Our Purpose
IABCS is the oldest, longest running accrediting body in the U.S.A. and has served to develop, create, innovate, and validate higher Christian Education all over the globe. Utilizing effective educational strategies, IABCS has become a catalyst for many institutions to grow their student body and add credibility to their curriculum. We promote mutual transferability of academic coursework among all IABCS institutions around the world and offer peer review standards of academic integrity. We provide certification where members adhere to standardized operating requirements in keeping with, and acceptable to, other institutions of higher education.
We believe Accreditation is all about accountability to educational standards and criterion in the context of peer institutions. There are several types of accreditation options but they can be summarized under two headings: (1) Government Accreditation Options, and (2) Non-Government Accreditation Options. Both are designed to maintain standards of academic integrity among institutions of higher learning. The US Department of Education itself accredits certain agencies, regional, national and professional. IABCS accredits its member institutions by applying accepted practices and standards much like other professional peer review organizations. In academia, peer review is often used to determine an organizations credibility. Read More Here.
Although Government accreditation options would enable us to offer professional degrees and student financial aid, none of these are the mission of our member institutions.
Benefits of membership include but are not limited to:
- Access, Accountability, and Support from other leading Christian Educators
- Networking with Educational Professionals
- Peer Review Standards of Academic Integrity
- Access to and Opportunity to Submit Peer Review Articles and Resources
- Invitation to IABCS Annual Meetings
- Recommended Resources for Your Institution
- Mutual Transferability of Academic Coursework Among IABCS Institutions
IABCS was originated to furnish a basis for fellowship and mutual helpfulness among educational institutions of higher operating in the Biblical field. Our aspirations are to make it possible for Christian institutions of higher education to continue their evangelical and denominational integrity and at the same time provide and maintain the highest academic standards.
Our purpose is to furnish, recognize, and verify certain standardized requirements in various fields in which the representative institutions operate in keeping with, and acceptable to, other accredited institutions of higher education. In this effort, we assist the institutions in offering Christian education at a postsecondary school level for effective Christian service or ministries administered through a program of Biblical, general and professional studies that affect a person physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
By improving the quality of this education through carefully described criteria of institutional excellence that will encourage self-examination and stimulate healthy growth, we provide a means of membership and certification of Bible Colleges and Seminaries, similar to that of other national and regional agencies.