Saudi Arabia’s Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) has been recognised by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in the United States, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on 2 October 2026. The recognition was granted to ETEC through its National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation (NCAAA), following a decision by the CHEA Board of Directors, for a full seven-year term.

According to the SPA report, ETEC is the first national accreditation entity in the Arab world and the Middle East to receive CHEA recognition. The report does not give the date of the CHEA board decision, any conditions attached to the recognition, or how the review was carried out.

What the recognition covers

The scope described by SPA is broad. It covers public and private higher education institutions and academic programmes in all disciplines, from associate degrees to doctorates, delivered in person, in hybrid form or by distance learning. It also extends to international institutions operating outside Saudi Arabia that voluntarily seek NCAAA accreditation, and to programmes delivered by international branch campuses legally operating in the Kingdom.

Under the recognition, institutions accredited by NCAAA are eligible to apply for international affiliate membership of CHEA, which SPA says gives access to a network of more than 1,600 higher education institutions and shared academic resources. SPA linked the move to the Study in Saudi Arabia programme for international students and to the Human Capability Development Program under Saudi Vision 2030.

Context

The announcement came three days after the Saudi Cabinet session of 29 September 2026, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. According to SPA’s account of that session, the Cabinet reviewed domestic reports and commended the successive international recognition of the leadership of the Saudi Model for Education and Training Quality, which it described as an integrated set of programmes, tools and measures supported by a broad database.

ETEC’s own page on international recognitions and memberships for higher education, last updated on 8 September 2026, lists the World Federation for Medical Education, the Seoul Accord and Washington Accord membership through the International Engineering Alliance, covering medical education, engineering and information technology. CHEA was not listed on that page when TED read it on 12 October 2026.

CHEA is also working with other Gulf quality bodies. The Qatar News Agency reported on 8 October 2026 that Qatar’s National Committee for Qualifications and Academic Accreditation organised the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education Forum in Doha in cooperation with CHEA.

What it means

TED analysis:

  • For Saudi universities: NCAAA accreditation now carries a route to CHEA international affiliate membership, which institutions can cite in partnership talks and international recruitment. Its practical value will depend on how partner universities abroad treat that membership.
  • For foreign providers: programmes of international branch campuses legally operating in the Kingdom fall within the recognised scope, so NCAAA review of those programmes now sits inside a CHEA-recognised framework. Providers planning a Saudi presence should build NCAAA accreditation into their timelines.
  • For Gulf regulators: ETEC says it is the first Arab national accreditor to gain CHEA recognition, and Qatar’s accreditation committee organised a forum with CHEA, according to a QNA report six days later. US accreditation practice is becoming a common reference point for national quality agencies in the region.