A Job Well Done: AUC Hosts Middle States Commission on Higher Education Team

After a rigorous self-assessment process and the production of a 100-page self-study report, AUC welcomed a team from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) last week to observe the University’s congruence with its self-study, determine AUC’s compliance with the MSCHE standards and provide recommendations for areas of the University that can be further enhanced.

“The MSCHE accreditation is a multiyear process that involves preparation of a self-study report, a campus visit from a team of peers from other institutions who have studied the report, and a decision on the accreditation status of the institution,” explained Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman. “AUC is a remarkable institution, and as our colleague so aptly noted during the MSCHE review visit, it is also resilient. That resilience stems from the willingness to work and fight for the betterment of AUC that each member of the AUC community fiercely displays. I am incredibly proud and honored to work alongside such extraordinary people.”

During the visit, the MSCHE team –– comprised of eight members –– met with all AUC constituencies to get a sense of University processes. The members left time at the end of their visit for extra meetings and interviews, and finally gave suggestions and recommendations during their final exit meeting.

AUC’s Accreditation Steering Committee has been compiling data, considering the needs of the University and seeking input from community members for some time now, working to finalize a self-evaluation to guide the MSCHE team through its visit.

Mohamed AbouZeid, chair of AUC’s Accreditation Steering Committee and professor in the Department of Construction Engineering in the School of Sciences and Engineering, noted that the preparation for this reaffirmation of accreditation started almost three years ago. “Since then, the steering committee has been steadily at work in a highly informative and participatory process,” said AbouZeid. “I'm pleased with the outcome of this visit.”

Designated as a certified international evaluator, AbouZeid is familiar with accreditation processes and maintains a positive outlook on the experience of preparing for the MSCHE visit. “We all realize that accreditation is meant to be a vehicle for continuous improvement, which we should all aspire to do,” he said. “It is meant to be a journey –– never a destination.”

By June, the University should receive notice of MSCHE’s final report regarding recommendations for growth and its decision regarding AUC’s reaffirmation of accreditation.