Fortifying Excellence: Western Governors University’s NWCCU Accreditation Reaffirmed

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, MARCH 26, 2024 — Western Governors University (WGU) announced today that The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) has reaffirmed its institutional accreditation, following a site visit in October 2023. With this renewal, WGU embarks on another seven-year cycle of accreditation, reinforcing its dedication to quality in higher education. WGU first earned NWCCU accreditation in 2003 and has maintained this designation for over 20 successful years.

Last October, a team of peer evaluators visited the university as the final step of a regular cycle of accreditation by NWCCU, an independent organization that accredits colleges and universities in the United States. NWCCU is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an accrediting authority on higher education institutions. The NWCCU team interviewed institutional stakeholders to ascertain WGU's continued compliance with NWCCU’s standards.

 “As a leader in higher education, WGU is helping thousands of U.S. students forge pathways to opportunity,” said Lucas Kavlie, WGU’s VP of Accreditation and Compliance. “NWCCU’s reaffirmation of our university’s accreditation—a stamp of approval for current and future employers of our students—demonstrates that WGU’s competency-based education continues to be a leader in academic quality and workforce preparation across higher education.”

The reaffirmation of accreditation informs stakeholders that WGU has been rigorously evaluated against criteria required to maintain its accreditation. During the current accreditation cycle, WGU celebrated its 20^th and 25^th year anniversaries, contributed its 300,000^th graduate to the workforce, and introduced dozens of academic programs to its ever-innovating curriculum in high-demand areas like nurse practitioner, finance, and computer science.

For more information about NWCCU, visit the NWCCU website or contact NWCCU.