News & Insights
News and Insights
Plain-language guidance for learners, employers and institutions on judging quality in online and distance education.
How to judge an accreditation claim
Many institutions say they are accredited. A few simple questions show quickly whether the claim means anything.
Writing a self-study that actually helps you
The self-study is the most useful part of accreditation for the institution that writes it, if it is written to find problems rather than to hide them.
What good online education looks like to a reviewer
Reviewers of distance education look beyond the platform. They ask whether a learner who studies alone can start well, keep going, be fairly assessed and hold a record that means something.
Accreditation, recognition and licensing: three different things
The words are often used as if they meant the same. They do not, and the difference matters when you choose a program or describe your own.
Announcements of suspensions and withdrawals are not news items. They are published as public notices in the registry.
Questions before you begin?
Write to HCDE and we will explain the route that fits your institution, program or situation.