed.gov.hk
India- www.education.nic.in
Indonesia- www.pdk.go.id (Indonesian only)
Japan- www.mext.go.ip/english
Korea- www.moe.go.kr/english
Malaysia- www.moe.gov.my
Singapore- wwwl.moe.edu.sg
Thailand- www.moe.go.th

• OCEANIA

Australia- www.deetya.gov.au, www.aei.detya.gov.au
New Zealand- www.minedu.govt.nz, www.edgazette.govt.nz

2 - Business and Business Management Accrediting Agencies

There are various accreditation agencies in the world. They are usually voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organizations whose principal goal is to assure the quality and standards of higher education. They issue certain requirements that a school must have before they can get accreditation.

www.mba.org.uk - AMBA (Association of MBAs); UK and Europe

www.efmd.be - EFMD (The European Foundation for Management Development), and EQUIS (The European Quality Improvement System)

www.the-abs.org.uk - ABS (Association of Business Schools); UK

www.gsm.mq.edu.au/anzam - ANZAM (Australian/New Zealand Academy of Management)

www.cfbsd.ca - CFBSD (Canadian Federation of Business School Deans)

www.iab.almaty.kz/caman - CAMAN (Central Asian Foundation for Management Development)

http://mbassp.bus.utexas.edu - MBA SSP (Student Services Professionals); North America

www.iie.org - IIE (Institute of International Education); international

www.mbacsc.org - MBA CSC (Career Services Council); international

www.du.edu/dcb/MBA-Roundtable - MBA Roundtable; international

www.iabs.net - IABS (International Association for Business and Society); international

www.aacsb.edu - AACSB (Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business); international

3- OTHER USEFUL SITES

www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/bchome.htm - US News; best graduate schools in the U.S.A. (rankings)

www.businessweek.com/bschools/98/index.htm - Business Week; best business schools in the U.S.A. (rankings)

www.petersons.com/mba - Petersons.com Search

www.thembatour.com - Recruiting site for prospective MBA students

www.asgs.org - ASGS (Association for Support of Graduate Students)

(Sources- www.ibe.unesco.org, www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/accreditation, www.gmac.org)