In August 2015, the IEI received the wonderful news that we had been approved for accreditation by The Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) whose mission is to “promote excellence in the field of English language administration and teaching through the accreditation of English language programs and institutions worldwide.” CEA is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as the only accrediting agency for intensive English programs.
The process to becoming a CEA accredited institution came as the result of many years of work and self-study as we analyzed aspects of our program and administration that reflect the 11 CEA standards:
If you read through all of these separate areas, you notice that the IEI does a lot more than just teaching students English! We are responsible for helping support our students with everything from immigration to housing. For example, if you’ve ever had a problem with your I-20, Karen is there to help! If you need to change your roommate or homestay family, you go see Anna! Everything that the IEI does is described in these 11 areas, and all of this is to support you, our students.
In February, after submitting a substantial report to the Commission, a committee from the accrediting organization spent time with us at the IEI making sure that the ways in which we described our self on paper matched up in person (just like a teacher grading a test). The people on this committee run programs similar to the IEI at other universities across the United States. They are highly knowledgeable and are here to make sure the IEI follows all of the rules and regulations set up by the Commission.
After the committee left, we waited anxiously for their report which finally came several months later…
How did the IEI do?
Really well! We are now one of only four CEA Accredited English language programs that are part of a State of Illinois four-year university.
What did the final report say?
We learned that the IEI is doing a great job of helping our students reach their English language goals. We also learned that even excellent programs can have areas which need to be changed to make them stronger. If you’ve been at the IEI for more than 1 semester, you’ve probably noticed some of these changes already!
What’s going to stay the same?
What is going to stay the same is our commitment to supporting our students – both inside and outside of the classroom. Earning the CEA accreditation is a recognition of the overall quality of the experience when students come to study with us here at the IEI!
The Intensive English Institute 