Accreditation and Recognition

ACS courses are highly credible.
Our range of courses include RHS qualifications (accredited in the UK) and programs that are being delivered by a group of affiliated colleges located in five different countries.
Preferred Member Training Provider with the Australian Institute of Horticulture
The best indicators of our credibility are the quality of our staff, the testimonials from our students, and the background of other institutions we are affiliated with.
Our courses are now delivered under licence by around 20 colleges across six countries
We also have a selection of formal accreditations (some indicated below).

ACS has been established since 1979, and has established a high level of respect in academic circles within a range of disciplines in the UK, Australia and beyond. Staff include world renowned academics from several countries, and it maintains active partnerships with respected institutions in several countries including Ireland, Australia and Singapore. Many of these affiliates are formally recognised by government education authorities in their respective countries. ACS is affiliated with a group of around a dozen other colleges, located in Australia, the UK, Singapore, France and Ireland (see Educational Affiliates). Many of these colleges hold government accreditations and offer articulation for ACS graduates into accredited qualifications. Affiliates in the UK include Warwickshire College (incorp. Pershore College) in the Midlands and Warnborough College in Kent.

The school’s credentials are varied, and include:

ACS is recognised by the International Accreditation and Recognition Council (IARC). Most ACS courses (certificate and higher) are accredited by IARC.

You can see the standards that endorse and adhere to on the IARC site: click here

	International Accreditation and Recognition Council (IARC) ACS is recognised by the International Accreditation and Recognition Council (IARC). Most ACS courses (Certificate and higher) are accredited by IARC.
	Institute of Certified Bookkeepers Accredited Training Centre with the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers.
	Australian Institute of Horticulture The principal, John Mason, is a fellow of AIH. ACS holds Training Provider status with the AIH and is now listed as a Preferred Member Training Provider. As such, ACS students who meet AIH criteria are entitled to subscribe to AIH as the Category 2 Student member. http://www.aih.org.au/
	Accreditation Board of the Maldives ACS is accredited by the Accreditation Board of the Maldives
	Institute of Horticulture (UK) Careers Advisory Board ACS is a member of the Institute of Horticulture (UK) Careers Advisory Board.
	Royal Horticutural Society ACS conducts RHS qualifications, including Certificate II to M.Hort. qualifications, which are awarded by the RHS after passing RHS conducted examinations. These awards include ones accredited through the Qualifications Curriculum Authority.
	Complementary Medicine Association College Member of Complementary Medicine Association assessed to teach a range of areas including Counselling, Nutrition, Natural Therapies.
	Australian Counselling Association ACS conducts a Diploma in Psychology and Counselling formally recognised through the Australian Counselling Association.
	Association of Coaching (U.K.) Life Coaching is accredited through the Association of Coaching (U.K.)
	ACS Global Partners Network Member of ACS Global Partners Network – committed to Ethical Education

ACS and its staff are members of many UK and overseas industry bodies, including :

British Institute for Learning and Development
Complimentary Medicine Association (UK)
Institute of Horticulture (UK)
Australian Nursery Industry Association
International Herb Association
Association for Coaching (UK) Organisational Member (OMAC)
Alternative Technology Association
The Permaculture Association
Study Gold Coast

Further Accreditations

ACS has held various other formal accreditations (including government agency recognition in more than one country) in the past, however many of these accreditations were found to add significant cost to courses, without providing any significant benefit to graduates.

ACS believes that the most ethical and efficient approach for us to take is to focus our primary attention on our courses and our students. We have found over several decades that this has resulted in a high level of satisfied graduates who have a much higher success rate in industry than if we focus more heavily on accreditation and recognition.

If your main reason for studying is to learn and increase your capacity to function within your chosen discipline, this could be an ideal college for you.

There are literally thousands of bodies around the world that grant accreditation; so if your main purpose is to obtain some type of formal endorsement from a particular organisation or government authority, then you will need to be sure about which authority you would like to be endorsing your course, and then seek a college that has that particular endorsement (or accreditation).

Many of the courses we have developed are offered by affiliate institutions who have government accreditations. If you must have more formal recognition than what we offer, ask us to recommend one of our affiliates.

IS THE COURSE RECOGNISED?

This is a common question for students and colleges and not always so simple to answer.

When asked, people may be asking any one of a multitude of different things. For some, recognition is about “endorsement”, while for others it is to do with “credibility”, and yet others, “how useful the course might be”.

If you look at dictionary definitions of recognition, you see thinks like “being acknowledged”, “a growing realization”, “acceptance of something being true” or even “understanding”.

Recognition of education is in fact a complex and multi faceted property. Recognition is in fact made up of a number of components; and education that is recognised in one way, is not necessarily recognised in other ways.

What then are some of the components of recognition?

Usefulness –What is the purpose of the course and how well does it serve that purpose. What are the capabilities of graduates a year or two after graduating. A course that passes students is only useful if the students do not forget what they have learnt a year or two after graduating. Some courses can implant temporary skills, while others can implant more permanent skills

Understanding - Is there a clear understanding of what the course involves. If the course outlines & documentation are unclear or scant; there can be uncertainty about whether understanding is strong.

Visibility –How visible is the course? What people are aware of it’s existence, and where are those people? Are they locals only, or spread around the world?

Acknowledgement –Who acknowledges the course? Who endorses it, not only formally but informally? Also who criticizes it? While courses might be supported by some, they can also be criticized by others. If you only become aware of one group, you cannot form a balanced understanding of it’s worth.
These may be…. Employers, Academics, Individuals, Professional bodies, Politicians, Government bureaucrats, Experts in the field, etc.

How well does someone understand this question when they ask it?

Over 40 years of involvement in post secondary education, I have come to conclude that most people don’t really appreciate what they are asking.
Most people have a sub conscious desire to feel that a course they enter is safe and appropriate, and are looking for a yes or no answer.
Most colleges are looking to be able to give a yes or no answer; because that makes selling a course easier.

At the end of the day though; you can never accurately and clearly say that a course is or is not recognised without qualifying that answer.
To be ethical and honest, you should say such things as who it as and is not acknowledged by, and how well the course is both understood and visible by the world at large, etc

How Well then Are ACS Courses Recognised?

The short answer is that our courses are more useful than many if not most of a similar duration; highly visible (you will see that from our web profile); endorsments are mixed as is the case with almst every course on the planet; and as far as understanding -you need to read our outlines and judge that for yourself

Home Gardening, Horticultural Resource Management, Horticultural Marketing, Practical Horticulture, Trees For Rehabilitation, Soil Management, Plant Pathology, Amenity Horticulture, Certificate in Horticulture, RHS Certificate II in Horticulture, RHS Certificate III in Horticulture, RHS Diploma in Horticulture, RHS Master of Horticulture, Diploma in Horticulture, Turf Care, Sports Turf Management, Greenkeeping, Turf Repair and Renovation, Arboriculture I, Landscape Styles, Natural Garden Design, Water Gardening, Landscape Construction, Cottage Garden Design, Playground Design, Restoring Established Ornamental Gardens, Diploma in Landscaping Propagation, Cutting Propagation, Wholesale Nursery Management, landscaping, Diploma in Landscping Garden Centre Management, Hydroponics, Certificate in Hydroponics, Weed Control, Permaculture, Self Sufficiency, Tissue Culture, Plant Breeding, Nursery Sales Assistant, Hydroponics, Cut Flower Production, Greenhouse Cut Flowers, Outdoor Plant Production, Commercial Vegetable Production, Protected Plant Production, Mushroom Production, Fruit Production, Nut Production, Viticulture, Berry Production, Culture, Lavender, Medicinal Herbs, Culinary Herbs, Scented Plants, Cacti and Succulents, Roses, Interior Plants, Orchid Culture, Tropical Plants, Australian Natives I, plus many others including ecotourism, ecology, plant ecology, adventure tourism,

The information given is for general information and should not be regarded as advice in any matter. ACS Distance Education disclaims all and any liability in relation to any act or omission which is done in reliance to the information provided in this web site. While every effort is made to ensure that we display correct information on our website, errors can occur. ACS Distance Education disclaims liability or responsibility for orders or complaints arising from such errors, including (but not limited to): pricing, fees and course requirements. ACS Distance Education reserves the right to decline orders arising from such errors.