I WOULD like to comment on the articles relating to accredited colleges and universities that have been printed in The Straits Times in recent weeks. I am a former member of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, representing the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities. Both of these commissions are within the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, one of the six regional higher education accreditation organisations in the United States.

In the US, in order to start a university, one must receive a licence from the state in which the university has its head office. Each state has its own requirements for licensure. Beyond licensure, however, the US has a voluntary system of accreditation. In order to apply and receive accreditation, the university must be licensed to offer degrees, but accreditation goes far beyond licensure.

In order to become accredited, institutions undergo a rigorous review to ensure that they meet specific standards. To maintain accreditation, the institutions must submit annual reports to the accrediting agency and also undergo a periodic re-accreditation process (the period is set by the regional accrediting commission and ranges from six to 10 years in duration).

Margaret Hartman (Madam)

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