AIS - West is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Council of International Schools (CIS), the Egyptian Ministry of Education and is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) to offer the Diploma Program. We pride ourselves on our international recognition as we strive for educational excellence and are also a member of the European Council of International Schools.
We are committed to the advancement of education across all areas of the curriculum, promoting and practicing the ideals and best practice of international education.
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a non-governmental, voluntary organization of educational institutions acting through their respective Commissions.
They are committed to excellence in all levels across the continuum of education and their purpose is to encourage, advance, assist and sustain the quality and integrity of education.
During the early years, the Association held discussions on the standardization of academic credentials which led to the creation of the College Board and the Carnegie Unit as a way to assure the quality of academic offerings and the trustworthiness of the participating institutions.
Accreditation, the ultimate and current mission of the Association, was introduced in 1919 and 1921 with the formation of the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and the Commission on Secondary Schools (CSS) respectively. The Commissions established the concept of peer evaluation in the Region and contributed to the evolving collegiality between the two levels of education.
In the years that followed, accreditation in the Middle States region and around the country defined the characteristics of quality in American secondary and higher education. The Middle States Association concentrated its efforts on accreditation activities. The original objectives of the Association that concentrated on the critique of American education shifted to national organizations of educational specialists. The Commission on Higher Education was located at Columbia University and the Commission on Secondary Schools at the University of Pennsylvania. The two Commissions created standards and protocols to accredit their institutions.
In order to achieve these purposes in the public interest, the Association shall establish appropriate criteria and levels of educational excellence and effectiveness and work with other organizations, agencies and institutions to achieve co-operation and co-ordination between and among schools, colleges and universities.
The International Baccalaureate is a nonprofit educational foundation, motivated by its mission and focused on the student.
Their three programs for students aged 3 to 19 help develop their intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalized world.
Founded in 1968, they currently work with 2,508 schools in 132 countries to develop and offer three challenging programs to over 680,000 students aged 3 to 19 years working in close co-operation with world schools.
The Diploma Program for students aged 16-19 is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to the final examinations and a qualification that is welcomed by leading universities around the world.
The Council of International Schools (CIS) is a global non-profit membership organization committed to high-quality education. Our community includes more than 1350 schools and universities representing 123 countries.
Characteristics of a CIS-accredited school
The award of CIS accreditation shows that the school has achieved high standards of professional performance in international education and has a commitment to continuous improvement and that the school:
is devoted to its mission and vision for students
has thought deeply about the services it offers to students, family and community.
focuses on the quality of teaching, student learning, as well as student safeguarding and well-being
is committed to the development of the students’ global citizenship
has a suitable philosophy of education suitable for its students
promises only what it can deliver
is open to regular evaluation by its own school community and peer evaluators
constantly seeks improvement in all areas of the school plans strategically for the future.
