The Role of the US Department of Education in Postsecondary Education (Accreditors)

Various people have said the US Department of Education simply recognizes accreditors for the purpose of student loans, etc (with no qualitative function).

Here is the Department of Education's role (at the moment) according to their site.

"The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions and/or programs. However, the Department provides oversight over the postsecondary accreditation system through its review of all federally-recognized accrediting agencies. The Department holds accrediting agencies accountable by ensuring that they enforce their accreditation standards effectively. Also, as a part of the Department's oversight roles, the Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. The Secretary of Education also recognizes State agencies for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education and nurse education.


Please note, the Secretary's recognition of accrediting agencies is limited by statute to accreditation activities within the United States."

https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

 

Does this have any implications for foreign universities, who voluntarily request accreditation by US-based accrediting agencies?

 

Each country may handle this differently:
Foreign universities that voluntarily seek accreditation from these US agencies may face uncertainty about the value or recognition of that accreditation, particularly if governments or institutions in their own countries rely on USDE recognition as a benchmark of legitimacy. It could also affect international collaborations, credit transfer agreements, and even student visa processing in some cases.
I'm not sure if there will be an adjustment or gradual update of standards? In UK they mostly recognize for equivalency what we call Regional Accreditors and don't see US National Accrediting agencies as equal.

It could lead to a shift in how foreign institutions view U.S.-based accreditation—possibly making it more like the situation with Canadian universities. In Canada, universities are recognized by provincial authorities, not by a centralized federal agency like the U.S. Department of Education. Their degrees are internationally respected, but the validation relies more on institutional reputation and provincial frameworks rather than federal accreditation.
If the USDE were shut down or weakened, foreign universities might treat U.S. accreditation similarly—valuing it based on the individual accreditor's credibility or institutional standing, rather than U.S. government recognition or if Satate level DOE will play a more significant role. This could introduce variability and confusion in how U.S.-accredited programs are perceived internationally.