HLC’s Opportunities for International Engagement

Even though HLC does not accredit foreign-based institutions, its reputation for accreditation is growing globally.  

Since 2016, HLC has welcomed the leaders of more than half a dozen countries where U.S. accreditation has been studied, and even modeled. 

Education ministers and university scholars from Cameroon, China, Chile, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Sweden have met with HLC staff members virtually, at HLC offices and at the Annual Conference. 

The interactions have largely been focused on accreditation practices, and topics have ranged from understanding peer review to understanding substantive change. 

“Accreditation is not just a national issue,” said HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley.  

“The HLC name and its work differentiate us as a top accreditor,” she added. “It is gratifying to know that HLC is being viewed as a leader both at home and abroad.” 

Recent HLC-foreign exchanges include a virtual meeting held over the summer between HLC leaders and members of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.  

The ministers asked about methods for evaluating institutions, including the Quality Initiative. They learned about HLC’s follow-up methods for evaluation, including monitoring, the Institutional Update and indicator processes. They also were interested in knowing more about governments’ role in accreditation. 

“I came away knowing that they want their students to have a good education,” said Patricia Newton-Curran, vice president of systems and accreditation services at HLC.  

“It emphasized, for me, the power that education has around the world, and reminded me how much we have in common,” she said. 

Newton-Curran was joined for the session by Linnea Stenson, an HLC vice president of accreditation relations. 

“I appreciate that government agencies like the one from Japan have been reaching out to learn from HLC,” said Stenson.  

“In some ways, talking and sharing with them is not that different than what we do to educate people here about accreditation.”  

“On the other hand, it has been rewarding to talk to counterparts from other parts of world. They have different needs and perspectives that can enrich and inform.” 

HLC also has been involved for a number of years in exchanges with education leaders from Trinidad and Tobago. 

Officials at the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) consulted with HLC on the original design of its accreditation processes and have customized its systems and approaches to reflect the unique characteristics and needs of this Caribbean nation. 

“Despite significant cultural and geographical differences, our mutual desire to support our institution in providing world-class higher education opportunities has resulted in deep and meaningful relationships between our organizations,” said John Marr, Jr., an HLC vice president of accreditation relations. 

Over the years, ACTT has sent delegations to HLC’s annual conference on several occasions, most recently in  2024. Marr and Anthea Sweeney, also an HLC vice president of accreditation relations, served as hosts for the most recent delegation.  

“We hope that HLC can continue to serve as an ambassador for international quality assurance in these and other countries,” said Sweeney.  

Involvement in international engagement has been taking place for many years, according to Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer Karen Solomon, who joined HLC more than 20 years ago.  

“International engagement has helped build a movement of quality assurance. It has informed us about standards set by others and ways we can improve,” Solomon said. 

Its importance and impact, along with HLC’s identity as an accreditation leader, are likely to continue into the future.  

“If we’re going to continue to improve, we need to continue to think globally,” said Solomon.