Higher Education / University Glossary

Accreditation

What does the academic term Accreditation mean in higher education?

Accreditation

Accreditation definition

Short Definition

Accreditation is the process of evaluating and certifying the quality and standards of an educational institution or program by an external accrediting body.


In-depth Overview

Accreditation

Long definition: Accreditation is a rigorous evaluation process carried out by accrediting bodies, which are independent organizations or agencies recognized for their expertise in assessing educational institutions. The process involves a comprehensive review of an institution's mission, goals, faculty qualifications, curriculum, resources and overall performance. Institutions that successfully undergo accreditation demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement and adherence to recognized quality standards.

Etymology: The term "accreditation" has its roots in the Latin word "accreditare", which means "to give credence to" or "to trust". Accreditation is essentially a trust-building process, as it signifies that an institution has met or exceeded established educational standards, making it worthy of trust and recognition.

Synonyms or related academic terms:
  • Educational certification
  • Institutional validation
  • Quality assurance
Examples of Use:
  1. The university's accreditation status assures students and stakeholders of the quality of its programs.
  2. Accreditation by a recognized agency is often a requirement for institutions to receive federal funding.
Translations:
  • Spanish: Acreditación
  • French: Accréditation
  • German: Akkreditierung
  • Italian: Accreditazione
  • Portuguese: Acreditação
  • Japanese: 認定 (Nintei)
  • Chinese (Simplified): 认证 (Rènzhèng)
  • Hindi: मान्यता (Mānyatā)

Visitors interested in exploring accredited institutions and programs can use the uniRank World Universities Search Engine to access information about accredited universities and colleges worldwide.


Wikipedia Article

Accreditation


unirank Glossary Classification

Miscellaneous higher education terms > University academic terms



Share Glossary Term

Interesting? Share this University Glossary term with your friends now.

Feedback, Errors

We appreciate your feedback and error reports.

Feedback / Error Report

© uniRank since 2005