Accreditation for International Programs

Accreditation for International Programs

Recognizing that educational institutions are expanding their nursing programs to foster access and that such expansion initiatives increasingly involve global outreach efforts, the ACEN strongly encourages and welcomes international (non-U.S.) nursing programs to pursue international nursing accreditation with the ACEN. The ACEN is committed to quality in all types of nursing education programs and encourages self-evaluation, peer review, and the promotion of educational equity, access, and mobility through the functions of accreditation.

The ACEN Accreditation Manual's Supplement for International Programs provides detailed, program-specific guidance for international institutions seeking ACEN accreditation.

Benefits of ACEN Accreditation

Pursuing ACEN accreditation is a meaningful investment inthe quality, credibility, and continuous improvement of your nursing educationprogram. The following are key benefits of ACEN accreditation for internationalnursing education programs:

Validate Educational Quality

ACEN accreditation provides independent, external validation of your nursing education program. It confirms that your program meets rigorous, internationally recognized standards for educational quality. The process is a peer review, conducted by nurse educators for nurse educators. This means evaluators bring professional judgment, expertise in nursing education, and practical understanding of nursing practice to every evaluation. Accreditation shows students, employers, regulatory bodies, and the public that your program has been thoroughly reviewed. It confirms that your program meets or exceeds established benchmarks for quality in nursing education.

Strengthen Programs Through Ongoing Self-Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement

The accreditation process guides program faculty through a structured, evidence-based self-evaluation that identifies strengths and opportunities for improvement. Nursing education programs consistently report that the self-study process itself, even before the peer review, leads to meaningful enhancements in curriculum, assessment, and program outcomes. ACEN accreditation is an ongoing process, not a single event. It establishes a framework for ongoing evaluation and improvement, building sustainable processes that support sustained program excellence.

Enhance Graduate Competitiveness

Graduates of an ACEN-accredited nursing education program are recognized as having completed a program of study that meets quality standards based on evidence-based practices. This distinction can enhance graduate competitiveness in the global nursing workforce and support graduates seeking employment or advanced education opportunities internationally.

Demonstrate Accountability to Stakeholders

Accreditation demonstrates your nursing education program's commitment to transparency and accountability to students, families, employers, regulatory authorities, and the populations your program serves. Published program outcomes data and adherence to accreditation standards provide stakeholders with confidence in the quality of your program.

Access a Global Community of Practice

ACEN-accredited programs join a network of nursing education programs committed to continuous quality improvement. Accreditation connects your program to a broader community of nurse educators, providing opportunities for collaboration, shared learning, and engagement with current best practices in nursing education worldwide. ACEN accreditation empowers international nursing education programs to demonstrate educational quality, strengthen outcomes, and prepare graduates to meet the demands of a global nursing workforce.

Eligibility

All nursing education programs accredited by the ACEN must meet the following eligibility requirements as listed below:  

• Placement within a governing organization that is accredited by an approved accrediting agency or holds unconditional approval by the appropriate regulatory agency that has legal authority for education programs within the country.
• Facilitates the transfer of credits

Nursing education programs located outside the United States and its Territories must meet the following additional eligibility requirements.

• Placement within a governing organization that is authorized to grant the credential awarded at the completion of the program.
• Provide documentation of governmental and regulatory approval to seek ACEN accreditation, if required.
• The program must produce all documents and written materials required for the accreditation processes in English.
• The region in which the program is located must be safe for travel as identified by the U.S. State Department at the time of the travel for the ACEN peer evaluators and/or staff.
• Program must agree to host a minimum of two onsite visits, including a mandatory onsite Advisory Visit for International Candidacy and the onsite initial accreditation visit. [Note: Nursing education units seeking accreditation for a second nursing program have the option of declining the Advisory Visit for International Candidacy as a component of the candidacy process.]
• Program has financial resources adequate to meet all fiscal responsibilities related to the ACEN accreditation processes including International Candidacy Eligibility Application, Candidacy, and two onsite visits.

The nursing program must establish and provide documentation that it has obtained requisite governmental and regulatory approval to seek ACEN accreditation, if required.

International nursing programs must be strong candidates for success in achieving initial ACEN accreditation. Accreditation decisions for international nursing programs will be made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners based on recommendations of the peer evaluators who visit the program and the peer evaluators on the Evaluation Review Panel as well as the Board’s own review of program materials. The international nursing program’s participation in the Candidacy process and initial accreditation review does not guarantee initial accreditation will be granted by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

An international nursing program seeking initial accreditation must apply for Candidacy.

Learn more about the eligibility and accreditation process for international programs in the Accreditation Manual Supplement for International Programs.

International Peer Evaluators

Peer evaluators are an essential component in the ACEN accreditation process. Peer evaluators make recommendations to the ACEN Board of Commissioners and are knowledgeable about common, contemporary, and best practices within the various nursing program types, appropriate curricula, and conventions and current trends in healthcare, nursing education, and/or nursing practice. The ACEN invites individuals from outside the United States that are interested in being an ACEN peer evaluator to apply to serve as an ACEN peer evaluator to international nursing programs.