Art class at Hanoi Primary School for Educational Technology, a member of EQuest Education Group. EQuest has become the first Vietnamese private educational institution to achieve Cognia accreditation. — Photo courtesy of EQuest

HÀ NỘI — EQuest Education Group (EQuest) and other member units of the K12 Division, as well as the Educational Technology and ESL Division, have been accredited by NCA CASI, NWAC, and SACS CASI, accreditation divisions of Cognia a year after implementing rigorous requirements from the Cognia Accreditation Organisation (US).

EQuest has become the first Vietnamese private educational institution to achieve Cognia accreditation. EQuest member units that have earned Cognia accreditation include Alpha School, Victory Experimental School, Newton Grammar School, Hanoi Primary School for Educational Technology (CGD Hanoi Primary School), The St. Nicholas School, Victory High School (formerly Đông Đô High School), iSMART Education (iTD Academy, iTO & 789), and IvyPrep Education.

Cognia is the world's largest accrediting organisation, with a 125 year history and has accredited over 40,000 schools/institutions in 85 countries worldwide.

Cognia owns the US's three largest regional accreditation agencies (NCA CASI, NWAC, and SACS CASI).

The quality accreditation process by Cognia at each institution/educational unit usually takes place over 1.5 to 2 years and is valid for five years. EQuest is among the organisations that have achieved the fastest accreditation time.

Cognia's accreditation validates EQuest's and its member units' ability to meet international standards in all three competencies (Leadership, Teaching & Learning, and Resource Management). It demonstrates a commitment to constantly improving educational quality.

Mark Jonathan Sayer, the Executive Vice-Chairman of EQuest's K12 Division, said: "Achieving this comprehensive education accreditation is such an important milestone for us. I believe that this achievement by EQuest will lead to more schools and universities in Việt Nam participating in international accreditation, raising standards and establishing the position of Vietnamese education on a par with other countries in the region and the wider world.

"EQuest has so much to offer, and I applaud the team and look forward to our progress to provide our students with outstanding educational opportunities and exciting possibilities in their lives ahead."

Trương Minh Châu, Head of the Accreditation Committee of EQuest, said that Cognia appreciated the outstanding strengths of EQuest, which include having a team of leaders with high competence and vision, a culture of shared leadership, an effective strategic plan with clear goals, strong and sound technical background, rich data from different sources, and a serious commitment toward continuous improvement.

Dr Đàm Quang Minh, CEO of EQuest's K12 Division, said that in the near future, EQuest and Cognia will be ready to share their experience in participating in the international education accreditation process with all educational institutions and schools in Viẹt Nam. — VNS