The Standards – Introduction

Christian Quality Assurance (CQA), is a voluntary, non-profit, self-governing organization having as its primary purpose the international accreditation of Christian higher educational institutions. Through its evaluation activities, CQA provides public assurance about the educational quality of those Christian colleges and Universities that receive, seek or wish to maintain membership, which is synonymous with accreditation.

Institutions of higher learning achieve accreditation from CQA by demonstrating that they meet the Standards for Accreditation and comply with its policies. The Standards for Accreditation establish minimum criteria for institutional quality.

CQA expects affiliated institutions to work toward improving their quality, increasing their effectiveness, and continually striving toward excellence. Its evaluative processes are designed to encourage such improvement.

Each of the twelve standards encompasses a principal area of institutional activity. In applying the standards, CQA assesses and makes a determination about the effectiveness of the institution as a whole. The institution which meets the Standards:

• has clearly defined purposes appropriate to an institution of higher learning
• has assembled and organized those resources necessary to achieve its purposes
• is achieving its purposes
• has the ability to continue to achieve its purposes.

CQA recognizes that some aspects of an institution are always stronger than others. Meeting the Standards does not guarantee the quality of individual programmes, courses, or graduates, but serious weaknesses in a particular area may threaten the institution's accreditation.

CQA deals with institutional differences in ways designed to protect both educational quality and individual philosophy and practice.

The Standards are essentially qualitative criteria that measure the institution's current state of educational effectiveness. They allow CQA to appraise a wide variety of collegiate institutions, differing in purpose, size, organization, scope of programme, clientele served, support, and control. By design, the Standards do not preclude perceptive and imaginative experimentation aimed at increasing the effectiveness of higher education.

Institutions whose policies, practices, or resources differ significantly from those described in the Standards for Accreditation must present evidence that these are:

• appropriate to higher education,
• consistent with institutional mission and purposes, and
• effective in meeting the intent of CQA's Standards.

The existence of collective bargaining agreements, with other institutions, does not abrogate institutional or faculty obligations to comply with the standards for accreditation.

Institutions of higher learning desiring recognition from Christian Quality Assurance are expected to abide by these Standards.

Affiliated colleges and universities manifest their integrity through continued voluntary adherence to these criteria. Compliance is periodically reviewed through peer and off-site evaluations (Internet). These are preceded by self-studies directed toward demonstrating both adherence to the Standards and institutional improvement. The self-regulatory nature of accreditation assumes that institutions agree to participate in and to accept and profit by an honest and forthright assessment of institutional strengths and weaknesses.

The Standards for Accreditation were developed through a lengthy participatory process which involved many higher educational institutions as well as the public. Therefore, they represent the accrued wisdom of some 450 colleges and universities about the essential elements of institutional quality, and they offer a perspective which stresses the public purpose of higher education. CQA continually evaluates the effectiveness of its Standards and its processes for applying them, and makes such changes as conditions warrant.

On the following pages, Calvary University will show that it complies to each sub-point of each standard.  
Note: In some cases CU will comment on their position where change is envisioned or where particular circumstances warrant explanatory comments. A lack of comment will still indicate that the point was investigated during a self-study and found to be within normal reach of educational and or administrative complieancy by CU.

These Standards of Accreditation are copied by permission from Christian Quality Assurance, Copyright © 1997.   All rights reserved.
This document shows in which way Calvary University complies to the CQA standards as an International Christian Institution for Higher Education.