Following an evaluation visit last November, Bilkent Erzurum Laboratory School has been awarded International Accreditation by the Council of International Schools (CIS). BELS, which joined CIS in 2017, is now part of a worldwide community of 530 CIS-accredited schools.
The process of preparing for the visit by the CIS evaluation team lasted two years and involved faculty, staff, students and parents, led by the co-chairs of the BELS Steering Committee. During this process, preparations ranged from inspection of the school buildings to a review of the school’s guiding statements, governance and leadership, curriculum, teaching and learning, staffing, facilities, student well-being and community relations.
While all BELS graduates receive bilingual IB diplomas, the school’s new standing as a CIS-accredited institution offers additional affirmation of the quality of education provided there. CIS states that its accreditation indicates a school “has achieved high standards of professional performance in international education and has a commitment to continuous improvement,” and further notes that universities and colleges in the US and around the world “fully recognize and accept students’ transcripts from CIS-accredited schools.”