Association of Specialized

The regulation of higher education takes different forms around the world. Most countries have a governmental ministry of education that controls higher education. In the United States, however, our system of government encourages a sharing of responsibility rather than centralized control. We take a three-pronged approach in which the federal government, state governments and accreditation organizations share responsibility. This approach has allowed the United States to develop one of the most diverse and well-respected systems of higher education in the world. The Role of the Triad in Higher Education While each of the three entities in the triad operates independently, each has a role in ensuring the quality of higher education. This independence is defined and protected by laws that establish certain relationships among the elements of the triad. These relationships are guided by cooperation, mutual respect and trust to ensure maximum effectiveness. • Accreditation ensures that programs and institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality in teaching and learning and also promotes continuous improvement in those areas. • State governments issue licenses to institutions that operate in the state. They also promote cooperation an