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Bible College / Theological Seminary/ Graduate School and the Dr. Mal Couch School of Biblical Prophecy
Scofield.org.uk
“Without minimizing the value of a formal, seminary education in certain instances, we doubt not but that the true Christian Minister will be best furnished, and esteems at far higher value, that learning which he obtained ‘in the secret place of the Most High" --Charles Bridges |
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Scofield Theological Seminary Thailand
Scofield Seminary Texas Extension Campus
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ACCREDITATION: Scofield Seminary is fully accredited by ICAATS (International Council for Accrediting Alternate and Theological Studies), a conservative accrediting agency based in India. ICAATS has been authorized by the Government of India to accredit theological courses and degrees around the world.
In USA accreditation for all theological education is done by a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) i.e., USDE or the privately governed but government sanctioned CHEA. In India also (where the secular constitution guarantees separation of religion and the government) all theological accreditation is done by NGOs. ICAATS is one of the six NGOs approved and licensed by the Government of India for accrediting theological studies. It is theologically a conservative accreditor.
AUTHORIZATION: Scofield Graduate School of Theology and Theological Seminary is authorized to grant degrees by the State of California through religious exemption.
What Is Accreditation: Accreditation is a process developed mainly in USA in which the over-all standard maintained by an institution, or the standard of one or more courses offered by an institution, is ascertained. Once an institution or course is fully accredited, students and other institutions can be sure that this institution or course meets a declared standard. Submitting to accreditation is a totally voluntary process, and the peer-review for accreditation, and the subsequent accreditation, in the USA is done by private agencies recognized by the appropriate government department or agency. The American government does not directly get into the process of accreditation. The present system of accreditation started first in the USA in the 1960's mainly as a method to demonstrate to the US Federal government that the accredited institution is eligible for receiving Federal funding, loans, grants and funds for research. Gradually this practice of accreditation spread to many western countries, but due to its recent western origin it has not yet become a universal practice. Nor is the process of accreditation the same or identical in non-western countries. Further, only few countries around the world have anything similar to the American accreditation. Accreditation In USA: In the USA, there is no centralized Government authority or government accrediting body for higher education. Instead, national or regional private bodies grant accreditation. Most of the private accrediting bodies in good standing are granted recognition by the Education department or appropriate Government agency. Accreditation In Europe: An American type system of Accreditation has started evolving in European countries, but it has not reached complete development yet. Private agencies, recognized by the government, do the accreditation in most European countries. Accreditation In Non-western Countries: Accreditation as practiced is still evolving in most non-western countries. It is non existent in most. The quality of an institution and the courses it offers are assessed based on several areas. Accreditation In India: India has a unique and eclectic system of accreditation. It borrows from the American as well as the European system, and it also adds elements unique to the socio-religious milieu of India. This system has two components: accreditation of secular institutions and accreditation of institutions run by minority communities. Christians, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Persians are some of the recognized minority communities in India. The Constitution of India in its Clause 32 stipulated that institutions set up and managed by the minorities (which includes the Christians) shall be given a special status and special rules shall govern them. Instead of the Department of Education and common Universities, these institutions were to work directly under the guidance and control of State and Central governments. ICAATS was established under this clause of the Constitution of India. It is under this clause that the State Government of Kerala, and the Government of India granted in 2003 the right of theological accreditation to ICAATS.
Accreditation In India: Accreditation of educational institutions in India takes an eclectic approach. A framework for this approach was provided in the Constitution of India that was adopted on 26th January 1950, a decade before the American accreditation system arose. The establishment and accreditation of educational institutions in India go along two tracks: institutions in the general category, and institutions in the minority-community category. Of these, the accreditation of institutions in the general category is regulated by the Education Department and other related Government departments. On the other hand, the accreditation of minority-community institutions is regulated by special accrediting agencies. Special agencies can seek Government approval, and are granted such approval directly by the State and Central Government after the mandatory legal and official examination. This is done under the Cultural and Educational rights provided for in the Constitution of India. The relevant clauses in the Constitution are: The Constitution Of India Cultural and Educational Rights 29. Protection of interests of minorities.—(1) Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same. (2) No citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them. 30. Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions. — (1) All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. (1A) In making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any property of an educational institution established and administered by a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall ensure that the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right guaranteed under that clause. (2) The State shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language. The provisions made in the Constitution of India for the minorities-led-institutions was reinforced on 21 December 2005 when a special Bill related to the educational institutions of minority-communities (including Christians) was passed. In effect this Bill once again affirms that inter alia Bible schools, Theological Seminaries, etc in India shall not be regulated or accredited by the Department of Education, but rather by the State and Central Government. It also implies that accreditation councils for such institutions will be approved by the State and Central Government, and not by the Department of Education. ICAATS is an Accrediting Agency established under this clause with the approval of the State and Central Government. Quoted from: ICAATS web site: http://www.icaats.org.in/WhatIsAccreditation.html
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