Accreditation Institute

The Accreditation Institute is a one-day in-person workshop for academic program directors and faculty seeking to learn about accreditation for masters-level public service degrees. Attendance is free to registered NASPAA Global Conference attendees. The day is designed to provide tools to be successful in mission-driven, outcomes-oriented, evidence-based strategic program management.  
When is the 2026 Accreditation Institute?

The 2026 Accreditation Institute will take place on September 30, 2026, as part of the 2026 NASPAA Global Conference activities. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. 

 

For reference, the session schedule for the 2026 Accreditation Institute Schedule can be found below:

AI 2026 Schedule Snapshot

Download the 2026 Accreditation Institute Slides by clicking here!

The updated NASPAA Accreditation Videos can be viewed here.

Who should attend the Accreditation Institute?

Programs seeking (re)accreditation in the short-term and programs that have applied for or are considering applying for accreditation eligibility are especially encouraged to register. Programs in the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 accreditation cohorts are strongly encouraged to attend the 2026 Accreditation Institute. Program heads and faculty who are new to accredited programs and anyone else interested in learning more about NASPAA accreditation should attend!

What is the focus of the 2026 Accreditation Institute?

The 2026 Accreditation Institute will be a full-day workshop comprised of several sessions. Each session is unique, freestanding, and covers important aspects of the accreditation process and tools to help programs formatively use the NASPAA Accreditation Standards to carry out their public service missions. 

Sessions will include an overview of the benefits of NASPAA accreditation, the accreditation cycle, and detailed discussions on the NASPAA Accreditation Standards.

Please consider joining us for the 2026 Accreditation Institute!

 

Stay tuned for what participants thought of the 2026 NASPAA Accreditation Institute!
What other resources are available on NASPAA Accreditation?

Familiarity with the NASPAA Accreditation Standards is key to understanding NASPAA Accreditation. A series of videos, available here, can also give you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the NASPAA Accreditation Standards ahead of the 2026 Accreditation Institute.  General familiarity with the NASPAA Accreditation Standards is the basis for preparing a comprehensive Self-Study Report.

2024 Accreditation Institute Slides

Click below to view the PowerPoint slides from the 2024 Accreditation Institute. If you attended the 2024 Accreditation Institute it is a great way to review what you learned. If you did not attend, the slides provide an overview of the content to supplement your learning about NASPAA Accreditation. 

2021 Accreditation Institute Videos

Click below to view the videos from the 2021 Accreditation Institute:

  1. Session 1: NASPAA Accreditation: Strategic Program Management
  2. Session 2: Setting the Stage-Standard 1, Mission, Values, and Outcomes
  3. Session 3: Addressing the Fundamentals-Standards 2, 3, 4, Governance and Operations
  4. Session 4: Closing the Loop-Standards 5, 6, 7, Competencies and Transparency