International Accreditation by U.S. Regional Accreditors: Past Experience and Future Directions

摘要

The numbers of higher education institutions abroad and of overseas locations of U.S. institutions are increasing dramatically. The transfer of people and credits across national borders is also increasing as employers internationalize and employees seek work outside their countries. Having the same accreditor evaluate institutions around the world could provide comparability of degrees and institutions by applying the same standards to all institutions. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) has accredited U.S. institutions abroad since 1973, and it initiated a pilot project in 2002 to accredit non-U.S. institutions abroad. The paper analyses MSCHE's experience and concludes that it is not practical for American regional accreditors to offer unlimited international accreditation. It emphasizes the need for quality assurance agencies around the world to cooperate in the ongoing efforts of several international organizations to create local quality assurance systems that operate within international guidelines and suit the individual needs of each country.