Accreditation Manual Supplement for International Programs

Position Statement on Accreditation of International Nursing Education Programs (Revised July 2025)

The ACEN is committed to quality in all types of nursing education programs and encourages self-evaluation, peer review, and the promotion of educational equity, access, and mobility through the functions of accreditation. Recognizing that accreditation is one way of enhancing the quality of nursing education and is a way to facilitate the nursing profession being the best and strongest it can be worldwide, the ACEN welcomes nursing programs outside the United States and U.S. Territories to pursue international nursing accreditation.

The ACEN asserts that accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory process by which non-governmental entities recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. The ACEN acknowledges that nursing education programs located outside of the United States and its Territories can benefit from adherence to best practices and generally accepted guidelines for nursing education incorporated in the ACEN Standards and Criteria. To fulfill its mission to support the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public, the ACEN seeks to broaden the impact of accreditation to encompass nursing education programs across the globe.

Therefore, in a spirit of cooperation, openness, and mutual respect consistent with its organizational values, the ACEN extends accreditation and related services to international nursing education programs.

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International Candidacy Processes and Procedures

Initial and Continuing Accreditation Visits

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