In today’s fast-paced world, having a degree from a government accredited higher education institution is becoming increasingly important for those seeking to obtain employment, advance in their current career, or open new opportunities.

Government accreditation of higher education institutions is a process that ensures higher education institutions meet certain quality standards and are held to a certain level of accountability. With government accreditation, learners, employers and other educational institutions can have confidence that the certificate, diploma, or degree being presented is of the highest quality and ensures a pre-defined level of knowledge, skills, and competences.

Government accreditation provides learners with several of the following key advantages.

1. Learners can trust that the education they receive is of the highest level and is in line with industry standards.

Government accreditation indicates that the higher education institution has been approved by a governing body, such as the MFHEA (= Malta Further and Higher Education Authority), and is subject to periodic review. This ensures that the institution meets the standards of quality and rigor necessary to prepare learners for their chosen field.

Government accreditation includes both institutional and programme accreditation. Institutional accreditation is an evaluation of an entire higher education institution. It assesses the institution’s educational quality, resources, and services, as well as its mission, purpose, and commitment to students. Programme accreditation is an evaluation of a single programme, such as a MBA, PhD, or a PGCert, offered by an accredited higher education institution. It assesses the programme’s curriculum, faculty, and other aspects to ensure it meets certain educational standards.

2. Government accreditation makes it easier for learners to transfer credits and degrees between institutions.

If a learner has earned credits at a government accredited higher education institution, these credits or degrees are more likely to be transferred and accepted by other higher education institutions. This allows for more flexibility for students who may want to change their field of study, transfer to another higher education institution, or study abroad. Most governments like Malta and the other EU member states participate in international qualifications frameworks, such as the EQF (= European Qualifications Framework) or in an international organization, such as the EHEA (= European Higher Education Area) which makes qualifications more comparable between countries.

3. Government accreditation helps to ensure that the quality of instruction is consistent and up to industry standards.

Government accredited higher education institutions must adhere to certain standards of quality and rigor, which means that all learners receive a quality education. This is especially important for those pursuing advanced degrees, such as a doctorate or a master’s degree, such as EIM’s doctoral (PhD and DBA) and master degrees, as these degrees often require a level of knowledge, skills, and competences that can almost only be obtained from government accredited higher education institutions. This is even more important for certificates which are used by learners to demonstrate their skills, competences, and knowledge to advance their careers, such as EIM’s PGCert in Teaching and Learning as well as Research.

4. Government accreditation also helps to ensure that the institution has the resources necessary to provide an effective education.

Government accredited higher education institutions must have the appropriate faculty and staff, processes and policies to ensure that learners receive a quality education, as well as access to the latest technology. This helps to ensure that learners are able to take full advantage of their educational opportunities and are equipped with the skills, competences, and knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen field.

Government accreditation of higher education institutions offers many benefits to learners. It ensures that the institution meets certain standards of quality, provides learners with the ability to transfer credits between institutions, and ensures a consistent level of instruction, provides access to the latest technology. For these reasons, government accreditation is an important factor to consider when choosing a higher education institution.

Further readings, links, and references:

American Council on Education. (2020). What is Accreditation? Retrieved from https://www.acenet.edu/accreditation/Pages/what-is-accreditation.aspx

Council for Higher Education Accreditation. (2020). What is Accreditation? Retrieved from https://www.chea.org/what-accreditation

EHEA – European Higher Education Area: https://www.ehea.info/

EIM – DBA Doctor of Business Administration: https://www.eim.education/doctor-of-business-administration-dba/

EIM – MBA Master of Business Administration: https://www.eim.education/master-of-business-administration/

EIM – PHD Doctor of Philosophy in Management: https://www.eim.education/doctor-of-philosophy-phd-in-management/

EIM – Where is your degree validated: https://www.eim.education/where-is-your-degree-validated/

EQF – European Qualification Framework: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/projects/european-qualifications-framework-eqf

MFHEA – Malta Further and Higher Education Authority: https://mfhea.mt/

National Center for Education Statistics. (2020). What is Accreditation? Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=accreditation&s=all&id=371752

U.S. Department of Education. (2020). What is Accreditation? Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html