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Announcements
American University of Beirut granted from the Middle States Commission on Higher
Education
BEIRUT The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accorded the American
University of Beirut (AUB) accreditation on June 25,
2004 after an extensive institutional self-study. It
was also the first time that the Middle States Commission
conducted a peer team visit to an institution by video
conferencing.
AUB has been registered with and recognized by the Department of Education of
New York State since 1863. With the granting of Middle
States accreditation, AUB joins The American University
in Cairo and American University of Sharjah as one
of only three universities in the Middle East that
are accredited by regional accreditating bodies in
the United States.
Middle States accreditation
is an expression of confidence in an institutions
mission and goals, resources, and performance based
on an institutional review by educational peers assigned
by the Middle States Commission following an extensive
self-study undertaken by the applicant institution.
The process is intended to strengthen and sustain the
quality and integrity of higher education, confirming
that it is worthy of public confidence. Participating
in the review of AUB were top faculty and administrators
from several higher educational institutions such as
The Johns Hopkins University, The American University
in Cairo, New York University, and Princeton University.
AUB Provost Peter Heath
commented on the importance of the self-study, The
Middle States accreditation self-study was the first
true internally conducted scrutiny of the University
in two generations. A wide-ranging group of faculty,
students, staff and administrators examined the University
closely, and applying the criteria provided by Middle
States, thought long and carefully about AUB's current
needs, plans, and academic aspirations. It is this
broad participation by all segments of the University
community that has made this process a success. The
recommendations that emerged from the accreditation
exercise lay a sound foundation for AUB's future development.
The spirit of unity of purpose and internal cooperation
that has developed because of it ensures the University's
health and progress in the future.
The Middle Commission
on Higher Education is a voluntary, non-governmental,
peer-based membership association dedicated to educational
excellence and is a recognized leader in promoting
and ensuring quality assurance and improvement in higher
education. The Commission provides assurance to the
general public that accredited member institutions
meets their standards. The Middle States Association
of Colleges and Schools members are located in New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, the District
of Columbia, Maryland, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands,
and other locations overseas.
AUB began its accreditation
process in the summer of 2000. The process entails
completing five application stages: establishing eligibility
for candidacy; applying for candidacy; preparing for
the self-study; conducting the self-study and writing
the self-study report; and hosting a review of the
self-study by a visiting team of faculty and administrators
from peer institutions the peer review.
The fourth stage, conducting
the self-study and preparing the self-study report,
was an intensive process of institutional self-examination,
focusing on fourteen designated areas such as the Universitys
mission, faculty, academic programs, resources, and
student services. The self-study report took two years
to complete and provided many opportunities for an
institutional review and debate by AUBs entire constituency
working on the document. The benefit of the self-study
process is to promote the continuous growth and development
of the institution and is most helpful when an institution
integrates what is learned from the report into the
institutions regular planning cycle.
The fifth stage peer review
(team visit) brought together educators from similar
institutions for an extensive evaluation of the self-study
and to conduct a team visit to the institution. The
visit was carried out entirely by video-conferencing,
the first in the Middle States Commissions history,
from AUBs New York office to campus.
Chartered by the State
of New York in 1863, the American University of Beirut
(AUB) has provided the best in American higher education
to the brightest students of all backgrounds from the
Middle East and beyond. Today AUB provides a vital
link between East and West, promoting academic dialogue
and understanding. The Universitys 91 academic degree
programs lead to degrees at the bachelors, masters,
and MD levels and are registered with the New York
State Education Department and Lebanons Ministry of
Higher Education. AUB has a student body of about 7,000
with 620 full-time faculty members.
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