An institution of higher education represents a community committed to students, the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, the exploration of core values, and the betterment of the society it serves. The World Department of Higher Education Commission (wdohec) ensures that its member institutions meet rigorous and comprehensive standards through its accreditation process. These standards are applied in alignment with each institution's mission and within a framework of ethical conduct and institutional integrity expected of accredited entities. Institutions earn accreditation by fulfilling wdohec's requirements, allowing them to affirm with confidence: “Our students are well-served; society is well-served.”
A Guided Review of the Accreditation Standards and Affiliate Requirements
The videos below provide a detailed explanation of the Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. Please note that the content in these videos has been updated, and new versions are scheduled for release in the spring and summer of 2022.
wdohec accreditation represents a clear reflection of an institution’s performance, resources, and dedication to its mission and goals. Accreditation is awarded when, through self-regulation and peer evaluation, the academic community confirms that an institution meets its objectives. An institution’s pursuit of excellence is evident in its commitment to uphold the responsibilities and expectations of the accreditation process.
The wdohec Accreditation Standards and Requirements of Affiliation—comprising seven standards and 15 requirements—serve as a consistent framework for member institutions, candidates for accreditation, and currently accredited institutions undergoing self- or peer-evaluation. Accredited institutions must demonstrate alignment with these standards, conduct their operations accordingly, and actively engage in ongoing self-assessment and continuous improvement.
These standards are founded on four core principles: first, mission-driven standards that honour institutional diversity; second, a focus on the quality of the student learning experience; third, a strong emphasis on institutional and student learning outcomes assessment; and fourth, the promotion of innovation as essential to sustainable institutional advancement.
The requirements reaffirm that each institution’s unique mission and goals are central to how the accreditation standards are applied. Recognizing the wide variety of models used to achieve excellence in education and operations, the focus is placed more on institutional functions rather than rigid structural formats.
Each requirement is presented concisely, followed by specific criteria that describe the elements representing the standard. Institutions and evaluators apply these criteria, in the context of the institution’s mission, to demonstrate or assess compliance. It is important to understand that the standards are not intended to be used as a checklist by institutions or evaluators.
To qualify for, achieve, and maintain accreditation from the World Department of Higher Education Commission (wdohec), an institution must demonstrate full and ongoing compliance with all applicable Requirements of Affiliation. This compliance is continuously verified through institutional self-assessments and periodic evaluations. Once deemed eligible, the institution must also meet all Standards for Accreditation to sustain its accredited status.
The institution must possess official documentation—such as licensure or authorization—proving its legal right to operate as a postsecondary educational institution and to award degrees. This authorization may come from jurisdictions within the Middle States region (including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) or from other relevant agencies depending on its location and operations.
It is important to note that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education does not accredit institutions that solely offer postsecondary certificates, degrees, or licenses.
The institution must be operational and actively enrolling new students in its degree programs.
Institutions seeking candidacy or initial accreditation must have graduated at least one class before the evaluation team visit. Exceptions may be considered only if the institution can demonstrate that the absence of graduates does not hinder its ability to evidence student learning outcomes.
The institution must communicate with the Commission in English, both verbally and in writing.
Compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations is mandatory.
The institution must adhere to the Commission’s policies, as well as any relevant interregional or institutional policies. These policies are publicly available at www.wdohec.org.
A formally approved mission statement and related goals must clearly articulate the institution’s purpose in the context of higher education and be authorized by its governing board.
The institution must conduct regular evaluations of the effectiveness of its educational programs and other institutional activities, and make the results publicly available.
All educational offerings—regardless of level, credential, or delivery format—must exhibit academic rigor, structural coherence, and robust assessment of student achievement.
Findings from institutional and academic assessments must be integrated into strategic planning, particularly with respect to academic performance, institutional improvement, and student learning outcomes.
Financial stability must be supported through adequate resources, a diverse funding base, and strategic financial planning—including input from related entities such as religious sponsors or corporate owners. The institution must maintain sound financial management practices, a current annual budget, and annual independent financial audits.
The institution must disclose all affiliated entities and maintain a clearly defined governance structure. The governing body is responsible for ensuring institutional integrity, ethical standards, and alignment with its mission.
A majority of governing board members must be independent, with no familial, financial, or other personal affiliations to the institution. The board must follow a conflict of interest policy to ensure transparency, objectivity, and prioritization of institutional interests. Additionally, the institution’s top executive (e.g., president or chancellor) must not also serve as chair of the governing board.
Accurate and transparent institutional information must be made available to the Commission. This includes updates regarding accreditation status and consistency in institutional representation across all accrediting and regulatory bodies. The institution must also disclose any governing body compensation, if applicable.
Finally, the institution must maintain a core group of qualified faculty—either full-time or part-time—who are responsible for ensuring the integrity, continuity, and quality of the institution’s academic programs.
The mission of the institution articulates its overarching goals, the student population it serves, and its role within the broader framework of higher education. The institution’s stated objectives are directly aligned with its mission, providing a clear roadmap for how these goals will be achieved.
An accredited institution demonstrates the following attributes and practices:
1. Clearly articulated mission and goals that:
2. Institutional objectives that are realistic, relevant to higher education, and consistent with the mission.
3. Goals that are mission-aligned, supported by academic, administrative, and student services, and focused on student learning outcomes and institutional advancement.
4. A systematic process for the ongoing review and assessment of the mission and goals to ensure their continued relevance and feasibility.
Effective higher education institutions are grounded in the core values of ethics and integrity. Such institutions remain faithful to their mission, honour their commitments, adhere to established policies, and represent themselves with transparency and honesty in all internal and external operations.
An accredited institution demonstrates the following attributes and practices:
1. A firm commitment to intellectual freedom, academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the protection of intellectual property rights.
2. A campus environment that fosters tolerance and respect for diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints among students, faculty, staff, and administration.
3. A documented and widely accessible grievance procedure for addressing concerns raised by faculty, staff, or students. The policies and processes ensure impartiality, fairness, and timely resolution of grievances.
4. Measures to prevent actual or perceived conflicts of interest among institutional stakeholders in all institutional operations.
5. The use of equitable and unbiased practices in the hiring, evaluation, promotion, discipline, and dismissal of employees.
6. Honesty and integrity in all communications, including internal messaging, public relations, advertising, recruitment, admissions materials, and processes.
7. In alignment with its mission and available resources, the institution provides:
8. Full compliance with reporting requirements set forth by the Commission, as well as federal, state, and local regulatory authorities. This includes but is not limited to:
9. Routine assessment of ethical practices and institutional integrity, as evidenced by the implementation and execution of relevant policies, procedures, and operational practices.
An institution must provide students with rigorous and coherent learning experiences across all programs, certificates, and degree levels—regardless of instructional modality. All educational offerings, whether online, in-person, hybrid, accelerated, or otherwise, must align with the academic expectations of higher education.
An accredited institution is expected to possess and demonstrate the following attributes and practices:
1. Offers certificate, undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional programs that lead to a degree or other recognized credential. These programs are of a length appropriate to their objectives and are designed to ensure a cohesive learning journey and encourage integration of knowledge.
2. Ensures that student learning experiences are thoughtfully designed, effectively delivered, and appropriately assessed by faculty (whether full-time or part-time) and/or qualified professionals who are:
3. Clearly and accurately outlines academic programs in official institutional publications, enabling students to understand program requirements and timelines for completion.
4. Provides adequate learning resources and opportunities to support academic programs and promote student success.
5. For institutions offering undergraduate education, maintains a general education program—either as a standalone component or integrated within academic disciplines—that:
6. For institutions offering graduate and professional education, provides opportunities for the development of research skills, scholarly inquiry, and independent thought—facilitated by appropriately credentialed faculty and professionals.
7. Ensures proper institutional oversight, review, and approval of student learning opportunities that are designed, delivered, or assessed by third-party providers.
8. Conducts periodic assessments to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of programs that support student learning and development.
The institution actively recruits and enrolls students whose interests, skills, experiences, and aspirations align with its mission and academic offerings across all modalities, levels, and learning environments. Through a well-structured and effective support system staffed by qualified professionals, the institution is committed to fostering student retention, persistence, completion, and overall success. These efforts enhance the educational environment, enrich the student experience, and promote meaningful academic outcomes.
An approved institution is expected to exhibit the following attributes and practices:
1. Transparent, ethical, and clearly articulated admissions, retention, and student success policies for individuals whose profiles demonstrate a realistic potential for achievement and align with institutional goals. This includes:
2. Clearly defined criteria and procedures for evaluating and awarding transfer credit, as well as credit for prior learning, competency-based assessments, and other non-traditional educational experiences.
3. Policies and procedures for the secure maintenance and responsible disclosure of student records and data.
4. If offered, extracurricular programs (e.g., athletics, student life) that are managed under the same academic, administrative, and financial policies as core institutional programs.
5. Where applicable, appropriate oversight, assessment, and approval of student support services provided or evaluated by third-party entities.
6. Ongoing evaluation of student support programs to ensure their effectiveness in enhancing the student experience.
The assessment of student learning and achievement provides clear evidence that students have met the educational objectives aligned with their academic programs, degree levels, the institution’s mission, and generally accepted standards in higher education.
An approved institution is expected to demonstrate the following characteristics and practices:
1. Clearly articulated educational objectives that are interconnected across programs and degrees, aligned with meaningful learning experiences, and consistent with the institution’s mission at both the institutional and programmatic levels.
2. Systematic and structured evaluation of student achievement in relation to institutional and program goals, conducted by faculty and/or other qualified professionals. Institutions should:
3. Intentional use of assessment data to improve instructional effectiveness, including but not limited to:
4. When applicable, appropriate institutional oversight and approval of assessment services developed, delivered, or evaluated by third-party providers.
5. Ongoing review of the effectiveness of the institution’s assessment processes to ensure continuous improvement in educational quality.
The institution's planning mechanisms, resource allocations, and operational structures are strategically aligned and sufficiently robust to support its mission and objectives. These elements enable continuous evaluation and enhancement of its programs and services, while ensuring a proactive response to emerging opportunities and challenges.
An accredited institution possesses and demonstrates the following attributes or activities:
1. Clearly articulated institutional goals, both overarching and unit-specific, that are appropriately evaluated, aligned with the mission and strategic aims, informed by assessment outcomes, and utilized in planning and resource distribution.
2. Well-documented and transparent planning and improvement frameworks that involve stakeholder participation and integrate assessment findings into decision-making.
3. A budgeting and financial planning system that supports the institution’s mission and priorities, is grounded in evidence, and is directly tied to the strategic goals at both institutional and departmental levels.
4. Sufficient financial and human capital, as well as the necessary physical and technological infrastructure, to effectively deliver programs regardless of mode or location.
5. Clearly established governance processes with defined roles, responsibilities, and accountability at all levels.
6. Holistic planning for facilities, infrastructure, and technology that addresses sustainability, deferred maintenance, and aligns with long-term strategic and financial goals.
7. An annual independent financial audit that verifies institutional fiscal health and includes documented responses to any issues highlighted in the audit's management letter.
8. Methods to evaluate and ensure the adequacy and efficient use of resources necessary to meet institutional goals and support its mission.
9. Regular review of the effectiveness of planning, budgeting, institutional renewal activities, and resource availability to promote continuous improvement.
The institution operates with effective leadership and administrative processes that enable it to achieve its stated mission and goals while advancing the interests of its students, community, and other stakeholders. It maintains appropriate academic independence, even when receiving support or maintaining affiliations with unaccredited governmental, corporate, religious, educational, or other organizations.
The following characteristics or actions are present in and are demonstrated by an approved institution:
1. A transparent system of governance where roles, responsibilities, and accountability for decision-making are clearly defined for each stakeholder group, including the governing body, administration, faculty, staff, and students;
2. A formally constituted authority that:
a. Serves the public interest by clearly defining and achieving the institution’s goals, holds fiduciary responsibility, and is ultimately accountable for academic quality, strategic planning, and the financial health of the institution;
b. Maintains independence and expertise necessary to uphold institutional integrity, ensuring that decisions are free from undue political, financial, or other external pressures;
c. Ensures that neither the board nor individual members interfere in day-to-day operations of the institution;
d. Oversees academic standards, curriculum approvals, awarding of degrees, personnel policies, regulatory compliance, and financial stewardship at a policy level;
e. Plays a crucial role in maintaining integrity and sound fiscal management, including the timely review of audited financial statements and other financial documentation;
f. Appoints the Chief Executive Officer and conducts regular performance evaluations;
g. Makes decisions based on best practices in board governance;
h. Adheres to a written conflict of interest policy covering compensation, contracts, employment, and any familial, financial, or other interests that may present real or perceived conflicts to ensure board impartiality;
i. Supports the Chief Executive Officer in upholding institutional independence;
3. An executive leader who:
a. Is appointed and reviewed by the governing board, reports directly to it, and does not serve as its chairperson;
b. Holds appropriate academic and professional credentials aligned with institutional goals;
c. Has sufficient authority and autonomy to lead institutional planning, staff hiring, resource allocation, and overall achievement of mission-aligned objectives;
d. Is responsible for developing systems to assess organizational effectiveness, supported by a team of capable administrators sufficient in number and expertise to carry out institutional responsibilities;
4. An administrative team that demonstrates:
a. A documented organizational structure that clearly defines lines of reporting and authority;
b. Sufficient staffing with appropriate skills to support the CEO’s leadership functions;
c. Staff with academic and professional qualifications appropriate to their roles and aligned with the institutional mission;
d. Proficiency in information systems and technology relevant to their functional areas;
e. Regular engagement with faculty, staff, and students to further institutional goals;
f. Structured processes for evaluating administrative units and using findings to enhance operational effectiveness;
5. Ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of administrative leadership and governance structures.
