ABHE Serves

 101

 Accredited Institutions

1

 Accredited Program

 8

 Candidate Institutions for Accreditation

 21

 Applicant Institutions for Accreditation 

63

 Affiliate Institutions

1200+

 North American institutions of biblical higher education (non-members or non-affiliates)

 Constituency

There are more than 1200 institutions of biblical higher education in Canada, the United States, and related territories. Among these, ABHE institutions assist men and women in the development of a biblical world view with a special emphasis on the training of students for church and church-related vocations. Each undergraduate institution or program that is accredited by the Association consists of biblical/theological studies, general studies, and professional studies. Involvement in ministry formation activities is also an integral part of the biblical higher education experience. ABHE also serves a growing number of institutions that have seminaries or graduate divisions.


Recognition

The Association for Biblical Higher Education is recognized as a national, faith-based accrediting agency by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) (www.chea.org), the successor of the Council on Postsecondary Education (COPA), and subsequently the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary accreditation (CORPA).

ABHE is also listed by the United States Department of Education (www.ed.gov) as a recognized agency for biblical higher education. This recognition extends as well to ABHE’s candidate institutions. The Association’s member institutions are recognized by the Department of Justice, the Veteran’s Administration, and other relevant federal agencies in the United States. There is no federal department for education in Canada.  Although recognition by USDE is currently limited to undergraduate education, the Association is working to achieve status for its expanded scope (graduate-level and programmatic accreditation). ABHE anticipates that its request for expansion will be considered within the next year or two. It was recently recognized for its expanded scope by CHEA.

Finally, ABHE is recognized by the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (www.icete-edu.org), the theological education affiliate of the World Evangelical Alliance. The Council is a global community sponsored by eight continental/regional associations of theological schools. Incorporated in the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit corporation, the Association is exempt from income tax under the provisions of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

ABHE is operated by its member institutions through a board of directors, members of which are elected at an annual business meeting. Accrediting decisions are made by the Commission on Accreditation. The Association’s public accountability is underscored by the requirement that both the Board of Directors and the Commission on Accreditation must include public representatives among its members.

The Association is administered by a full-time Executive Director and supported by a corps of professional staff.