Accreditation is a status granted to an institution indicating it has met or exceeded stated criteria of educational quality. It also means that the institution has clearly defined its purpose and has developed sound educational objectives. By law, the state may not act as an accrediting agency for schools in the private sector. Thus, accreditation is not a legal designation, but rather an entirely voluntary process. The purposes of accreditation are to assure consistency in institutional operations, to evaluate and enhance its educational methods, and to provide for public accountability. It is also expected that the institutions attaining full accreditation will continuously review its mission in relation to its operations.
- Provides a highly visible expression of confidence in the educational programs and policies of the institution by its peers.
- Assures public accountability for high standards of professional conduct.
- Helps institutions identify critical areas of planning and resource allocation.
- Introduces faculty to innovative methods of teaching.
- Preserves and promotes the uniqueness of the institution and its devotion to the school’s educational mission.
- Comprehensively involves administrators and staff in evaluation and organization.
- Promotes professional staff development.
- Helps establish acceptable and consistent criteria for student assessment.
- Enhances the acceptance of academic credits and degrees of graduates in the business community and at other educational institutions.
- Provides the public with reliable information on the form and quality of education offered.
- Aids prospective students in identifying suitable institutions.
- Certifies that the school has met acceptable and established standards of educational practices.
- Identifies an institution as being a worthwhile investment for private funding.
- Creates a base for networking between peer institutions worldwide.
- Gives eligibility for administrators and staff to attend fee paid pre-registered conferences, seminars, and training workshops that are periodically scheduled.
- Authorizes members to submit articles and editorials for consideration to be published in the GAPCU newsletter.
- Entitles the accredited institution to have its name, URL, and logo prominently displayed on the GAPCU website.
- Provides a collective forum for detailed descriptions of and advertisements for an institution’s educational programs and services.
Although accreditation is a voluntary system of non-government self-regulation, the process of accreditation shows a willingness of an educational institution to be impartially evaluated and recognized for quality assurance. An official endorsement by the GAPCU and the support of equally merited peer institutions promotes confidence in the high standards of each member’s educational programs and services.
Go to: ACCREDITATION ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Go to: ACCREDITATION PROCESS
Go to: SELF-STUDY GUIDE