The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has had its accreditation reaffirmed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), an international accrediting body for institutions of higher education in the Mid-Atlantic States, the American territories/commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and other locations such as the [British] Virgin Islands. Photo: GIS

The College was first accredited by MSCHE in June 2015, and as a newly accredited institution, HLSCC had to seek reaffirmation of its accreditation within 5 years. The process of reaffirmation began in 2017 with the College attending a Self-Study Institute, which provided guidance on the development of a Self-Study Design. Photo: Provided

President of HLSCC, Dr. Richard Georges said that the reaffirmation was the culmination of much hard work by the administration, staff, and faculty of the College, “Coming out of the storms of 2017 and the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, it is a testament to the dedication and resilience of the institution that it has continued to deliver quality education and meet the various needs of the residents of the British Virgin Islands.”

College first accredited by MSCHE in 2015

The College was first accredited by MSCHE in June 2015, and as a newly accredited institution, HLSCC had to seek reaffirmation of its accreditation within 5 years. The process of reaffirmation began in 2017 with the College attending a Self-Study Institute, which provided guidance on the development of a Self-Study Design.

The Design, entitled "We Will Rise" represented the College’s intentions to recover from the impacts of the 2017 hurricanes and other challenges, and provided the template for the College to follow in preparing the Self-Study to assess its compliance with MSCHE’s Requirements of Affiliation and Standards of Accreditation.

The Self-Study Report addressed areas such as Mission and Goals; Ethics and Integrity; Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience; Support of the Student Experience; Educational Effectiveness Assessment; Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement; and Governance, Leadership and Administration.

HLSCC continues to deliver access & opportunities - Hon de Castro 

Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, and Sport, Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL), herself an alumna of HLSCC stated, “It is clear that HLSCC has had to navigate many trials and challenges, but continues to deliver access and opportunity for its students and the wider BVI.”

“The reaffirmation of the College’s accreditation assures the public that the academic programmes, administration, and operations of the College meet the highest international standards. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the College’s offerings, and for the wider community to support its efforts in becoming a premier regional institution.”

The Report was submitted in Spring 2020 but due to COVID-19 restrictions, an onsite evaluation visit was not possible. A virtual site visit was conducted in December 2020, and the College was required to submit a Supplemental Information Report pertaining to Standard VI – Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement. Following the submission of the report in September 2021, another virtual site visit was conducted in April 2022, supported by an updated Supplemental Information Report.