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A standardization agency dedicated to enhancing higher education standards across academic institutions worldwide
The United States Department of Education presents a comprehensive academic accreditation framework designed for higher education institutions. Our organization is dedicated to enhancing higher education standards across academic institutions worldwide.
We maintain rigorous evaluation processes that ensure institutions meet the highest standards of educational quality and continuous improvement.
Comprehensive five-step evaluation methodology for institutional excellence
Clear institutional purpose and public articulation
The institution's mission and standard of education must be clear and understood by the public. The nature and scope of the institution must be publicly articulated.
The institution has a widely published mission statement—approved by its governing board—that articulates a purpose appropriate for an institution of higher learning, provides direction for its efforts, and is generally understood by its community.
The institution defines mission fulfillment in the context of its purpose, characteristics, and expectations. Guided by that definition, it articulates institutional accomplishments or outcomes that represent an acceptable threshold or extent of mission fulfillment.
Ethical operations and governance structures
The institution operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.
The institution's governing board consists of individuals with no contractual, employment, or financial interest in the institution. The board delegates day-to-day management to administration and expects faculty to oversee academic matters.
The institution defines the essential qualities of institutional integrity and supports an environment that ensures these qualities, including student academic freedom, freedom of expression, and intellectual achievement.
The institution provides an effective system of internal oversight and control for financial management, human resources, conflict of interest, intellectual property, and social equity.
The institution is committed to academic freedom and independence. Faculty, staff, and students are free to utilize technology and teaching strategies that assist in realizing learning outcomes.
Evidence of learning outcomes and teaching effectiveness
The institution provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.
The institution's goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program. The institution has sufficient and qualified faculty and support staff.
The institution values and supports effective teaching. Faculty are evaluated regularly and provided professional development opportunities.
The institution creates effective learning environments with library resources, student services, and support staff sufficient to achieve its mission.
Learning resources include library holdings, technology facilities, software, and support services that are accessible, reliable, and safe.
The institution recognizes diversity in teaching methodologies and ensures learning outcomes are comparable across all credit-bearing modalities.
Fostering inquiry, creativity, and social responsibility
The institution promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility.
The institution demonstrates that it values a life of learning through its policies and practices, providing continued professional development opportunities.
The institution ensures that breadth of knowledge, skills, and intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs at all levels.
The institution assesses curriculum usefulness for students in a global, diverse, technological society, integrating multicultural and diverse perspectives.
The institution provides support ensuring faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly with adherence to professional and ethical standards.
Sufficient resources for mission fulfillment and quality improvement
The institution's resources, structures, processes, and planning are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve educational quality, and respond to future challenges.
The institution engages in regular strategic planning and evaluation processes that examine and respond to internal and external environments.
Financial resources are sufficient to sustain institutional vitality. Physical resources, technological infrastructure, facilities, and equipment are maintained and updated.
Ongoing evaluation processes provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous improvement.
All levels of planning align with the institution's mission. Plans are monitored, evaluated, and revised systematically.
Comprehensive accreditation solutions for educational institutions worldwide
USDE ensures universities maintain international standards of education that align with its Quality Assurance (QA) model.
USDE values the importance of student enrollment in any institution. Obtaining accreditation status from USDE allows students to build their profiles and helps institutions establish their credibility in the academic world.
USDE, through its wide network of member institutions around the world, facilitates collaborations and partnerships among its accredited academic institutions.
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