Kennedy University has taken a significant step in strengthening its international academic credentials by securing accreditation from the Independent Kazakhstan Center of Accreditation (IKCA) for its Doctor of Professional Studies program. Announced on July 30, 2026, from its headquarters in Paris, France, this recognition confirms that the program meets rigorous quality assurance standards and adds a valuable CHEA-listed credential to the university’s growing portfolio of global validations.
The Independent Kazakhstan Center of Accreditation is formally recognized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan and appears on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) list of international accreditors.
IKCA holds Full Membership in the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), Affiliate Membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), and Full Membership in the Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (CEENQA). It is also included in Kazakhstan’s National Register of Recognized Accreditation Bodies. These affiliations underscore the credibility of the evaluation process that Kennedy University’s doctoral program successfully completed.
“CHEA-listed accreditation from a body like IKCA carries real weight for international students, as it signals that a program has been independently verified against benchmarks recognized in both the United States and the accrediting country”, said Marcus Webb, Principal at Webb Higher Education Consulting. The endorsement provides graduates with a credential that holds meaning across multiple jurisdictions, an important consideration for professionals pursuing advanced degrees that must travel with them throughout their careers.
This latest achievement forms part of a deliberate multi-year strategy by Kennedy University to construct a robust framework of academic accountability spanning several continents. Rather than depending on a single regional accreditor, the institution has pursued recognition from quality assurance agencies in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. The approach is designed to serve an international student body whose graduates need degrees that are understood and respected in diverse national contexts.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Kennedy University already holds accreditation from the Association of the Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), another CHEA-listed organization. For its business and professional programs, the university has secured Approved Membership in the Americas Accreditation Council (AAC) and the European Council of Leading Business Schools (ECLBS). Both bodies are CHEA-listed and enjoy recognition from authorities that include Curaçao’s Ministry of Education, the British Anguilla Ministry of Education, the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), and the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA).
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The university’s reach also extends into emerging educational markets. It has received authorization to confer degrees from the Ministries of Higher Education in both Galmudug State and Hirshabelle State in Somalia, along with institutional accreditation in Galmudug State. Additionally, Kennedy University is listed on the French Ministry of Education’s web portal as an online educational institution authorized to confer private institutional degrees. These authorizations complement the formal accreditations and reinforce the institution’s commitment to operating within recognized regulatory frameworks.
By combining these quality assurance mechanisms, Kennedy University aims to create a cross-regional educational model. Each accreditation or authorization reflects a focused effort to satisfy the academic and regulatory expectations of a specific region. The result is a network of validations that supports students who may study online while living or working across borders. Graduates of the Doctor of Professional Studies program, in particular, can point to independent verification of their qualification against internationally acknowledged standards.
Kennedy University operates as an online institution of higher education based in Paris. It specializes in professional doctoral and graduate programs tailored to an international audience. The addition of IKCA accreditation for the Doctor of Professional Studies program further solidifies the university’s position among providers that prioritize transparent, multi-jurisdictional quality assurance.
As higher education continues to globalize, institutions that invest in layered recognition frameworks offer students greater confidence that their credentials will be portable and respected. Kennedy University’s latest milestone with IKCA represents one more concrete step in that direction, expanding the reach and reliability of its academic offerings for learners worldwide.
