IES Abroad Earns Prestigious Study Abroad Distinction from The Forum on Education Abroad
IES Abroad Meets All Requirements of QUIP Process and Highest Standards in Study Abroad Field
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 2, 2010
IES Abroad, a Chicago, Illinois, not-for-profit provider of undergraduate study abroad programs, has received the prestigious Quality Improvement Program (QUIP) designation from The Forum on Education Abroad.
IES Abroad is the first third-party provider of study abroad services in the United States to complete the QUIP review of evaluation processes, conducted by The Forum on Education Abroad. As part of the QUIP process, independent peer reviewers examined IES Abroad’s oversight and evaluation of its academic curriculum, instructional quality, curriculum design, language skills development programs, student support services, and quality improvement practices.
“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 and CEO of The Forum on Education Abroad.
The U. S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission recognize The Forum on Education Abroad as the organization responsible for establishing standards for the education abroad field and evaluating organizations according to those standards.
“The QUIP designation means that students, parents and schools can be assured that IES Abroad meets and surpasses the highest standards for study abroad programs in the nation,” said Dr. Mary Dwyer, president and CEO at IES Abroad. “When considering a study abroad program, parents and students should look for the QUIP name and logo to be sure that the programs they choose offer the greatest learning opportunities, the highest standards for academics, the best facilities, the finest partner universities, and the most rewarding, enriching locations for studying abroad.”
The year-long QUIP review process required that IES Abroad provide the QUIP review team with hundreds of documents describing the organization and its global operations. The QUIP process also included a two-day, on-site review by independent peer reviewers from The Forum on Education Abroad. In addition to reviewing IES Abroad’s programs, the QUIP peer review team looked at the effectiveness of the organization’s methods to evaluate and improve pre-departure and on-site operations; communications with parents, students, and schools; financial operations; and student health and welfare programs. The Forum Review Panel then examined the peer review team’s work and made the final determination.
QUIP is a 360-degree analysis of a study abroad organization against strict standards which include mission; student learning and development; academic framework; student preparation and learning environment; student selection and code of conduct; policies and procedures abroad; organizational and program resources; health, safety and security measures; and ethics.
IES Abroad, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2010, is a global, not-for-profit academic consortium offering study abroad programs to more than 5,500 US college students each year who participate in 95 programs at 34 international locations. IES Abroad offers programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and South America. http://www. IESAbroad. org.
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