In 2010, IES Abroad received the prestigious Quality Improvement Process (QUIP 2A) designation from The Forum on Education Abroad.
This designation concluded a year-long process that led the Forum to confirm that IES Abroad is in substantial conformity with the Forum’s Standards of Good Practice, the highest standards in the education abroad field.
“QUIP is the closest designation the education abroad field has to accreditation and is the most objective, rigorous and authoritative process for evaluating study abroad programs in the country,” said Brian Whalen, President & CEO of The Forum on Education Abroad.
Upon approval of the Interim Report in 2015, The Forum Review Panel noted, "IES [Abroad] clearly is continuing to practice ongoing quality improvement and takes the Standards seriously as a way to improve its programming."
As a leader in the field of international education, IES Abroad is pleased to be the first third-party provider to successfully complete this category of review
QUIP Evaluation
Evaluation Areas
As part of the QUIP examination into IES Abroad’s oversight and evaluation procedures, IES Abroad completed an extensive self-study, and provided the Forum’s independent review team with hundreds of documents describing our global operations and our evaluation processes. QUIP independent reviewers examined:
- The IES Abroad Mission and the IES Abroad MAP
- Education system and extensive surveys and research
- Predeparture and on-site operations
- Communications with students, parents, member schools and the general public
- Student learning and development
- Academic and business governance systems
- Student selection and preparation
- Student code of conduct and student services protocols
- Organizational and program resources
- Health, safety, and security measures, and crisis management planning
- Financial operations
- Organizational ethics
Governance Evaluation
In addition, a second independent Forum panel reviewed the first review panel’s recommendations.
This lengthy review process offered an important reminder of how well our governance structure has served our organization, partner institutions, and students. Our Academic Consortium has consistently held IES Abroad to the highest standards, and IES Abroad continues to implement the IES Abroad Model Assessment Practice for Study Abroad Programs (IES Abroad MAP). As a result, we have a long organizational history of seeking feedback, conducting program reviews, evaluating many facets of our programs and operations, and innovating.
Recognition through QUIP provides schools, students, and parents with the assurance that IES Abroad programs are of the highest academic and operational quality. The recognition also reflects the high priority IES Abroad places on continually improving every aspect of our study abroad programs and services.
