Detailed information about EUCLID's accreditation processes and its applicability to other intergovernmental universities.

1. Euclid University Accreditation
How are intergovernmental institutions accredited?
Syed Zahid Ali, Secretary General

2. What is accreditation?
 Accreditation as an external review and validation mechanism is not strictly identical with
legal validity or recognition by the State authorities.
 In most countries, at least until recently, the Ministry of (Higher) Education is the only State
authority with the power to recognize institutions of higher education.
 An emerging trend is for the Ministry of (Higher Education) to assign the accreditation
responsibility to a separate agency.

3. US influence and leadership
 Starting in the early 2000s, the US model begins to have international ramifications, due to
US leadership in globalized higher education
 The US is a different system because it has no national Ministry of Education. Its lose
equivalent, the US Department of Education, recognizes valid accreditors mainly through
the CHEA
 US accreditation is mainly regional or specialized
 US accreditation was a voluntary that is now de-facto a requirement to function, in
addition to US state authorization (licensure)
 Each one of the 50 US state can have it own recognition rules

4. WTO, US, globalization, institutional vetting
 Starting in the late 1990s and early 2000s, unaccredited, substandard
institutions become a US and global problem
 Oregon ODA takes the lead as a vetting agency, but not without
controversy
 Other States follow Oregon’s lead
 US institution oppose global deregulation as led by WTO
 Increasing challenges over comparability of educational systems and
degrees
 European countries adopt ECTS and US Bachelor’s > Master’s >
Doctorate format

5. What about university consortia and joint-degrees?
 In this context, university consortia and joint-degrees become more difficult to regulate
and accept because of conflicting sources of degree-authority and accreditation
 Euclid consortium set up in 2006-2007, with accreditation from Ministry of Higher Education
of Chad and joint-degree authority not satisfactory for long term
 After discussion with Oregon ODA, agreement on the label (2007): “not a degree-granting
institution. Please contact U. of Bangui for more information”

6. What about multilateral universities?
 Several multilateral universities already in existence before 2008. They are
assumed to be recognized / accredited by virtue of their creation and
endorsement under international law
 As subjects of international law, they are not directly subject to the national
framework (for instance World Maritime University in Sweden
 Variety of legal status, degree-granting authority and relationship with
national authorities in headquarters country and other locations
 United Nations University only becomes degree-granting in 2010, by
resolution of United Nations General Assembly

7. 2008: EUCLID open`MOU
 In the 2008, EUCLID becomes the first multilateral institution to express State accreditation and
recognition by instrument of international law:
 Article I:
“The Parties are participating in EUCLID (also properly called Pôle Universitaire Euclide and Euclid University)
which has legal personality, not-for-profit status, and such capacities as may be necessary to exercise its
functions and fulfill its objectives.
In order to ensure the international usefulness of the programs offered, EUCLID is chartered to confer
diplomas, degrees and completion certificates accredited by the ministries of Education of the
Participating Parties. EUCLID, a member of the Euclid University Consortium, receives the mandate to
facilitate universal access to higher education and to foster the acquisition of knowledge and
competencies under the supervision of the ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs of the Participating
Parties.”
 EUCLID begins UN registration process and sends updates to international agencies. ODA status
updated (2008) to read: “ODA is currently evaluating the legal status of this entity” (in US law,
States cannot actually evaluate the legal status of treaty-entities apart from US Federal law)

8. Accreditation until 2011
 For EUCLID, accreditation is programmatic (programs inherited from Euclid Consortium)
and under international law, but headquarters agreement necessary to obtain national
Ministry of Education accreditation processes and label.
 Other intergovernmental universities also begin national accreditation if possible, for
instance UNU seeking accreditation in Japan and University of Peace accreditation in
Costa Rica.
 US accreditation not necessary for non-US institutions, but DETC US agency begins
accrediting non-US institutions.

9. 2011: CAR accreditation
 EUCLID certified as a recognized / accredited institution under headquarters processes
and agreement; obtains AAU then IAUP membership
 Publication by United Nations of EUCLID treaty in December 2010 critical steps in providing
verifiable confirmation of authority and legal status by trusted third party
 EUCLID includes academic validation processes and certification for new Participating
States
 Several governments file statements of recognition and accreditation with US Department
of State

10. 2012: UN clarification
 December 2012: United Nations Secretariat clarifies
that EUCLID and 4 other UN-related institutions
(United Nations University, World Maritime University,
European University Institute, IMO Maritime Law
Institute) are recognized a being accredited, even
as some are undergoing national processes

11. 2012-2013: Timor-Leste and Gambia
 Instruments of Participation for Timor-Leste
first to provide for academic verification
and validation by national authority
(Ministry of Education)
 Gambia headquarters agreement
provides for specific agreement with
Ministry of Higher Education and issuance
of Official Circular

12. December 2013: completion of US processes
 EUCLID vetting processes completed with 3 States (Maine, Michigan, Oregon) with 1 last
State in legal review toward completion (2015)
 United Nations University, University for Peace and World Maritime University also benefit
from EUCLID processes
 Overcoming perception that institutions outside the United States can achieve superior
academic standards remains a challenge

13. 2014: intergovernmental universities updates
 Ministry of Education of Sweden issues statement of clarification
for World Maritime University
 University for Peace completes accreditation processes in Costa
Rica
 Ministry of Higher Education of Gambia and National Commission
for UNESCO issues documentation of accreditation and
recognition for EUCLID

14. 2015 and Beyond
 Increased importance of autonomous accreditation agency forming regional and
international networks (INQAAHE)
 Increased globalization in higher education competing with increased protectionism in US
and elsewhere
 Growing concerns with lowering of standards, especially in for-profit institutions offering
“accredited” yet increasingly sub-standard programs
 Explosion of MOOCs and alternative institutions (Udacity, nano-degrees)

15. Summary
 Globalization continues, including in higher education
 The online revolution continues with positive and negative effects globally
 Substandard institutions, including accredited ones, remain a major issue
 For-profit institutions need to be carefully screened
 Overseas branches and operations require special monitoring
 Intergovernmental universities have now adopted the national accreditation model