Programme des Services Internationaux (ISP)

Le Programme des Services Internationaux de l’ACPE propose Accréditation-Internationale et Pré-accréditation-Internationale  des cursus universitaires professionnels, consultations, et formations aux différents acteurs qui dans le monde entier, désirent obtenir des conseils en lien avec l’assurance qualité et la promotion de la formation en pharmacie. Le ISP, de par son expertise, ses perspectives internationales, ses ressources en personnel et ses processus formels, encourage les divers acteurs à promouvoir la qualité de la formation en pharmacie dans leurs pays respectifs. Le ISP a été créé en janvier 2011.

Revision of the Internaitonal-Accreditation Quality Criteria

The ACPE Board of Directors, International Commission, and International Services Program (ISP) Staff are beginning work on the first major revision of the Quality Criteria (standards), which will be adopted later as the International-Accreditation Quality Criteria. To view the full full process and timeline for the revision, please click here.

To initiate the public comment process, ACPE is issuing a “Call for Comments” to stakeholders. All stakeholders are welcomed to provide comments, suggestions, and edits. A link to a survey instrument, which is organized by the 26 Quality Criteria, can be accessed here.

To view a list of all programs outside of the United States that have been granted Certification Status by ACPE, please click one of the following buttons.

International Commission

  • Sherief Khalifa, PhD

    Professor and Vice Chancellor for Quality & Institutional Effectiveness, Dean, College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, UAE, and Professor of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Egypt
    Ajman, UAE (Chair)
  • Donald E. Letendre, BSPh, PharmD, FASHP

    Dean and Professor, University of Iowa, College of Pharmacy
    Iowa City, Iowa, USA (Vice Chair/Chair-Elect)
  • Abeer M. Al-Ghananeem, PhD

    Professor of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics and Associate Dean of Research at Sullivan University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences; Member of the Board of Trustees at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University College for Innovation 
    Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • Abdullah M. Alhammad, BSc, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP

    Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University
    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Jannet M. Carmichael, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, FAPhA

    President of Pharm Consult NV, LLC
    Reno, Nevada, USA
  • Michael Katz, PharmD

    Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Sciences, and Director, International Programs and Residency Programs, University of Arizona, College of Pharmacy 
    Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • Shailendra Saraf, MPharm, PhD

    Director, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. (NIPER)
    Ahmedabad, India
  • Jenelle Sobotka, PharmD, FAPhA

    Professor and Director, Online Certificate and Masters Programs in Pharmacy Leadership, University of Cincinnati, James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

ISP Advisory Group (ISPAG): 2022 – 2023 Term

  • Lilian Azzopardi, BPharm (Hons), MPhil, PhD, MRPharmS, FFIP

    Msida, Malta
  • Tina Penick Brock, RPh, MS, EdD

    Boulder, Colorado, USA
  • Rula M. Darwish, PhD

    Amman, Jordan
  • Rümeysa Demirdamar, PhD

    Lefke, Northern Cyprus
  • Nettie Dzabala, MSc Pharm

    Blantyre, Malawi
  • Lamia El Wakeel, PhD

    Cairo, Egypt
  • Manohar D. Karvekar, PhD, MPharm

    Bangalore, India
  • Beom-Jin Lee, PhD

    Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, South Korea
  • Silvana Nair Leite, PhD

    Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
  • Arijana Meštrovic, MPharm, DrSc

    Zagreb, Croatia
  • Imelda G. Peña, RPh, DrPH

    Manila, Philippines
  • Antonio Sánchez Pozo, PhD

    Granada, Spain
  • Mohamad Rahal, PhD

    Beirut, Lebanon
  • P.T. Thomas, BPharm, MS, PhD

    Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Daisy Volmer, PhD

    Tartu, Estonia

International-Accreditation of Professional Degree Programs

ACPE ISP Quality Criteria may be voluntarily adopted by degree programs in pharmacy outside of the United States.

International-Accreditation Quality Criteria

Quality Criteria for International-Accreditation of Professional Degree Programs in Pharmacy
Adopted: June 17, 2022; Released: January 1, 2023

Glossary

Glossary For ISP International-Accreditation and International-Preaccreditation Documents

Policies and Procedures

The ACPE Board has adopted policies and procedures that apply to the International-Accreditation and International-Preaccreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy that are based outside the United States of America (USA) and its territories; namely, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.

Application for International-Accreditation:

ACPE accepts applications for International-Accreditation for programs that are a minimum of four academic years in length. A summary of the steps in the application process and associated documentation, forms, flowcharts, and timelines are available for download.

Guidance:

Forms and Templates

Deadlines for Submission of Application for International-Accreditation*

Application for International-Preaccreditation:

ACPE accepts applications for International-Preaccreditation for programs that are a minimum of four academic years in length. A summary of the steps in the application process and associated documentation, forms, flowcharts, and timelines are available for download.

Guidance

Forms and Templates

Deadlines for Submission of Application for International-Preaccreditation

Fees

The fee structure for ACPE international services and related resources are available below.

ACPE has a rich history of engagements and promoting information exchange internationally among organizations and agencies involved in the quality assurance of pharmacy education.

On April 11, 2017, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (AQACHEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Both organizations agreed to cooperate and collaborate to advance the quality of pharmacy education internationally in accordance with their respective missions, visions, and goals.
Effective February 1, 2017, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreed to regularly communicate, share, and exchange information regarding accreditation criteria, system policies, standards, guidelines, manuals, tools, and publications.
Effective February 1, 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). ACPE and CCAPP agreed to exchange information related to activities undertaken, trends, developments, and advances in pharmacy education in their respective countries.
On November 15, 2014, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Canadian Council on Continuing Education In Pharmacy (CCCEP) consented to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) so that both organizations could study their respective quality assurance systems, policies and procedures, and the pharmacy education and training in their respective areas of operation.
Effective July 1, 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was endorsed by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). CAA agreed to accept ACPE as one of the preferred international agencies for the international recognition of United Arab Emirates (UAE) college and university pharmacy programs. ACPE agreed to make its resource pool of appropriately qualified reviewers for the evaluation and assessment of UAE pharmacy degree programs available to CAA.

On December 7, 2020, ACPE and CAA held a virtual signing ceremony to renew the MOU. To view a clip of the ceremony, click here.

On July 21, 2017, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) International Quality Group (CIQG) signed a Memorandum of Affiliation (MOA) to signify their respective commitments to the seven international quality principles of CIQG. As part of the MOA, ACPE agrees to promote these Principles, work with other higher education stakeholders to promote a shared understanding of quality based on the seven Principles, share information regularly on the promotion and implementation of the Principles and engage, when feasible, in joint activities with a view to sharing effective policies and practices in areas of common interest.
On July 1, 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Conférence Internationale des Doyens de Pharmacie d’Expression Francaise (CIDPHARMEF). Both ACPE and CIDPHARMEF acknowledged to communicate, cooperate, and explore opportunities in the international arena.
Effective September 1, 2020, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the Indian Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (IACP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU marks the collaboration between ACPE and IACP to achieve combined goals of standardizing and advancing the quality of pharmacy education internationally.
Effective September 12, 2017, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) mutually agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). ACPE and FIP will strive to cooperate and collaborate in order to facilitate information exchange and convene, at least annually, to discuss current and future collaborations.
Effective January 22, 2020, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the Knowledge E DMCC mutually agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). ACPE and Knowledge E agreed to collaborate in organizing various training, conferences, and other educational programs and events.

On July 13, 2021, ACPE renewed its MOU with Knowledge E.

Effective March 27, 2019, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the Korean Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (KACPE) mutually agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). ACPE and KACPE consented to regularly communicate, share, and exchange information regarding quality assurance systems, policies and procedures, and the pharmacy education/training in their respective countries.
In the past several years, ACPE’s International Services Program has collaborated with Management Sciences for Health (MSH) in the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program. Initially, ACPE conducted a survey of pharmacy education, regulation and practice issues in low- and middle-income countries identified by MSH. The survey prompted a project in which ACPE representatives traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo for a consultative visit to the University of Kinshasa, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FOPS). After the visit, ACPE produced a report titled “Recommendations for Advancing Pharmacy Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” ACPE was also asked to provide an additional consultation for the University of Kinshasa FOPS to draft the strategic plan for the curriculum, including the desired graduate competencies and the curricular content.

In addition, ACPE was contracted by MSH to develop a report on quality assurance of continuing education and continuing professional development. The report was entitled “Continuing Pharmaceutical Education: Guide to Establishing Quality Assured and Accredited Programs.”

Effective July 1, 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE). Both organizations agreed to collaborate, cooperate, and regularly communicate with each other regarding their activities in their respective areas of operation.
Effective February 1, 2018, the ACPE Board of Directors approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the National Center for Academic Accreditation and evAluation (NCAAA). Both organizations agreed to cooperate and collaborate to advance the quality of pharmacy education internationally in accordance with their respective missions, visions, and goals.
Effective February 1, 2017, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI). ACPE and PSI accepted to explore opportunities for collaboration in international activities and to cooperate in any other manner as mutually agreed.

Communications

Hosting International Visitors

ACPE has hosted visitors from around the world, and has provided assistance to many countries in their efforts to establish or develop their own quality assurance systems for pharmacy education. If you are interested in visiting ACPE, please e-mail the ISP Department at [email protected].

Consultation

ACPE offers consultation in a broad range of areas related to quality assurance and advancement of pharmacy education, including:

  • Professional degree programs in pharmacy
  • Continuing pharmacy education/continuing professional development
  • In-service training
  • Credentialing
  • QA systems/development of standards
Consultation may also be provided in broader areas of care delivery and pharmacy practice. ACPE engages appropriate experts from the United States and other countries for each consultation.

Workshops

ACPE offers and conducts training and workshops on topics such as preparation of self-studies, evaluator training, assessment, curricular development, continuing professional development, and standards development. Training programs may also be customized to meet the needs of global stakeholders.

The SMART Pharmacist Program is a sustainable, evidence-based educational initiative, designed for national professional institutions, associations, and chambers to foster changes in the pharmacy profession. To learn more, visit the SMART Pharmacist Program website: www.smartpharmacistprogram.org

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COVID-19 UPDATE

Partners of the SMART Pharmacist Program: In this very unusual and unpredictable time of pandemic, we would like to connect with all of you, in different countries, all over the World and express our support.

We would also like to recognize and thank our SMART Pharmacists who are serving patients at the front line. We have prepared a short video message that we would like to ask you to forward to all of them to keep the motivation and sustainability of the Program.

Yours truly,
Arijana Mestrovic and Mike Rouse

La Accréditation-Internationale ou la Accréditation-Internationale Provisoiree permet PAS de contourner les exigences énoncées par la NABP à l’attention des diplômés étrangers. Pour plus de précisions, veuillez adresser vos questions à la NABP: Téléphone: +1 847 391 4406; E-mail: [email protected]; Site internet: https://nabp.pharmacy/.
L’ACPE propose effectivement un agrément pour les prestataires de formation continue en pharmacie basés hors des États-Unis. L’ACPE n’agrée pas les activités individuelles de FC; cependant, par le biais de certains de ses prestataires agréés (sous ce qu’on appelle un «Fournisseur Conjoint»), l’agrément ACPE a été accordé à des réunions et des colloques dans d’autres pays. Pour plus de détails, cliquez ici.
L’ACPE ne délivre pas d’agrément pour les cursus universitaires des facultés de pharmacie au Canada. C’est le rôle du Conseil Canadien pour l’Agrément des Programmes de Pharmacie (CCAPP), www.ccapp-accredit.ca. L’ACPE est étroitement associée à ses homologues de l’agence canadienne. Lorsque le CCAPP a élaboré les normes régissant actuellement les programmes de baccalauréat en pharmacie au Canada, ces dernières ont été basées sur les normes du PharmD de l’ACPE.
L’ACPE reçoit régulièrement des demandes d’assistance en provenance de pays qui souhaitent développer ou renforcer leurs propres systèmes d’assurance qualité pour la formation en pharmacie, tant pour les cursus universitaires que pour la formation continue en pharmacie. L’ACPE fournit un appui et des conseils sur la scène internationale dans les domaines suivants:
  • Accréditation-Internationale/Pré-Accréditation-Internationale de Cursus Universitaires Professionnels
  • Consultations
  • Ateliers et Programmes de Formation

L’ACPE participe également, à l’échelle internationale, à de nombreuses activités et initiatives ainsi qu’à de nombreux programmes. Voir Collaborations du ISP.

L’ACPE est engagée à promouvoir l’échange d’informations entre les organismes et les agences impliqués dans l’assurance qualité dela formation en pharmacie. Au cours des dernières années, les membres du personnel de l’ACPE ont été actifs au sein du Forum International pour l’Assurance Qualité dela Formation en Pharmacie, une initiative de la Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique (FIP). Les membres du personnel de l’ACPE ont participé à plusieurs réunions du Forum.

La mission de l’ACPE est d’assurer et de promouvoir la formation en pharmacie. Si son objectif principal — qui concentre la majorité de ses activités et efforts — reste les États-Unis, l’ACPE estime qu’afin de remplir pleinement sa mission, elle se doit de s’impliquer également hors de ses frontières. L’ACPE reconnaît qu’elle peut à la fois contribuer et apprendre des expériences et initiatives dans d’autres pays. L’ACPE reconnaît également les avantages découlant du monitoring et de l’influence qu’elle peut exercer sur les tendances mondiales au sein de la profession de pharmacien, généralement dans l’enseignement et dans les domaines spécifiques de l’assurance qualité et de l’amélioration de la qualité de la formation en pharmacie.

Les normes d’agrément de l’ACPE sont protégées par le droit d’auteur. Toute personne souhaitant adopter ou adapter les normes de l’ACPE devrait contacter cette dernière, car l’ACPE verrait un intérêt à découvrir de telles initiatives et pourrait être disposée à apporter son aide. Toutefois, il faut souligner que les normes de l’ACPE ont été développées pour s’adapter aux systèmes d’éducation et de santé des États-Unis. Les résultats d’apprentissage, sur lesquels sont basés les normes, reflètent le niveau et l’étendue de la pratique souhaitée par les pharmaciens aux États-Unis, les soins axés sur le patient étant la philosophie sous-jacente de la pratique. Par conséquent, ces normes peuvent ne pas être directement transposables en normes pertinentes dans leur intégralité dans d’autres pays.

La méthode d’agrément utilisée aux États-Unis peut également différer des approches d’assurance qualité utilisées ailleurs. L’ACPE est une agence autonome et indépendante ; dans de nombreux autres pays, l’assurance qualité est la responsabilité d’un organisme gouvernemental, professionnel ou de réglementation. Le cadre ainsi que la plupart ou la totalité des « principes de base » contenus dans les normes devraient, cependant, pouvoir s’appliquer dans la plupart des environnements et, s’ils sont modifiés pour s’adapter aux spécificités et aux besoins locaux, les normes de l’ACPE devraient pouvoir servir de point de départ pour l’élaboration de normes spécifiques à chaque pays.

Le ISP de l’ACPE a développé les Critères de Qualité Internationaux et propose une Accréditation-Internationale des Diplômes Universitaires Professionnels en Pharmacie en dehors des États-Unis et de ses territoires.

Non. La faisabilité, la viabilité et l’impact de la création du ISP ont été étudiés avec soin et minutie par le conseil d’administration de l’ACPE. Le ISP a été créé et conçu comme un programme autonome qui ne tire pas ses ressources des autres activités de base de l’ACPE. Le conseil d’administration de l’ACPE est déterminé à assurer que le ISP contribue de manière significative à l’avancement de la mission de l’ACPE tant aux États-Unis qu’à l’échelle internationale.
Pour en savoir plus sur le ISP et la gamme de services proposés, veuillez contacter:

Michael J. Rouse, BPharm (Hons), MPS, FFIP
[email protected]

En raison de la diversité des services proposés, des besoins spécifiques à chaque client et de la variabilité des dépenses directes liées à la fourniture de services dans divers secteurs géographiques, les frais de service varient au cas par cas. Les clients potentiels désirant pouvoir bénéficier des services du ISP seront priés de fournir une Demande de Proposition (DP) détaillée décrivant les services et livrables requis ; un contrat sera ensuite négocié, détaillant les frais et autres conditions.
Pour certains services, cependant, des frais standards s’appliqueront. Tarifs actuels, veuillez cliquer ici.
Le but principal de la Accréditation-Internationale/Pré-Accréditation-Internationale est d’aider les universités et les facultés de pharmacie à améliorer la qualité de leurs cursus universitaires. Grâce à un procédé structuré, validé, revu par des pairs et axé sur les normes, la Accréditation-Internationale permet une évaluation complète du cursus universitaire et de la faculté de pharmacie. La Accréditation-Internationale/Pré-Accréditation-Internationale peut être utilisée pour distinguer les cursus universitaires qui ont fait la preuve de leur conformité avec les normes internationales et de leur engagement à l’amélioration continue de la qualité de ceux qui n’ont pas démontré un tel engagement envers l’assurance qualité.
Il est difficile pour l’ACPE de savoir si, ou comment, d’autres entités/organismes reconnaîtront sa Accréditation-Internationale/Pré-Accréditation-Internationale, il est ainsi préférable de contacter l’entité/l’organisme en question afin de demander des éclaircissements.

Complaints

ACPE has an obligation to assure that any program that holds an International-Accreditation Status remains compliant with the Quality Criteria or is making progress towards achieving compliance at an appropriate pace, and that the School conducts its affairs with impartiality, non-discrimination, honesty, and frankness.

Complaints from Institutions, students, academic staff, or the public against a Professional Degree Program with International-Accreditation Status or Institution housing a Professional Degree Program with International-Accreditation Status must be based upon the fact that such Program or Institution is not in compliance with Quality Criterion/Criteria or is not making progress towards achieving compliance at the appropriate pace, or is not in compliance with the International-Accreditation and International-Preaccreditation Policies and Procedures, as established, from time to time, by ACPE.

Complaints must be submitted in writing to the ACPE office, must provide a detailed description of the complaint and its relation to Quality Criteria or the International-Accreditation Policies and Procedures, and must provide direct contact information of the complainant(s). Requests for confidentiality by the complainant shall be respected to the extent that any identifying information is not necessary for the resolution of the complaint.

Anonymous complaints pertaining to International-Accreditation matters are retained and, depending on circumstances and the severity of the complaint as determined by the ACPE Executive Director, may be forwarded to the Dean of the affected Professional Degree Program for a response.  Where a complainant has threatened or filed legal action in a court of law or before a governmental agency against a Program or Institution housing said Program, ACPE reserves the right to hold such complaint in abeyance until after the later of a final judgment by a court of law or governmental agency or finalization of any appeal of such judgment.

ACPE will proceed expeditiously in the investigation and resolution of complaints in a manner that is fair and equitable to all parties. The Executive Director, or his/her designate, shall have the authority to: (i) review the complaint in order to determine relevance to the Quality Criteria, policies, or procedures; (ii)   dismiss a complaint if it is determined that such complaint has no merit or is outside the scope of ACPE International-Accreditation activities; (iii) forward relevant complaints to the Dean of the school for a response to ACPE;  and (iv) conduct any further investigation deemed necessary to promptly determine the facts surrounding the issue and the validity of the complaint. ACPE shall diligently investigate and resolve complaints in a timely manner, taking into consideration all parties involved, the severity and complexity of the allegations, and pursuant to any legal obligations.

If, on the basis of such investigation, after notice to the school and opportunity for response from the School, the Executive Director finds a complaint to be extremely serious in nature, charging egregious conduct that may warrant an Adverse  Action by ACPE, or involve an interpretation that the Executive Director believes should be made by the Board, the complaint will be submitted to the Board for consideration at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  Where the Board finds that a Program or School has violated the Quality Criteria, engaged in unethical conduct, or that its integrity has been seriously undermined, the Board will either:

(a) request that the School show cause, within a stated time period, as to why an Adverse Action should not be taken; or

(b) in extreme cases, immediately discontinue its relationship with the Program by denying International-Accreditation or International-Preaccreditation or withdrawing the offending Program’s International-Accreditation Status.

A record of complaints regarding a specific School or Program is maintained in perpetuity at the ACPE office for future consideration.  The complaint file will be reviewed by Staff members as a component of the evaluation visit process.  Evaluation teams will be informed regarding any open complaints against the Program under review.  Information provided to the evaluation team will include the following for any open complaint: (1) the nature of each complaint; (2) the process used to review the complaint; and (3) the status of the complaint.  Any complaints received since the prior evaluation visit and the related investigative materials will be provided to the members of the International Commission and Board as a component of the review process.

For more details regarding ACPE’s Complaints Policy and Procedures, please visit the relevant section of the International Services Program Policies and Procedures manual.

If you wish to file a complaint, please complete the ACPE Complaint Form found here.

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