In the early summer of 2021, I received a call from Lynda Bunnell, Director of BG5BI, about seeking accreditation for the BG5 Business Institute and if that is something I would be interested in supporting the Institute with. I had school administration experience and degrees and had also played a support role in the current school I taught at when they recently went through their accreditation renewal process. I did not hesitate to accept the offer because it felt new and exciting. I was happy to put my skills to use.
One of the things that motivated Lynda Bunnell to pursue accreditation was something Ra Uru Hu, the Human Design Founder, shared with her when he asked her to take the helm at his school back in 2010. From Lynda: “It was Ra’s dream that we establish and ground the teaching of this knowledge through a structured and rigorous education program. And offering the education through a recognized and accredited institute fulfills his vision.”
The IACET Accreditation process is very rigorous and detailed. We worked on the application for approximately a year, fine-tuned our policies and procedures, reviewed our curriculum with a fine-toothed comb, and submitted a 719-page application of evidence proving that we met the IACET standards. Our application evidence came far from the evidence and records we keep on paper to remain in good standing as an Accredited Institute.
Everyday things that have changed at the BG5 Business Institute since being accredited include better organization, consistent communication, etc., but what has stayed the same is the overall courses, vision, and structure of the Institute. We teach our courses very much the same as before we were accredited. So, why would we undergo such a rigorous application and renewal every year? Because of Enhanced Organizational Credibility.
When we sought to be an Accredited Institute, offering CEUs was not the main reason for pursuing the accreditation. The main reason was Enhanced Organizational Credibility. The value is in the organizational credential; the accreditation itself.
And, in addition, when students take our courses, they can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and a Transcript. This is a great benefit for students who need to keep their professional license up to date, move up on the pay scale, or want to apply for a scholarship to study with us.
Accreditation Shows You Mean Business
Any organization can host a learning event. But it takes a true commitment to become an accredited provider of the IACET Continuing Education Units (CEU). (IACET, 2023).
The IACET Accredited Provider (AP) status tells the world:
- You’ve committed your organization to a rigorous accreditation application and review process, involving extensive hands-on evaluation and verification
- Your policies and processes have been thoroughly benchmarked against the ANSI/IACET Standard for Continuing Education and Training
- You’ve engaged in the expertise of instructional design professionals nationwide to make your continuing education and training the best it can be.
Because we are an Accredited Institute, students can have the tangible benefit of knowing that quality assurance exists. We have qualified instructors, a structured curriculum to ensure student learning and a robust communication and support system for students and instructors. This is guaranteed because our school is vetted by an outside organization (IACET) and verifies we maintain this standing.
In the United States, all public and private schools for both primary, secondary, and post-secondary education are accredited within their jurisdictions. If an institution is non-accredited, there is no way to verify their education’s quality or integrity. In other countries where school accreditation or CEUs are not a norm or of value possibly, the real value comes from knowing that when studying at the BG5 Business Institute, you receive an education and training you can trust.
Many people are trying to duplicate our products or sell their courses. Most of these individuals were never trained or certified by the BG5 Business Institute and are spreading inaccurate information about Human Design and BG5. The BG5 Business Institute is thrilled to be an IACET Accredited Provider to increase our credibility in a market where anyone can say they are a teacher or a school without formal training.
Our accreditation ensures a certain level of academic quality and positive student outcomes and helps to legitimize what we are teaching. As we continue, more and more students will understand the benefits of studying with us and feel confident in the high-quality education they are receiving.
If you have any questions about our IACET Accreditation and what it means, contact Sara McGowan at office@bg5businessinstitute.com. Being an accredited school allows us to support you in accessing federal loans, scholarships, or military programs you may be eligible for. If you qualify for one of these programs to invest in paying for your education, email office@bg5businessinsitute for support.
Sara McGowan is a member to the BG5BI team as the BG5BI Administrator and the consultant for IACET application. Sara makes sure we are in compliance with the ANSI/IACET 1- 2018 Standard for Continuing Education and Training.
Sara received her Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Science and Education from CSU, Chico, and received her Master’s degree and administrative credential in Educational Administration from Concordia University, Irvine. She has experience in teaching high school students, school administration and leadership teams, and facilitation of small workshops, conferences, and large conventions. Sara is very passionate about education and has been eager to learn more about education in the private sector through BG5BI.
Some of her favorite philosophies of teaching include Learn by Doing, a Map is just Map, and Be a Guide a Side not a Sage on the Stage. She enjoys learning about and practicing the topics of equity and inclusion, diversity, imposter syndrome, and facilitation (to make easy) techniques as teaching tools. Sara considers herself a lifelong learner and is enjoying working for BG5BI while also participating as a student at the institute as well.
If you ever have any questions about BG5BI and our courses please email Sara at office@bg5businessinstitute.com.
