The independent, non-profit membership organizations for accreditation are responsible for the evaluation and accreditation of eligible online institutions, meeting the stringent standards.

Belford University is an accredited institution recognized by two renowned accreditation agencies for online education, namely International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU) & Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA). Therefore all the Life Experience Degrees offered by Belford are completely authentic because of having recognition from these accreditation agencies.

These agencies and boards were founded with the aim to provide a platform to the distance education institutions to judge their quality of educational service on the basis of sound educational standards and ethical business practices.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is a process through which a university maintains and improves its standards and practices. Accrediting organizations develop a criteria or standards by which a university can be measured. It is the responsibility of accrediting organizations to ensure quality, accountability, and improvement in universities that are accredited by them.

Why is Accreditation important?

Accreditation is important to various constituent groups because it represents an institute’s commitment to quality education.

Being an accredited institute it guarantees that it meets the quality education criteria set by accreditation agencies. Also, business and industry leaders are interested in quality universities and consider accreditation status an important factor when relocating.

Citizens are assured of accountability and of value for their tax dollars because their universities meet established standards and undergo regular re-evaluation by teams of professionals whose focus is on university improvement.

What is the purpose of Accreditation?

Accreditation serves the following purposes:

• Assuring Quality: Accreditation is the primary means by which colleges, universities   and programs assure education quality to students and the public.

• Source of Improvement: Accreditation provides a source and urge for continuous   improvement in the educational practices followed by that institute, due to the periodic   evaluation by the agencies.

• Easing Transfer. Accreditation of institutions and programs is important to students
  for smooth transfer of programs among colleges and universities.

• Recognition: Accreditation of institutions and their programs make them recognized
  as a symbol of high quality education practitioner. Federal state and local agencies
  also openly refer these institutes to the students and encourage them to consider only   accredited institutes.

• Engendering Employer Confidence. Accredited status of an institution or program
  is important to employers when evaluating credentials of job applicants and providing  
  financial support to current employees seeking additional education.

On which basis is Accreditation offered?

There are some non-governmental agencies or boards that establish certain standards which are required to be met by an institution/university in order to get an accredited status. Their core function is to promote high quality distance education by identifying standards that outline best educational practices. These boards or agencies evaluate the institute/university for the following areas:

• Institution’s Mission/Vision
• Educational practices
• Administration
• Faculty
• Financial stability
• Policies and student services

Institutions fulfilling the requirements for these areas are then granted accreditation.


How the universities are granted Accreditation?

The accreditation is offered to only those universities or institutes that meet the strict standards set by the official and semi-official agencies or boards. There are several non-governmental agencies which are highly involved and committed to improve the educational standards of online universities, in particular those which are offering degrees based of working adults’ life/work/knowledge experience.

Few of these non-governmental agencies or boards that are performing accreditation services are as following:

• Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA)
• International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU)
• Board of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA)
• World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC)
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
• Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NASCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

All the above mentioned boards or agencies are renowned and hold worldwide recognition.