AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American College of the Mediterranean (ACM) is proud to announce that it has received accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). With this milestone, ACM is among a select group of institutions in Europe offering fully U.S.-accredited degree programs.
NECHE, a U.S.-based institutional accreditor, is a recognized authority on academic quality and institutional integrity. Accreditation by NECHE affirms that ACM meets rigorous standards for academic excellence, governance, and institutional effectiveness through a comprehensive peer review process.
What This Means for Students
Accreditation strengthens recognition of our undergraduate and graduate degree programs, enhances pathways to graduate study, and expands opportunities for our students worldwide, giving ACM students the assurance of a U.S.-accredited education in an international setting. It also affirms rigorous standards for academic quality and institutional effectiveness, while boosting partner confidence and supporting seamless credit recognition for students in ACM’s study abroad institute, the Institute for American Universities (IAU).
“Achieving U.S. accreditation is a transformative step for ACM and, most importantly, for our students,” said President Carl Jubran. “It reinforces the quality and global recognition of our academic programs while expanding opportunities for students seeking an immersive American education in Europe. This milestone also strengthens our ability to serve students and partner institutions alike across the Mediterranean.”
A Milestone in Institutional Growth
Initial accreditation marks a major milestone, underscoring ACM’s commitment to excellence in international education. The rigorous, multi-year NECHE process included eligibility in 2019—just three years after founding—candidacy in 2021, and expedited consideration in 2023.
In preparation, ACM completed a comprehensive, evidence-based, mission-driven self-study involving leadership, faculty, staff, and students. This collaborative effort reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and alignment with NECHE Standards.
“The ACM accreditation comes as we prepare to celebrate the 70th anniversary of our IAU study abroad programs. With a tradition of excellence that reaches back to the early days of international education and the enhanced credibility of U.S. accreditation, ACM is now poised to become an increasingly prominent American institution in Europe,” said ACM Board Chair Joseph Herlihy.
About ACM and IAU
Founded in Aix-en-Provence, France in 1957, The Institute for American Universities (IAU) is one of the oldest American-style, English-language liberal arts institutions in Western Europe. For decades, IAU has provided immersive academic programs for students from U.S. and international universities, grounded in a site-specific approach to learning across the Mediterranean. Building on this legacy, The American College of the Mediterranean (ACM), established in 2016, houses the institution’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, while IAU continues to operate as its study abroad institute.
ACM degree programs are based in Aix-en-Provence, with its Barcelona center included in the scope of accreditation and serving as a fall-semester site for select graduate programs. IAU’s study abroad locations include Barcelona, Madrid, and Florence, with additional January term and custom programming in Morocco. ACM offers students a range of academic experiences—from short-term study abroad to full degree programs— delivered through site-specific learning rooted in European and Mediterranean history, languages, cultures, and contemporary issues.
ACM and its study abroad institute, IAU, enroll more than 2,500 students annually, with over 40,000 alumni and partnerships with more than 700 institutions worldwide.
To learn more about ACM and IAU, please visit: https://iau.edu/
Contact Information:
Evelyn Najarian
[email protected]
Phone: (800) 221-2051
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25433109-18dc-45d2-b2fa-fa6aeb73febe