European-American University™

Accreditation
European-American University is directed by the Society for Humanistic Potential, a religious society of the Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church. The Church has issued a charter to the University and thereby accredits the institution and the programs it offers as being in keeping with the principles of the Church. The University is not accredited by an external accreditation agency, nor does it plan at present to seek such accreditation. See below for further details on what this may mean for your situation.

Quality Assurance
As an independent global university and international non-governmental organization, European-American University is itself charged with responsibility for its own quality assurance processes and with the validation of its academic programs.

European-American University Quality Assurance Division (EAUQAD) is the specialist division of the University established with responsibilities for quality assurance and establishing the relationship of the University's internal processes to reputable external standards.

Through EAUQAD, European-American University operates a formal Quality Management System as detailed through its Quality Assurance Policies (available via the link below). This system establishes the relationship between the University's processes and reputable external standards. These standards include:

• • the requirements of ISO 9001:2000. The International Standardization Organization (ISO) is the only quality assurance system recognized by intergovernmental agreement between 148 different countries, and is based on the principles of stakeholder satisfaction and continual improvement through quality management systems. Many universities around the world have implemented the internationally recognized ISO 9001:2000 standard, and the ISO encourages institutions to adopt the standards in both self-certification and external audit processes. The ISO site may be visited here.
  • the Principles of Good Practice for Electronically Offered Academic Degree and Certificate Programs of the Western Co-operative for Educational Telecommunications, which may be read here.
  • the Professional Standards of the American Association of University Administrators, which may be read here.

In addition to its quality assurance practices, EAUQAD's services to EAU also include the provision of external oversight for new programs and adjunct faculty appointments (including external examination), and for the processes of student admission and assessment. The Director of EAUQAD is the University's Vice-President for Development and Quality Assurance.

>>Details of the University's Quality Assurance Policies

Legal Status
European-American University is an international university and non-governmental organization operating chiefly through the medium of the Internet and bringing together a worldwide network of individuals in administration, faculty and student relationships. The adjunct faculty and administration are located in various countries and degrees may be conferred in different jurisdictions where permitted by law.

European-American University's corporate basis was established by becoming licensed as European-American University, Ltd., which enables the institution to function with full legal authority and to accept students worldwide. European-American University holds certificates of incorporation and good standing from the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Commonwealth of Dominica is a member of the British Commonwealth, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and UNESCO.

Under common law precedents concerning university title and the conducting of university work, European-American University is legally permitted to conduct all activities proper to an international, private institution of postsecondary education, including the conferral of degrees up to the doctoral level, in any jurisdiction that permits this activity. European-American University maintains its registered office in Roseau Valley, Commonwealth of Dominica, but under the statute governing its incorporation does not offer educational activities within Dominica itself.

European-American University is not a part of the Dominican or any other state education system and does not award state degrees. It accepts no state funding in connection with any of its activities. The activities of Dominica-licensed private universities operating wholly outside that country are subject to statutory exemption and are the responsibility of the Registrar of Companies rather than the Ministry of Education, which is concerned solely with purely domestic institutions.

>>Why Dominica?...and related matters
>>The legal basis for the operation of private universities
>>An explanation of postsecondary accreditation systems
>>Articles and references concerning private universities and accreditation

What does all this mean for your situation?
If you require a degree from an institution that holds specific governmental accreditation, a degree from European-American University may not meet your needs, and you may need to look elsewhere to continue your education. Equally, for many employers and candidates, issues of accreditation by this or that external authority, or by government, may be of no concern. Why should you spend extra time and money earning a degree with governmental approval or accreditation if you don't actually need one? A degree from a private, self-validating institution such as European-American University may serve your purposes just as well, and may also offer both academic and financial advantages over public sector alternatives.

Your employer may well say to you that earning any master's degree, whatever the accredited status of the school, will secure you a promotion or a salary raise. There are certainly employers who do this. If this is your situation, or if you are self-employed, retired or studying for personal interest, you can legitimately widen your choices to consider a degree from a private university.

Once you decide that a degree from a private university is an option, you are likely to be interested in issues such as the cost of the program (EAU and other private universities are less expensive than many government-run alternatives), the philosophy of education, the flexibility of the program (including the option of totally non-resident study, almost unique to private institutions at the doctoral level), and the institution's openness about the nature of the quality standards that are met and external approvals that are held. Most people and employers in this situation are concerned with whether the experience of earning a degree will make the person a better employee and their company more efficient. EAU's strong professional focus means that our programs are tailored directly to workplace experiences and needs.

Many less-than-reputable private postsecondary institutions falsely present memberships in professional associations as "accreditation", or present themselves as "accredited" by bogus agencies of their own creation. They also offer degrees that are suspiciously inexpensive (usually signifying no real academic process) and have websites that are short on detail but long on sales talk. The purpose of such tactics is to deceive students and employers who are less than knowledgeable on these matters.

EAU is forthcoming as to its nature as a private, self-validating institution, the established external quality standards which it aims to meet, and the internal processes which are in place to assure that it does just that. European-American University's students tend to value individuality, flexibility, love of lifelong learning and a holistic approach more than the restrictive conventions of traditional higher education.
 
Professional licensing and the transfer of credit to other schools
A note of caution should be sounded in relation to professional licensing and transfer of credit, and this should be done by all universities.

As European-American University is primarily an institution serving experienced adults, most of our students are already licensed professionals at the time of their enrolment. Our programs are designed for a world-wide audience, and therefore are not written to meet any specific licensing requirements in any particular state or country. It would be impossible for any university to offer courses which meet all licensing requirements for every state, every province, and every nation. Those considering a degree for licensing purposes are directed to carry out local enquiries in their own country concerning such matters by contacting whichever local bodies the applicant deems relevant to his or her purpose. European-American University cannot undertake to do so on the applicant's behalf.

The transfer of credit from one institution to another is always at the discretion of the receiving school, generally depends on comparability of curricula, and may depend on comparability of accreditation. Again, applicants who wish to seek transfer credit must establish through prior enquiry with the school(s) concerned that they will accept transfer credit from European-American University. The University makes no representations as to the transfer of credit from its programs.

Authorized Partners of European-American University Affiliations maintained by European-American University Institutions and Awards Recognized by European-American University for Academic Credit
>>Academic Credit Recognition