Jones International Transfers Global Accrediting Body to the United States Distance Learning Association

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Date: 
08/12/2003

DENVER, Colo. (August 12, 2003) — Jones International™, Ltd. announced today that it is donating the Global Alliance for Transnational Education® (GATE®) to the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). GATE is a Jones International subsidiary founded in 1995 by Glenn R. Jones to address issues relating to quality assurance in transnational education.

“The USDLA is the source on distance education,” said Jones. “With the explosive growth of distance—and more specifically, online—education, the need for oversight has accelerated. We are transferring the ownership of GATE to the USDLA because it is a quality organization that has demonstrated the commitment and has the infrastructure to forward GATE’s mission.”

When GATE was formed, there were no organizations of its kind addressing the unique issues related to cross-border education, such as standards for its consistency. Annual GATE conferences brought together an international alliance of business, higher education and government leaders to share best practices for furthering the globalization of all education.

Today, the GATE accreditation process and principles for transnational education have become measures of quality assurance for institutions of higher education operating across national borders. Quality assurance, networking and multinational organizations worldwide have adopted GATE's mission of promoting access to quality education around the globe.

“Technology and globalization are increasingly making education an international commodity, but one without the standards necessary to ensure its quality,” said Dr. John Flores, Executive Director of the USDLA. “The USDLA is very pleased to carry on the work Jones began with the founding of GATE. On a domestic and international basis, USDLA will ensure that the highest standards of excellence for distance learning are available. As our mission states: ‘USDLA serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity.’”

GATE has granted accreditation to such educational institutions as Monash University in Melbourne, Australia; Tomsk Polytechnic University in Tomsk, Russia; and Universidad Regiomontana in Monterrey, Mexico. Once GATE has become part of the USDLA, Jones International University® (JIU®)—the first fully online, accredited university, with students in 70 countries—will be seeking GATE accreditation, which Glenn Jones calls a “sterling” credential. (JIU received its U.S. accreditation in 1999 from the Higher Learning Commission, a member of the North Central Association.)

“The time is right for this key element in the democratization of education to come under the guardianship of an association as large and influential as the USDLA,” said Jones. “Its mission is consistent with the original goals of GATE.”