ACISC Code of Ethics
The ACISC Code of Ethics establishes principles of professional conduct that support integrity, independence, responsible judgment and confidence throughout international institutional accreditation.
Accreditation carries significant responsibility. Institutions, evaluators, reviewers, decision-makers, governance participants and other professionals involved in accreditation activities should act with integrity, respect evidence, protect appropriate confidentiality, identify potential conflicts and perform their responsibilities consistently with applicable ACISC standards, policies and procedures.
Ethical practice strengthens the connection between accreditation standards, institutional evidence, external evaluation, professional judgment, accreditation decisions and continuing institutional quality.
Professional Conduct Is Part of Accreditation Quality
A credible accreditation system depends on more than standards and evaluation methods. It also depends on the conduct of the people and institutions participating in the process.
Ethical responsibilities help ensure that institutional information is represented accurately, evidence is considered responsibly, professional roles remain clear, potential conflicts are addressed appropriately and accreditation activities are conducted with integrity.
ACISC places ethical conduct within the wider institutional quality-assurance framework so that professional responsibility supports every stage of accreditation.
Ethics Across the Accreditation System
Institutional responsibility
Professional integrity
Independent evaluation
Evidence-based judgment
Confidentiality
Conflict awareness
Responsible communication
Accountable decision-making
Principles Supporting Responsible Accreditation Practice
The following principles provide a professional foundation for participation in ACISC accreditation and related institutional quality activities.
Integrity
Accreditation activities should be conducted honestly, responsibly and consistently with applicable standards, policies, procedures and professional responsibilities.
Independence
External evaluation, review and formal decision-making should maintain appropriate separation from interests or relationships that could compromise professional judgment.
Objectivity
Professional conclusions should be grounded in relevant evidence, applicable standards and reasoned judgment rather than inappropriate influence or personal interest.
Accountability
Participants should understand the responsibilities associated with their role and remain accountable for carrying those responsibilities out appropriately.
Confidentiality
Information obtained through accreditation activities should be handled responsibly and in accordance with applicable ACISC requirements and other relevant obligations.
Professional Competence
Individuals participating in accreditation activities should undertake responsibilities appropriate to their knowledge, experience, professional capacity and assigned role.
Respect
Professional interactions should recognize institutional context, cultural diversity and the dignity and responsibilities of people participating in educational and accreditation activities.
Accurate Representation
Institutions and professional participants should represent evidence, qualifications, responsibilities, accreditation status and relationships with ACISC accurately.
Continuous Improvement
Ethical practice includes learning from evidence, experience and evaluation and strengthening professional and institutional practice over time.
Protecting Independent Professional Judgment
Independent external evaluation is an important element of institutional accreditation.
Professional judgment should not be improperly influenced by personal relationships, financial interests, institutional pressure, prior consulting relationships or other circumstances that could materially affect objectivity.
Appropriate separation among institutional preparation, external evaluation, review and formal accreditation decision-making helps protect the integrity of the accreditation process.
Independence in Practice
Defined professional roles
Independent external perspective
Evidence-based evaluation
Conflict awareness
Professional judgment
Appropriate separation of responsibilities
Accountable decisions
Identify, Disclose & Manage Relevant Conflicts
Professional relationships, financial interests, previous engagements and other circumstances can sometimes create actual, potential or perceived conflicts relevant to accreditation responsibilities.
Participants should identify circumstances that could materially affect—or reasonably call into question—their ability to perform an accreditation responsibility with appropriate independence and professional judgment.
Relevant circumstances should be addressed through the applicable ACISC process before participation in the affected activity proceeds.
Conflict Considerations
Financial interests
Professional relationships
Prior consulting relationships
Employment relationships
Personal relationships
Competing institutional interests
Other relevant circumstances
Accreditation Conclusions Should Be Grounded in Evidence
Professional judgment is strongest when it is connected to the applicable accreditation standards and relevant institutional evidence.
Evaluators and other participants should examine information carefully, distinguish documented evidence from unsupported assertion, consider relevant institutional context and avoid substituting personal preference for established accreditation expectations.
Evidence-based practice strengthens consistency while allowing professional judgment to respond appropriately to different institutional missions, educational models and operating environments.
Responsible Evaluation
Applicable standards
Relevant evidence
Institutional context
Reasoned analysis
Consistent expectations
Documented findings
Professional judgment
Responsible Handling of Institutional Information
Accreditation activities may involve access to institutional records, internal evidence, personnel information, learner information, strategic material and other information requiring responsible handling.
Individuals participating in accreditation activities should use information for the appropriate professional purpose and respect applicable confidentiality, privacy, data-protection and information-management requirements.
Professional access to institutional information creates responsibility. Information should not be used improperly for personal, commercial or unrelated professional purposes.
Information Responsibilities
Appropriate access
Purpose-limited use
Responsible handling
Confidentiality
Privacy awareness
Secure information practices
Professional discretion
Different Roles, Shared Ethical Responsibility
Accreditation involves distinct institutional and professional responsibilities. Ethical practice requires participants to understand both their own role and the boundaries between roles.
Institutions
Institutions are responsible for the accuracy of their submissions, evidence, institutional representations, self-study, continuing compliance and improvement activities.
Evaluators
Evaluators provide an external professional perspective and examine relevant institutional evidence against applicable accreditation expectations.
Reviewers
Reviewers consider relevant findings, evidence, institutional responses and other applicable information within the defined review process.
Decision-Makers
Those responsible for formal accreditation decisions should consider applicable information through the established decision-making structure and procedures.
Governance
Governance responsibilities include appropriate oversight of the accreditation system, its procedures and the integrity of its institutional responsibilities.
Administration
Administrative responsibilities support consistent implementation, documentation, communication and operation of accreditation processes.
Accurate Evidence & Responsible Representation
Institutions participating in ACISC accreditation have an important ethical responsibility to provide accurate, relevant and appropriately supported information throughout the accreditation process.
Institutional evidence should represent actual practice and should enable evaluators and reviewers to understand how the institution operates, how educational provision is monitored and how quality and effectiveness are assessed.
Accreditation status, accreditation scope and relationships with ACISC should also be communicated accurately in institutional publications, websites, promotional material and other public representations.
Institutional Responsibilities
Accurate submissions
Authentic evidence
Complete relevant information
Responsible public representation
Accurate accreditation status
Accurate program information
Continuing institutional responsibility
Integrity Across Institutional Educational Provision
Institutional accreditation requires an accurate understanding of the education an institution provides.
Institutions should maintain accurate information concerning the programs, qualifications, curricula, delivery arrangements and educational activities included within their applicable institutional and accreditation records.
Where programs and educational provision fall within the institution’s established ACISC accreditation scope, they remain connected to the institution’s continuing responsibilities for quality assurance, evidence, monitoring and applicable ACISC standards throughout the accreditation cycle.
Educational Integrity
Accurate program information
Appropriate academic oversight
Curriculum quality
Teaching & learning
Assessment integrity
Learner support
Program monitoring
Quality improvement
Respectful, Responsible & Constructive Engagement
Professional conduct influences the quality of accreditation relationships and the effectiveness of institutional evaluation.
Participants should communicate professionally, respect institutional and cultural contexts, remain focused on applicable standards and evidence, and avoid conduct that could undermine confidence in accreditation activities.
Constructive professional engagement does not require avoiding difficult findings. It requires communicating findings accurately, respectfully and in a manner consistent with the responsibilities of the accreditation process.
Professional Conduct
Respect
Professional communication
Appropriate boundaries
Cultural awareness
Fair consideration
Evidence-based discussion
Responsible representation
Specialized Ethical Responsibilities for Consultants
Consultants supporting institutions occupy a different professional role from evaluators, reviewers and accreditation decision-makers.
ACISC maintains a dedicated Code of Ethics for Affiliated Consultants addressing professional advice, accurate representation, confidentiality, conflicts, institutional ownership and the separation between consulting support and formal accreditation evaluation.
Consultants should support institutional understanding and capability without representing their advice as an accreditation decision or guaranteeing an accreditation outcome.
Consultant Ethics
Accurate representation
Clear professional scope
Institutional ownership
Confidentiality
Conflict awareness
Professional boundaries
No outcome guarantees
Ethical Practice Across International Educational Environments
ACISC operates across educational institutions with different missions, disciplines, learner populations, cultures and national or regional contexts.
Professional participants should approach this diversity with appropriate cultural awareness while maintaining consistent attention to applicable ACISC standards, evidence and ethical responsibilities.
This combination of international awareness and standards-based professional practice supports meaningful institutional evaluation across diverse educational environments.
Across Educational Contexts
Academic education
Higher education
Medical & healthcare education
Nursing & allied health education
Business & professional education
Engineering & technology
Technical & vocational education
Continuing education, CME & CPD
Workforce & specialized education
Ethics Within the ACISC Quality-Assurance System
Ethical conduct works together with governance, independence, accountability and established accreditation procedures to support confidence in institutional evaluation and accreditation.
Governance & Independence
Explore how responsibilities, external evaluation, review and decision-making connect within the ACISC accreditation system.
Policies & Accountability
Explore the policies, responsibilities and accountability principles supporting consistent accreditation practice.
Consultant Code of Ethics
Review the specialized professional expectations applicable to affiliated consultants supporting educational institutions.
Supporting Ethical Accountability
Questions concerning ethical responsibilities should be considered in relation to the participant’s role, the applicable accreditation activity and relevant ACISC policies and procedures.
Where a concern involves professional conduct, institutional representation, a potential conflict or another matter relevant to accreditation integrity, the appropriate ACISC procedure should be used so that the matter can be considered within the established accountability framework.
Responsible Action
Identify the issue
Document relevant information
Identify the applicable policy
Use the appropriate ACISC channel
Respect the established process
Ethical Practice Strengthens Accreditation
ACISC’s Code of Ethics connects professional conduct with the integrity of international institutional accreditation.
Through integrity, independent judgment, responsible use of evidence, appropriate confidentiality, accountability and clear professional responsibilities, ethical practice supports confidence throughout institutional evaluation and the wider accreditation cycle.