Accreditation is a process and an outcome, and it exists in two main forms. First, there is accreditation offered by an institution or awarding body to individuals on the basis of academic or training credit already gained within the institution or as a direct result of prior or current learning. Second, there is accreditation sought by an institution from an outside awarding body through some form of formal professional review.

The processes of accreditation make credible the autonomous privilege of an organization or body to confer academic or training awards. Furthermore, accreditation is commonly used to form new programs or to open opportunities for a wider adoption of courses leading to the confirmation of awards. In the context of wider participation in education and training, it ...