Must faculty qualifications be verified?

Educational guidance

Verifying faculty qualifications is a fundamental quality‑assurance practice used by higher‑education institutions and recognised quality bodies. Institutions should confirm claimed academic degrees, professional licences or other credentials using primary‑source verification (direct from the issuing institution or an authorised records service) and document the result in the staff file prior to or on appointment. Verification procedures should also cover equivalence, foreign credentials and tested experience where a terminal degree is not required.

Common elements of a sound verification policy include: a written institutional policy defining acceptable qualifications and alternative pathways; requirement that offers are conditional on verification; use of transcripts, direct confirmation from awarding institutions, recognised credential evaluation services for foreign awards, and reliable third‑party verification organisations where appropriate; and secure recordkeeping and regular audits of faculty files.

National quality agencies and regional accreditors expect institutions to implement consistent procedures, to justify exceptions (with documented rationale), and to maintain evidence that teaching staff are appropriately qualified to deliver course learning outcomes. Institutions should also guard against fraudulent or misrepresented credentials by checking issuing body legitimacy and using trusted verification channels.

Legal and regulatory considerations

Institutions remain responsible for complying with all applicable national, state/provincial and local laws regarding employment, professional licensure and awarding of qualifications. Verification does not replace any statutory or licensing checks required by government regulators, nor does non‑governmental accreditation confer governmental degree‑awarding powers. Where law or professional boards require statutory verification (for example for regulated professions), institutions must follow those requirements in addition to internal verification.

Practical steps for implementation

1. Adopt a written faculty credential verification policy and publish it internally.
2. Require conditional offers pending verification and complete checks before the first teaching duty where possible.
3. Use primary‑source verification: direct confirmation from the awarding institution, certified transcripts, or recognised credential evaluators for foreign awards.
4. Record verification evidence in a secure personnel file and retain an auditable trail of decisions and exceptions.
5. Review and update verifications when a faculty member’s status or role changes.

ITAA's expectations

ITAA requires accredited institutions to maintain truthful public statements and effective quality‑assurance systems, including clear policies on faculty qualifications and evidence of verification. ITAA accreditation is an independent theological accreditation and does not replace governmental registration, licensure or statutory checks. Institutions must promptly notify ITAA of significant changes affecting academic staffing or qualifications.