International CHEA Membership Benefits

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is a nonprofit organization founded by college and university presidents who insisted that universities themselves should be the primary determinants of quality academic performance. The institutional and program "self-study" process and the philosophy of continuous improvement remain the cornerstones of CHEA's work. For more than 25 years, CHEA has "recognized" institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations in the United States and globally, signaling that an accrediting body has met rigorous standards for promoting academic quality, public accountability, and transparency.

CHEA membership connects institutions to a community that shapes the global conversation on academic quality. Members — across public, private, two- and four-year degree-granting institutions in the U.S. and peer institutions around the world — benefit from:

  • Representation and advocacy for institutional autonomy in defining quality through accreditation
  • The CHEA online Database of accredited institutions and programs
  • No-cost webinars and discounted registration for the annual CHEA Conference
  • Access to CHEA Speakers for institutional forums
  • The CHEA Almanac, the Federal Update, Accreditation in the News, International QA in the News, and Policy Watch
  • Non-binding arbitration process (effective January 2023)

International CHEA Membership

CHEA's international members are institutions committed to fostering quality in higher education across the globe. Membership is open to institutions in good standing with a national ministry of education, quality assurance agency, or other government-recognized authority. Through this membership, institutions join a global network focused on advancing academic quality, transparency, and continuous improvement — and gain:

  • Global Quality Dialogue — Engagement with international leaders in accreditation and quality assurance at CHEA's Annual Conference, webinars, and events
  • Policy Insight & Exchange — Perspectives on emerging global and U.S. quality assurance developments, including contact information for U.S. House and Senate committees that influence higher education policy
  • Peer Learning & Collaboration — A forum for sharing practices across diverse higher education systems, supported by CHEA's recognition of approximately 64 U.S. institutional and programmatic accreditors
  • Connection to CHEA Expertise — Participation in CHEA convenings, resources, and thought leadership that shape quality assurance worldwide