IACDE Founder Dr. Roxanne Kemp Makes History as First Black Woman to Establish a Global Accrediting Body for Digital Education
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – June 1, 2025 – The International Accrediting Commission for Digital Education (IACDE) today announces its official launch, marking a historic milestone in the world of educational quality assurance. Its founder, Dr. Roxanne Kemp, Ph.D., is recognized as the first Black woman in recorded history to establish an international accrediting body for educational institutions.
IACDE emerges to meet the urgent needs of the 21st-century learning landscape, providing a rigorous, equitable, and innovative accreditation framework designed specifically for digital-first institutions. This breakthrough challenges over a century of tradition in academic leadership and accreditation, offering a new paradigm that prioritizes inclusivity, innovation, and global relevance.
A Landmark Achievement for Educational Equity
The establishment of IACDE represents more than a new accrediting option; it signifies a fundamental shift in who gets to define educational quality. After extensive research into the global accreditation landscape, no prior record exists of a Black woman achieving this specific feat—founding an international, institutional accreditor.
“For decades, the power to define ‘quality’ in education has been concentrated in a homogenous group. This has left entire sectors of innovative, digital, and faith-based institutions struggling for validation,” said Dr. Roxanne Kemp, Founder and President of IACDE. “We are not just creating a new body; we are democratizing quality assurance. IACDE proves that excellence is not defined by a brick-and-mortar campus or a traditional pedigree, but by outcomes, integrity, and a commitment to student success in the digital world.”
The IACDE Difference: A Modern Framework for Modern Learning
IACDE is built from the ground up for the realities of contemporary education. Unlike legacy accreditors that have adapted physical campus standards to online learning, IACDE’s core philosophy is digital-first. Our model is defined by five key pillars:
- A Global, Digital-First Framework: We validate the quality of online universities, micro-credential providers, and faith-based institutions using standards specifically designed for digital delivery, not retrofitted from an analog world.
- A Mentorship-Driven Pathway: We replace the traditional punitive audit with a collaborative, growth-focused partnership. IACDE works with institutions through every stage of development to achieve and maintain excellence.
- An Accessible Virtual Process: By eliminating the prohibitive cost and logistics of on-site visits, we open the doors of accreditation to a diverse range of quality institutions worldwide, particularly those serving international and non-traditional student populations.
- Faith-Affirming Standards: For Christian and other faith-based institutions, IACDE provides specialized review teams that understand how to balance academic rigor with spiritual formation and mission integrity.
- An Elite, Diverse Peer Network: Our commission comprises over 100 global experts—including former deans, instructional designers, and edtech innovators—ensuring evaluations are informed by a wealth of practical, forward-thinking experience.
Why This Moment Matters for Educational Leaders
Dr. Kemp’s leadership and the IACDE model arrive at a critical juncture for global education:
- Legitimacy for the Digital Majority: With the majority of learners now engaging online, IACDE provides the credible, specialized validation that digital institutions and their students deserve.
- A Blueprint for Inclusive Innovation: IACDE serves as a powerful case study in how to rebuild systemic processes to be inherently accessible, diverse, and representative from their inception.
- Unlocking Global Potential: By removing geographical and financial barriers to accreditation, IACDE empowers a new wave of high-quality, innovative educational providers to reach a global student body.
About the International Accrediting Commission for Digital Education (IACDE)
The International Accrediting Commission for Digital Education (IACDE) is the first global accrediting body founded by a Black woman. We are dedicated to advancing quality, innovation, and equity in digital education worldwide. Through our modern, mentorship-driven process, we accredit online universities, academies, corporate training providers, and micro-learning organizations, ensuring they meet the highest standards of educational excellence for the digital age.
To learn more about our accreditation standards or to begin the conversation, visit our website at www.iacde.org.
Media Contact:
IACDE Press Office
press@iacde.org
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