Institutional Review Form

Purpose and scope

The Institutional Review Form is the primary document institutions submit to initiate or sustain an Institutional Accreditation review with the International Theological Accreditation Association (ITAA). The form collects core institutional data, governance information, programme lists, student protection measures, and evidence of quality-assurance systems required for assessment and placement within ITAA’s ranking framework.

This guidance clarifies what to include on the form, the institution’s responsibilities when completing it, and how ITAA uses the information during review.

What to include

• Institutional identity: legal name, primary campus address, official website and year established.
• Governance and leadership: constitution or charter, board minutes or terms of reference, executive leadership CVs, and lines of academic accountability.
• Academic provision: list of programmes, award titles, learning outcomes, credit or contact-hour descriptions and sample curricula or module outlines.
• Quality assurance: QA manual or policy documents, assessment and moderation procedures, academic appeals and complaints policy, and internal audit reports.
• Student protections: admissions policy, student handbook, refund and transfer arrangements, and data-protection or safeguarding policies where applicable.
• Evidence: annotated document list and representative samples (e.g., programme specification, sample assessment, board minutes).

Completing the form — practical checks

• Provide accurate, current documents; ITAA expects truthful public information in all submissions (institutions remain responsible for compliance with local laws).
• Annotate evidence: state which page, section or paragraph supports each question on the form.
• Where legal or registration details exist locally, attach official registration documents and specify jurisdictional licensing requirements.
• Use the institution’s official name on every document and avoid ambiguous or marketing-only statements.
• If information is not available, state the gap and an action plan with clear dates for remedial steps.

Review process and timelines

On receipt ITAA verifies completeness and may request clarifications. The review includes documentary appraisal and, where required, a site or virtual visit. Timelines vary by case complexity; provide a single point of contact to expedite queries. Institutions must notify ITAA promptly of significant changes during assessment.

Common deficiencies to avoid

• Lack of documented governance (no board minutes or roles).
• Unclear award titles or missing programme learning outcomes.
• Missing QA policies or inconsistent assessment records.
• Missing evidence of legal registration where local law requires it.

Submission checklist (brief)

1. Completed Institutional Review Form (all sections).
2. Annotated evidence index.
3. Key policies: admissions, assessment, appeals, refunds.
4. Governance documents and leadership CVs.
5. Programme specifications and sample assessment.

Legal and regulatory responsibilities

ITAA accreditation is non-governmental accreditation and does not replace registration, licensing or legal authorisations required in any jurisdiction. Every institution is solely responsible for complying with all applicable national, state/provincial, regional and local laws related to operating an educational provider and issuing qualifications. ITAA accreditation never overrides local law and does not grant statutory degree-awarding powers.