Accreditation

All Eurolink TESOL courses are formally accredited.

All free-standing distance programmes - except for the FCoT(TESOL) - are accredited by ACTDEC — The Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses. Detailed information, including sample certificates, is available on the ACTDEC website at www.ACTDEC.org.uk. Apart from The College of Teachers this is the only internationally recognised independent professional accreditation body for standalone TESOL distance programmes.

ACTDEC carried out an audit of Eurolink Courses in February 2007.

Although the accredited members of ACTDEC benefit by being accredited the primary aim of this non-profit making independent body is to advance professionalism by maintaining and also improving on standards of TESOL distance-learning programmes.

Based on a rigorous code of practice ACTDEC accredits TESOL/TEFL distance course providers for four separate and uniform course levels graded from introductory to advanced.

ACTDEC publicity

See ACTDEC advertisement in: Teacher Trainer Journal, IATEFL Voices newsletter, Teaching English Abroad.

Accreditation is the tool that can help school owners and directors of studies make sound employment decisions. It also offers protection for new entrants to the profession and, importantly, provides a quality benchmark for employers.

Two of the courses offered also lead to the College of Teachers Certificate of Educational Studies.

All Eurolink courses accredited by ACTDEC carry the following logo:

All Eurolink courses validated and awarded by the College of Teachers display the following logo:

Under the terms of its Royal Charter granted by Queen Victoria in 1849, the College has the power to offer qualifications to teachers. In relation to higher education qualifications the College's awards equate to sub-degree and degree levels.

Details about the College of Teachers qualifications are available on the College website. The website, www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk (specifically the HOME and ABOUT US sections) has detailed information about College history and background.

Important

Distance learning is a really excellent study medium but one needs to take care when choosing a provider.

Concern has been expressed in the profession about the quality and content of some non-accredited distance course provision and providers claiming accreditation by bodies outside the English language teaching profession as well as a variety of spurious international bodies some even invented by the providers themselves.

Rather than submit course material for an accreditation process based on a professional code of practice and an English language teaching syllabus some providers attempt to avoid this process by seeking accreditation from organisations not qualified to judge their course content but instead consider other criteria. There is nothing wrong with accreditation offered by ODLQC, ISO9000 and others, but they only evaluate systems and procedures. They have absolutely no expertise in the field of TESOL/TEFL.

Only ACTDEC offers recognised ELT accreditation based on a rigorous professional code and English language teaching syllabus. Watch out for those providers who claim there is no independent international accrediting body. Ask yourself why they make such a claim.

Finally, a question sometimes asked. Why are some accredited courses a little more expensive than others? ACTDEC and the College of Teachers accreditation is based on minimum professional requirements. Some providers, such as Eurolink Courses and Training Link Online, offer much more than the minimum and through greater provision cover more ground and provide a more substantial course.

It is in your interest and important, that you select a TESOL distance training course that is formally validated and accredited by a recognised independent external body. Ensure your certificate carries real weight with future employers.

Avoid providers who accredit themselves and, as a result, are not subject to regulated ELT standards, external moderation or audit.

Academic quality assurance
Quality assessment procedures