UCIEP Origin and Mission

At a NAFSA Conference in 1967, directors of thirteen intensive English programs (IEPs) gathered to discuss problems facing their field. The need for IEPs was being recognized but the need for standards in those programs was not. Ignorance regarding the education and experience necessary to prepare a teacher to provide appropriate instruction was leading to programs staffed with unqualified faculty. A recognition that money could be made from ESL students was enticing academic institutions and private enterprises to maximize income and minimize standards. The lack of other units on campus similar to IEPs left directors feeling isolated as they struggled to develop appropriate structures and strategies to meet the challenges confronting them.

The result of that meeting was the creation of CIEP, later changed in name to UCIEP, an organization committed to setting and achieving high standards in IEPs, to educating institutions to the fact that adequate support of IEPs would lead to international students better prepared to succeed in their academic studies, and to providing a forum for IEP directors to exchange ideas, information and experiences.

For over thirty years UCIEP has been committed to this mission. The thirteen founding directors have retired and the number of programs has quintupled. There are now UCIEP members in thirty-one states and the District of Columbia, in densely populated metropolitan areas and in small rural communities, integrated into large research universities as well as small private colleges. Yet the central vision has remained constant. Each of the sixty-five programs in UCIEP is dedicated to maintaining the high standards set by the original thirteen. Each underwent a rigorous application process, including a site visit by an external reviewer, before being accepted. Every five years each must submit a substantial self-study document to an evaluation committee which reviews it to verify that the program continues to meet the standards of UCIEP. Programs which are unable to meet the standards during the application process are told what they have to do in order to qualify for admission at a later time. Member programs which have not been able to continue meeting the standards have been dropped.

In reading the profiles you will find an amazing diversity in structure and approach. Parents, sponsors, and students are sure to find among these programs one or more that match their preferences. The fact that the institutions are UCIEP members ensures that students will also find the language instruction, facilities, and supportive environment necessary to have a rich and rewarding educational experience.