Reimagining Accreditation: From Compliance to Learning-Centered Transformation

Accreditation in higher education was established as a mechanism to ensure quality and promote continuous improvement. However, in recent decades, its implementation has often veered toward procedural compliance and documentation rather than meaningful engagement with student learning. This article critiques the prevailing verification model and presents a comprehensive framework for reimagining accreditation as a learning-centered, inquiry-driven process. Drawing from scholarly literature and practitioner insights—including discussions from the 2025 AALHE Annual Conference—the article outlines the theoretical underpinnings of assessment as scholarly work and identifies the cultural, structural, and policy-level barriers that inhibit its authentic practice. The article argues that meaningful reform requires institutions to center direct evidence of learning, align assessment with pedagogical intent, and invest in faculty leadership and development. It calls for accrediting bodies to shift their focus from format and frequency to substance and educational impact, while advocating for national policies that support innovation, transparency, and capacity-building over punishment and standardization. Practical strategies are offered to move institutions from volume-based to value-based assessment, embed assessment into curriculum design, and foster cultures of reflective improvement. Ultimately, the article positions accreditation as a public good and moral imperative, one that must evolve to meet the changing demands of education and society. It challenges higher education to move beyond compliance and to embrace assessment as a transformative tool that honors faculty expertise, supports student success, and restores trust in institutional quality.