Education accrediting bodies around the world

Accreditation in the United States

In the U.S., higher education providers are accredited by six regional bodies that are recognized by the US Department of Education. In some fields (such as nursing) there are professional organizations that accredit the actual department, school or program.

Check the U.S. Department of Education website for accredited US agencies .

In the USA there are also Specialized and Professional Accrediting bodies, accrediting programs such as MBAs or Engineering degrees.

To view a list of these bodies, go to the Council of Higher Education Accreditation website (US).

Accreditation in Canada

The provinces and territories are responsible for all levels of education including universities. There's no federal ministry of education or formal accreditation system. Instead, membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, coupled with the university's provincial government charter, is generally deemed the equivalent. Currently, there are currently 92 universities with membership in AUCC .

There are also a range of Professional bodies providing accreditation in specialist areas.

Accreditation in the United Kingdom

In general, if a distance learning course or degree is offered by a UK University or College, you should be confident of its high quality. Have a look at the UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admission Service) for a listing of all UK universities and colleges.

The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council is the 'guardian of quality in open and distance learning'. They accredit 16,000 courses, mostly in the UK. They were set up by the UK government in 1969 but have since become an independent charity, although they still receive limited funding from the British government. Visit their site for information about accredited training providers.

The Association of MBAs is the official body accrediting MBAs in the UK, Europe and in many other countries. Be aware that they accredit actual MBAs, not the institute or business school itself. Visit their website to find accredited Distance Learning MBAs.

Accreditation in Australia

The Australian government has a comprehensive quality assurance system protecting students within Australia. Where an Australian university offers courses at an offshore campus or through an agent, the institution will be expected to maintain standards at least equivalent to those provided in Australia and carry full responsibility for all aspects of delivery. However, Australian Government quality assurance measures don’t extend to students outside of Australia.

In Australia, the university providers of Distance Learning are self-accrediting, as explained on the Australian Qualifications Framework website and below.

The term 'university' is protected by legislation in Australia. Universities are established by State or Territory legislation following a detailed assessment of their academic and financial credentials.

Universities in Australia are 'self-accrediting'; that is, they are authorised to accredit their own courses and are responsible for their academic standards. They must have appropriate quality assurance processes in place, including peer assessment processes, external examination of higher degrees and the involvement of professional bodies in the accreditation of particular courses. Reflecting particular historical circumstances, there are also a small number of self-accrediting higher education institutions which are not universities.

Universities are listed on the Australian Qualifications Framework Register. Listing on the Register indicates that MCEETYA (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs) vouches for the quality of the institution. State and Territory government accreditation authorities also accredit higher education courses delivered by approved non self-accrediting providers, and these are also listed on the Register.

In addition, all courses for international students must be approved by the relevant State or Territory accreditation authority, and listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.

Qualification Framework in Australia

To help you plan your education and career path, the Australian Qualification Framework has developed a universal system of 13 qualification levels. You can start at the level that suits you, taking in a range of factor including; previous education, training, life and work experience.

Accreditation in New Zealand

"The New Zealand Qualifications Authority quality-assures secondary and tertiary qualifications and education providers.  All quality assured qualifications are included on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications, known as KiwiQuals. All KiwiQuals are quality assured and approved and are delivered by an accredited education or training organisation." [Source: NZQA]