WEC Establishes Global Standards and Certification for Online Educational Courses
GENEVA--(Marketwire - February 3, 2010) - The World Education Council (WEC) has established
the global standard of excellence for online education. To maintain that
standard, WEC now certifies educational courses that meet specific criteria
for quality and value to learners. The WEC Seal of Excellence is awarded to
online educational courses that pass a rigorous independent evaluation
based on transparent, objective standards.
"Online education is a rapidly growing field, and it can be a powerful tool
for spreading the benefits of education," said Laura Lewis, president of
WEC. "However, there is often no way for learners to be sure a course is
thorough, competently prepared, and respected by educational or industry
experts. The WEC seal will become the globally recognized benchmark for
quality and integrity in online education."
Leading online educators and industry practitioners appreciate the value of
objective certification. "After nearly twenty years in the elearning
industry I have come to appreciate how challenging it can be for a customer
to make good decisions relating to quality and effectiveness due to the
many options and lack of quality standards. An international body with the
goal of providing this unbiased Quality Mark would be invaluable," observed
Steve Gatlin, president of Gatlin International, a company that provides
and manages online programs for major universities.
Richard Hodges, founder and CEO of GreenIT, noted, "In my field, green and
sustainable IT, the lack of standards for education has allowed product
vendors to define for buyers what 'green' is. Education based on
independent research and standards that are not tied to commercial
interests is essential to achieving truly sustainable solutions for
Information and Communications Technology."
The World Education Council, a Geneva-based, not-for-profit organization,
is dedicated to assembling the knowledge capital, the resources and the
technology to enable any person, anywhere, to reap the benefits of
education. "WEC has established the certification program in support of
education as an avenue toward better health and well-being, productive and
sustainable livelihoods, and a hope for future generations. Certification
will be awarded to courses that further that mission," said Lewis.
More information about the World Education Council may be found at
http://www.worldeducationcouncil.org.
