Accreditation in the News

Recent news stories have brought attention to the accreditation of institutions of learning in the United States. Accreditation.org focuses on providing information about engineering and computing program accreditation around the world....but it's important to distinguish how institutional accreditation differs from program accreditation.

Institutional accreditation applies to an entire educational institution—whether it's a university, college, or technical school. Its scope covers the full breadth of the school's operations, including governance, administration, admissions, faculty qualifications, student services, and financial health. The goal is to evaluate the overall integrity and effectiveness of the institution as a whole. In the U.S. and other countries, this type of accreditation is typically granted by regional or national accrediting agencies. In some countries, institutional accreditation determines whether a school is eligible for federal financial aid, whether its credits can be transferred to other institutions, and whether its graduates are considered eligible for admission to graduate programs.

On the other hand, programmatic accreditation focuses on individual programs within a larger institution. Its purpose is to ensure that specific academic or professional programs meet the rigorous standards of their respective industries or fields, usually standards set at the global level to allow for recognition of degrees across country borders. This type of accreditation is conducted by specialized agencies with expertise in particular disciplines. For example, in the U.S., ABET accredits engineering and technology programs, and in France, the primary body responsible for accrediting engineering programs is the CTI (Commission des Titres d'Ingénieur). Accreditation.org focuses on engineering and computing accrediting procedures, standards, and outcomes around the world. Program accreditation is often essential for students pursuing careers in fields that require licensure, certification, or specialized professional training. It also enhances employment prospects in regulated industries and is frequently a prerequisite for advanced study in a given discipline.

Program accreditation is a rigorous process throughout the world, with accrediting bodies in many countries working collaboratively through global program accreditation agreements and accords (such as the Washington Accord and the Sydney Accord) which help ensure consistently high levels of quality education from country to country. Graduating from an accredited program benefits students whose high-quality accreditation credentials can aid in job searching or higher-level degree application processes. Program accreditation also benefits employers, government agencies, and universities who have confidence that potential employees or applicants for advanced degrees are well prepared for the rigors of graduate work or employment if the program they completed was formally accredited.

It is possible for a university to be institutionally accredited, but for only a few engineering or computing degrees within the university to be accredited at the program level. Furthermore, program accreditation is often granted for a finite period of time after which the program will have to be re-evaluated to remain accredited.

Accreditation.org offers more details on why program accreditation matters, best practices, organizations which award accreditation to top programs, and directories of currently accredited engineering and computing programs around the world.