What accreditation is
Accreditation is an external review in which an independent body checks that an institution or programme meets published standards for governance, teaching, resources and results. For a student it matters because employers, other universities and professional bodies often rely on it when deciding whether to accept a qualification.
What the archive said
The archived Branton University page claimed international accreditation and listed an evaluation by the Distance Learning Quality Assurance Agency (DLQAA), with a registration number. It also listed memberships of several organisations, among them the International Accreditation Board for Business Studies (IABBS), the Middle East Accreditation Council (MEAC), a European accreditation council for online learning, the North American Distance Learning Association (NADLA), the International Higher Learning Commission and GCHEA.
These are the institution’s own statements from 2015. This site has not confirmed any of them, and listing a name here is not an endorsement. The key question is whether each body is itself recognised by an official authority.
Regional versus international accreditation
The archive explained two types. Regional (or national) accreditation applies to institutions in one country or region and usually underpins acceptance of the degree there. International accreditation covers a broader geography. Neither label guarantees quality: what counts is who recognises the accreditor.
A verification routine
- Find the accreditor named on the provider’s site. Note the exact name, not just an acronym.
- Check the accreditor against an official list. Education ministries and national recognition databases publish lists of recognised accrediting bodies. Several countries also run directories of recognised institutions.
- Confirm the institution appears in the accreditor’s own register, and that the register is more than a page on the provider’s website.
- Look at the accreditor’s independence. Does it charge fees only to the institution it reviews? Does it have clear standards, published reports and a complaints process?
- Ask the receiving party. The employer or university you want to use the qualification with is the final judge. Email them the exact award title and the accreditor.
Warning signs
- The accreditor has a name close to a well-known official body but is not on any official list
- A “membership” is presented as if it were accreditation
- Registration numbers or points profiles are quoted without a link to a public register
- Accreditation is described as “guaranteeing” worldwide acceptance
Common questions
Does membership of an association equal accreditation? No. Membership usually means paying to join; accreditation involves a review.
Is an accredited degree always accepted? Not automatically. Acceptance is decided by the receiving organisation.
Can accreditation change? Yes. It is time-limited and can lapse or be withdrawn, so check the current status.
See also the pre-application checklist.