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International Services Program (ISP)

ACPE’s International Services Program offers professional degree program International-Accreditation and International-Preaccreditation, consultation, and training to stakeholders around the world who seek guidance related to quality assurance and advancement of pharmacy education. The expertise, global perspectives, staff resources, and formal processes within the ISP support international stakeholders to advance pharmacy education and quality in their respective countries. ISP was established in January 2011.

Note: ACPE International-Accreditation, International-Preaccreditation and Provisional International-Accreditation (collectively referred to as International-Accreditation Status) are not intended to and do not qualify graduates of a program with this status to be eligible to apply directly to sit for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX®) for licensure in the United States. ACPE International-Accreditation Status does not change or modify the requirement for pharmacists educated outside of the United States to achieve the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination CommitteeTM (FPGEC®) Certification before applying for a pharmacy licensure exam or state board of pharmacy license in the United States. ACPE International-Accreditation Status does not assure that the professional degree program would adequately prepare a graduate to be licensed to practice as a pharmacist in any of the states or territories of the United States.

Revision of the ACPE 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.

Vision

Quality-assured pharmacy education and training prepares graduates throughout the world for expanded roles to optimize safe and effective medication use and improve patient care.

Mission

Promote, assure, and advance the quality of pharmacy education internationally to improve patient care through safe and effective medication use.

Leadership

The activities and programs of the ISP are supported and guided by the International Commission (IC), whose members are appointed by the ACPE Board of Directors, and the ISP Advisory Group (ISPAG), whose expert members are drawn from around the world.

Member of CIQG and INQAAHE

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

Note: The following lists include programs for which the ACPE Board of Directors has authorized the initial evaluation visit; however, such programs have not yet been granted International-Accreditation Status.

Programs by Country
Programs by Name
Programs by Status

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.


Please note:

  • ACPE Travel Policy: ACPE is currently not traveling to countries that have a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State. The levels of Travel Advisories are updated, as and when appropriate, by the State Department.

For further details regarding if and how this may affect your program, please contact ACPE.

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.

Please note:

  • Effective February 2023, ACPE has implemented a new procedure for applications for International-Accreditation. The new procedure is described in the “Summary of Application Steps and Required Documentation” below.
  • ACPE Travel Policy: ACPE is currently not traveling to countries that have a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State. The levels of Travel Advisories are updated, as and when appropriate, by the State Department.

For further details regarding if and how this may affect an application to ACPE, please contact ACPE.

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.

Please note:

  • Effective February 2023, ACPE has implemented a new procedure for applications for International-Preaccreditation. The new procedure is described in the “Summary of Application Steps and Required Documentation” below.
  • ACPE Travel Policy: ACPE is currently not traveling to countries that have a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State. The levels of Travel Advisories are updated, as and when appropriate, by the State Department.

For further details regarding if and how this may affect an application to ACPE, please contact ACPE.

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 ISP Director, Mike Rouse, 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

News Release regarding terminology change to “International-Accreditation”.

International-Accreditation or Provisional International-Accreditation does NOT bypass the requirements set forth by NABP for foreign graduates. For further clarifications, please direct your questions to the NABP. Phone: +1 847 391 4406; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: https://nabp.pharmacy/.

ACPE does offer accreditation for providers of continuing pharmacy education that are based outside the USA. ACPE does not accredit individual CE activities; however, through some of its accredited providers (under what is referred to as a “Joint Providership”), ACPE accreditation has been granted for meetings and conference symposia in other countries. For additional details, click here.

ACPE does not accredit the degree programs of faculties of pharmacy in Canada. This is done by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), www.ccapp-accredit.ca. ACPE works very closely with its Canadian counterpart agency. When CCAPP developed its current standards for baccalaureate pharmacy degree programs in Canada, the standards were based on ACPE’s PharmD Standards.

On a regular basis, ACPE receives requests for assistance from countries wishing to develop or enhance their own systems for the quality assurance of pharmacy education – both for degree programs and for continuing pharmacy education. ACPE provides support and guidance in the international arena in the following areas:
  • Professional degree program International-Accreditation/International-Preaccreditation
  • Consultation
  • Workshops and training programs

ACPE is also engaged in numerous international activities, programs, and initiatives. See ISP Collaborations.

ACPE is committed to promoting information exchange among organizations and agencies involved in the quality assurance of pharmacy education. Over the past several years, members of the ACPE staff have been active in the International Forum for Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education, an initiative of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Members of staff from ACPE have participated in several meetings of the Forum.

ACPE’s mission is to assure and advance pharmacy education. While its primary focus and the majority of its activity and effort will always be in the USA, ACPE believes that to fulfill its mission, it also should be involved beyond its borders. ACPE acknowledges that it can contribute to and learn from experiences and initiatives in other countries. ACPE also recognizes the benefits derived from monitoring and influencing global trends and developments within the profession of pharmacy, within education generally, and in the specific areas of quality assurance and quality improvement of pharmacy education.[/fusion_li_item] [/fusion_checklist]

ACPE accreditation standards are copyrighted. Anyone wishing to adopt or adapt ACPE standards should contact ACPE, as ACPE would be interested to hear of such an initiative and may be willing to provide assistance. However, it must be stressed that ACPE standards are developed with USA systems of education and healthcare delivery in mind. The outcome competencies, upon which the standards are based, reflect the desired level and scope of practice for pharmacists in the USA, with patient-centered care as the underlying philosophy of practice. Therefore, the standards may not translate directly into standards that would be suitable in their entirety in other countries.

The system of accreditation used in the USA may also be different from quality assurance approaches elsewhere. ACPE is an independent, autonomous agency, and in many other countries, quality assurance is the responsibility of a governmental, professional, or regulatory body. The framework and most or all of the “core principles” contained in the standards should, however, be applicable in most environments and, if modified to meet local needs and circumstances, the ACPE standards may be able to serve as a basis for the development of country-specific standards.

ACPE’s ISP has developed the International Quality Criteria and offers International-Accreditation of Professional Degree Programs in Pharmacy outside of the USA and territories.

No. The feasibility, viability, and impact of establishing the ISP was carefully and thoroughly studied by the ACPE Board of Directors. The ISP has been designed and established as a self-sustaining program that does not draw resources from other core ACPE activities. The ACPE Board is committed to ensuring that the ISP contributes meaningfully to advancing ACPE’s mission both within the United States and internationally.

To learn more about ISP and the range of services it offers, please contact:

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

Due to the diversity of services offered, the specific needs of clients, and the variability of direct expenses related to the provision of services in different geographic locations, fees for services vary on a case-by-case basis. Potential clients requesting services from the ISP will be requested to provide a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) that describes the services needed and required deliverables; a contract will then be negotiated, including the fees and other terms. For certain services, however, a standard fee will apply. For the current Fee Schedule, please click here.

The primary purpose of International-Accreditation/International-Preaccreditation is to assist colleges and schools of pharmacy to improve the quality of their degree program. Through a structured, validated, peer-reviewed, and standards-based process, International-Accreditation provides a comprehensive evaluation of the degree program and the college/school of pharmacy. International-Accreditation and International-Preaccreditation can be used to differentiate between degree programs that have demonstrated compliance with internationally-recognized standards and a commitment to continuous quality improvement and those that have not demonstrated such compliance and commitment to CQI.

It is not clear to ACPE if/how other entities/organizations will recognize its International-Accreditation/International-Preaccreditation, and individuals should contact the entity/organization in question to seek clarification.

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.

Contact Us

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