The trustees of the ASID Foundation recently granted funds to support the Council for Interior Design Accreditation's (CIDA) project to comprehensively examine the accreditation process and to develop support services offered to programs seeking accreditation. The overall goal of the project is to introduce improvements to accreditation services that will enhance the value of engaging in the process and support a seamless transition to new accreditation standards in fall 2009.
"The ASID Foundation supports the continuous improvement of accreditation services and recognizes the importance of successful implementation of new standards. The Foundation believes that CIDA's approach is comprehensive, engages the appropriate stakeholders, and will result in greater value to those involved in the accreditation process." notes BJ Peterson, FASID, chair of the ASID Foundation board.
CIDA-accredited interior design programs report that standards for education are by far the most influential factor in curriculum development. This fact emphasizes the need for standards to be implemented in a way that supports program innovation and improvement. "Interior design programs work diligently to meet CIDA standards and demonstrate this through the accreditation review process. We believe it is incumbent upon CIDA to provide services and resources to support their efforts." noted Cary Johnson, chair of the Council for Interior Design Accreditation board. "We are grateful that the ASID Foundation trustees recognize the value of these services."
The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly FIDER) is an independent, nonprofit, accrediting organization responsible for setting standards and evaluating interior design education programs. There are 165 CIDA-accredited programs in the United States and Canada. For more information, go to www.accredit-id.org.