Thompson Rivers University is reaching out to a new market as it makes a bid for accreditation from the Washington-based Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

“Accreditation will enhance the value of a TRU degree for all students and will provide a distinct advantage for attracting new students both within and outside Canada,” said Dr. Ulrich Scheck, provost and vice-president academic.

TRU’s courses are already assessed through the academic program review. Institutional accreditation serves additionally as an important means of assuring the quality of higher education through rigorous peer-review and evaluation, states a TRU release.

It ensures that the policies, procedures and practices are consistent with its claims and with quality standards.

“We believe that this process will help establish clearer benchmarks for assessing institutional outcomes and, as a result, will benefit students’ learning experiences,” said Scheck.

TRU would be the fourth Canadian university to seek institutional accreditation in the United States.