OVERLAND PARK, KS, USA (April 14, 2016) Dr. Judith Eaton, President, Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG), and Dr. Steven Parscale, Chief Accreditation Officer for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), signed the memorandum on April 6, agreeing to pursue the following commitments:
• Posting and promoting CIQG’s International Quality Principles which, at the discretion of ACBSP, will be reflected in ACBSP standards, reviews and processes;
• Working with higher education providers and other higher education stakeholders to promote a shared understanding of quality based on the seven Principles;
• Sharing information regularly on the promotion and implementation of the Principles (e.g., examples of good practice, case studies, newsletters, etc.) and
• Engaging, when feasible, in joint activities (workshops, seminars and meetings) with a view to sharing effective policies and practices in areas of common interest, based on the Principles.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation established the CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG) in 2012, with a focus on international quality assurance. CIQG serves as a thought leader on international quality assurance issues and policy, a convener of academics and others engaged in international quality assurance and a forum for dialogue and deliberation on vital quality issues. CIQG membership, in addition to CHEA institutional members, includes organizations and individuals from 45 countries. ACBSP has been a member of the CIQG since its inception.
In 2015, CIQG released its International Quality Principles, identifying seven areas that are, or ought to be, common to all quality assurance, irrespective of country, culture or region. Since their release, the Principles have been a topic of discussion at meetings of quality assurance and higher education leaders around the world.
The MOA states: “The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation/International Quality Group (CIQG), USA, recognize the urgency of a shared understanding of quality internationally and believe the 2015 CIQG International Quality Principles can provide a framework for quality to inspire and improve national, regional and international developments.”
About ACBSP
ACBSP’s mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world. ACBSP, www.acbsp.org, is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. ACBSP currently has 1,215 member campuses, 235 of which are located outside of the U.S. Of those campuses, 951 have achieved accreditation and 167 are in candidacy for accreditation. Individual members on these campuses now exceed 13,000. FAQs / Accreditation FAQs
About CHEA
The Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), www.chea.org, is the largest institutional higher education membership organization in the United States, with approximately 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities. A national advocate and institutional voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation, CHEA serves as a major voice for accreditation and quality assurance to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Education, as well as the general public, opinion leaders, students and families.