International University Benchmark: the Quality Formula of NECHE

Recognition of a university on a global scale is a goal that, perhaps, every leader sets for themselves. Achieving it is grounded in understanding how academic excellence is formed and having clear development benchmarks. How can university's operations be structured to meet high modern standards? We turned to the experience of the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), the world's oldest accreditation agency. In insights shared with our magazine, NECHE President Dr. Lawrence Schall discusses the mechanics of peer review and the core standards that guide leading universities today.

NECHE: 140 Years of History

It is a great honor for me to serve as the President of the New England Commission of Higher Education – the world’s first higher education quality assurance agency, with roots dating back to 1885.

We are a non-profit, non-governmental organization that began as an accrediting body focused exclusively on colleges and universities located in the New England region of the United States. Our founding institutions included Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both of which remain member institutions to this day.

We now accredit over 230 institutions with 18 independent universities located outside the United States among our members and over 20 more in the process of becoming fully accredited. We continue to have an interest in having other institutions join our membership.

Guaranteeing Impartiality

Our institutional accreditation process is peer-based and built around our Standards for Accreditation.

Our evaluation teams consist of administrators, faculty, and staff drawn from a pool of more than 1,500 volunteers.

Reports from both the institution and the evaluation team are submitted for review to the Commission, which meets five times a year and is also composed of volunteers from our member institutions, as well as public members. The full 32-member Commission, which includes many university presidents is responsible for making all final decisions.

Values Uniting Global Universities

One of the reasons American higher education has been so highly regarded for many years is that it is built on a set of enduring values, and these values remain deeply embedded in our Accreditation Standards.

Among the most vital is institutional autonomy – the freedom to operate largely independent of government control. A corollary of institutional autonomy is the principle that governing boards must also be free from interests that could compromise their ability to act solely in the best interest of the institution.

Another essential set of values includes the critical role of faculty in curriculum design, as well as academic freedom – ensuring faculty can express themselves without fear of disciplinary action for voicing controversial views.

Finally, there is a commitment to the principle that higher education should not only provide students with a pathway to economic opportunity, but also cultivate citizens equipped to participate in democracy, with an emphasis on cross-cultural understanding, civic discourse, and the development of empathy.

One important insight I have gained from visiting institutions outside the United States is that these values are shared by leaders of global universities worldwide, serving as a unifying force for all our members.

Why NECHE?

I am often asked – mostly by representatives of non-U.S. institutions – why so many colleges and universities around the world seek American accreditation, particularly from the New England Commission.

My response is to echo what these institutions themselves repeatedly tell us. While there is certainly a competitive advantage, and U.S. accreditation does facilitate graduate school admissions in the States for their alumni,

the primary value lies in how the commitment to continuous improvement and peer review – inherent to our accreditation process – helps each institution achieve its strategic goals.

We could not ask for a better answer.

NECHE standards evaluate the effectiveness of the institution as a whole: an institution that meets them has clearly defined goals, the necessary resources, and a proven capacity to evolve. While accreditation does not guarantee the quality of every individual course, serious deficiencies in one area can jeopardize the status of the entire university.

Our standards allow for flexibility and innovation: once an institution receives accreditation, it has the ability, under our Innovation Policy, to propose a deviation from a Standard if it can provide evidence that it is for the benefit of students.

At the core of the system are self-regulation and trust. Compliance with criteria is evaluated through peer review, preceded by an institutional self-study. This is a voluntary audit based on the university's agreement to candidly assess its own strengths and weaknesses.

As an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, NECHE accredits colleges and universities both within the United States and abroad – provided that instruction is conducted primarily in English.

The Foundation of University Effectiveness

It is not an institution type that separates high quality schools from lesser quality ones. It's also not wealth, not size, and it's not the offering of any particular programs. Instead, I'd say it's clarity of the mission, consistent and sustained leadership both at the Board and administrative levels, the ability to execute strategy and plans, and an understanding that adaptation over time is always necessary.

It's also true, of course, that a well-earned reputation can bring in the resources necessary to sustain quality and that once reputation is well established, that reputation can help an institution manage through significant periods of turmoil or down-cycles in the market.

But we see very high quality institutions in terms of how well they serve students that aren't the wealthiest or don't have the highest profile reputation.

Speaking in terms of NECHE accreditation requirements, we evaluate institutions based on their compliance with five standards.

Governance and Leadership: An institution requires an independent governance framework where the Board is free from conflicts of interest, the President is subject to annual evaluation, and primary responsibility for the quality and development of academic programs rests with the faculty.

Academic Rigor and Integrity: Undergraduate and graduate programs must feature a clear rationale, established general education requirements, and high standards of subject mastery. Simultaneously, the institution must protect faculty academic freedom, maintain proper oversight of credit transfers, and ensure that program changes or closures do not compromise student rights.

Financial and Operational Resilience: An accredited institution must be financially sound and resilient, backed by robust risk management. Educational stability cannot depend on short-term market fluctuations or budget deficits. The university must employ qualified personnel, maintain secure digital and physical infrastructure, follow international accounting standards (GAAP/IFRS), and enforce strict cybersecurity and business continuity protocols.

Focus on Student Success: A key indicator of institutional maturity is a commitment to measurable student success. A successful institution continuously collects and analyzes data on learning outcomes, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduate employment. Educational effectiveness assessment must be systematic, with findings directly leveraged to improve academic programs and student services.

Ethics and Accountability: The fundamental basis of public trust is absolute ethics, transparency, and accountability. A university must publicly disclose accurate information regarding tuition costs, student debt levels, loan repayment rates, and career prospects. Legal compliance, honesty in communications with the Commission, and non-discrimination are non-negotiable requirements for maintaining accredited status./ 

Through its activities, the New England Commission of Higher Education guarantees society the high quality of education and the reliability of institutions seeking accreditation. The primary goal of these processes is the continuous development of education. Ultimately, accreditation is the guarantee that a university strives for efficiency and excellence in the public interest. 

Dr. Lawrence M. Schall,

President of the New England Commission

of Higher Education (NECHE)

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ABSTRACT

Dr. Lawrence Shall, President of the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), discusses the peer review mechanisms of the world's oldest accrediting agency and the key standards that serve as the foundation for a university's success in fulfilling its mission.