header image

Academic Review of EuNC

As an accredited institution, EuNC is accountable to MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Accrediting Association (NCA). Every 10 years, an accredited school is required to do a thorough self-study in preparation for a site visit of the accrediting agent. The criteria used to evaluate a school are five:

  1. Mission and Integrity. The organisation operates with integrity to ensure the fulfilment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.
  2. Preparing for the Future. The organisation’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfil its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.
  3. Student Learning and Effective Teaching. The organisation provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.
  4. Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge. The organisation promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.
  5. Engagement and Service. As called for by its mission, the organisation identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

MidAmerica is scheduled to have this visit in Spring 2009. In March 2007, we submitted our Academic Programme Review to MNU as part of the 10-year Self Study, and in January 2008, we received the Review Report from the MNU Internal Review Committee (IRC). The conclusion of the IRC is that EuNC meets all five criteria minimally. On 13 February 2008, in a meeting between the Leadership Team of EuNC and representatives from MNU, certain goals were formulated for quality improvement, based on items raised in the Programme Review and the report of the IRC.

Missional Review of EuNC

The International Board of Education (IBOE) of the Church of the Nazarene initiated missional reviews of all Nazarene schools. For schools like EuNC, who are already accredited through other organisations, the first benchmark will be primarily stressed.

  1. The institution has a clear mission statement that is appropriate to an educational institution of higher learning within the context of the Church of the Nazarene. The institution operates to ensure the fulfilment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board of governance, administration, faculty, staff, and constituent who understand and support the mission. Implementation of institutional policy is done with integrity and compliance with applicable legal requirements and best practices in higher education.
  2. The institution has systematic means for evaluating and improving the institution consistent with its mission and vision.
  3. The institution assures and advances student learning through ongoing programs to assess student learning, to recognize and promote teaching effectiveness, and to evaluate the currency and relevance of its curricular offerings.
  4. The organization strategically plans for holistic faculty, staff and student development.

 In November 2007 we received a campus visit from the IBOE Missional Review Team. In preparation for this visit we submitted a threefold report consisting of an Introduction to EuNC and update on the implementation of our new strategy; The MNU Programme Review; and the Benchmarks Report. In January 2008, we received the Final report of the IBOE Missional Team. The primary action point that came out of this report coincides with the recommendation from the MNU Internal Review Committee.