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The (OPE) ������Ƶ received high praise from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) this month, and effective Oct. 1 Central was among the first institutions in the nation to offer NECHE-recognized non-credit programs.

NECHE, established in 1885, is an institutional accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education that establishes equitable standards for accreditation with member institutions and promotes educational excellence through innovation across diverse institutions.

In 2025, the commission voted to expand its work to include the recognition of high-quality, non-credit providers.

“Central is one of only eight institutions—and the only one in Connecticut—to be recognized in the inaugural cohort, and the only regional comprehensive university among the cohort to have this achievement,” said Central President Zulma R. Toro. “This speaks volumes to the quality of our faculty and professional staff and the time they devote to being the leader in this space.”

NECHE defines non-credit programming as a course, series of courses, or program that provides knowledge in a subject matter area that may lead to the award of a certificate, badge, or, in some cases, licensure. Non-credit programming has industry and employer relevance and may, in some cases, transfer to credit-bearing programs.

NECHE notes, “The commission recognizes that there is increasing interest in non-credit programming from students and there are a growing number of non-credit providers. NECHE’s recognition process will provide quality assurance to students, employers, and the public.”

To qualify for NECHE recognition, institutions must apply and prepare a report that demonstrates their capacity to offer high-quality non-credit programming. The report is then shared with NECHE's peer evaluators and Non-Credit Recognition Committee for their review. As part of the review, the evaluation team travels to the applicant’s campus to verify the accuracy of the submitted report and collect additional information. After the site visit, the team submits a report to NECHE for final review and, in this case, approval.

NECHE also provides an evaluation report that offers feedback on the candidate’s strengths and areas for improvement. In its feedback to Central, NECHE cited OPE’s “thoughtful design” in its development of non-credit programming in partnership with key stakeholders.

“OPE engages in a process of continuous improvement in the design of their programming, which reflects their learner-centered vision and commitment to employers,” the evaluation report states. “This has resulted in a high level of satisfaction among learners and employees, who feel the current design and portfolio of offerings gives the learners the exact knowledge, skills, and abilities that they need to have a better performance at work.”

Recognition is separate from accreditation, which applies to the credit-bearing courses and programs at higher education institutions. Still, according to the Director of OPE Christa Sterling, the positive praise validates the office’s mission and vision.

“Central’s OPE collects and analyzes employer feedback and assessment results relative to return on investment. This is valuable information for the program as the shift in enrollment demographics continues to evolve. We want to make sure we are serving industry and the community to the best of our ability,” Sterling said.