The Value of IACET Accreditation – and How to Tell If Your Organization Is Ready 

In today's competitive association landscape, organizations can stand out and develop new revenue streams by offering high-quality professional development and continuing education to their members. Achieving accreditation from the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) will demonstrate your organization's commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in your training programs. 

What is IACET? 

The IACET was founded in 1970 and grew out of a U.S. Department of Education project to establish a standard method for measuring continuing education activities and attainment. To achieve this, the CEU (continuing education unit) was born, and in 2006, ANSI approved IACET as an ANSI-accredited standards developer. The current version of the standard is ANSI/IACET 1-2018 Standard for Continuing Education and Training. 

Why Pursue IACET Accreditation?  

IACET accreditation signals a powerful commitment to quality assurance. Programs developed by accredited organizations are meticulously designed, delivered, and evaluated. For companies aiming to elevate their training offerings, IACET accreditation provides a proven framework for educational program design. 

Is Your Company Ready? 

Before embarking on the accreditation journey, it's essential to assess your organization's readiness. Your organization must have been incorporated and actively delivering continuing education, training activities, or learning events for at least one year prior to accreditation. Next, consider whether you have documented policies and processes. Categories of documentation include organization and program governance, learning environments, instructor qualifications and support, needs analysis and content requirements, assessment of learning outcomes, maintaining learner records, and learning event evaluation. 

The IACET Accreditation Readiness Calculator is a helpful tool for identifying gaps in your policies, processes, or evidence, and the Accreditation Workshops offer valuable guidance on instructional design principles and terminology related to the standard.   

Once you have submitted your application, your practices will be assessed through virtual interviews and site visits. The entire process typically takes three to six months, and candidate organizations have up to twelve months from the application date to complete all requirements. Accreditation is just the beginning; maintaining IACET accreditation involves careful recordkeeping, regular review of instructional outcomes, and dedication to ongoing improvement.  

Let's Go! 

Check out the Guide to IACET Accreditation and the Readiness Calculator. These items are both available free of charge from the IACET store, and CAM can help you with the initial evaluation process. If this is the right path for you, purchase the IACET Standard and Application bundle — the documentation that we can help you develop will be a valuable resource to ensure program continuity and a source of organizational knowledge.  

The rewards of achieving IACET accreditation are significant — both for your organization and for the members you serve — and CAM will be there with you every step of the way!