SACSCOC Approves University of The Bahamas for Accreditation Candidacy
7th December 2025
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) announced today it has approved University of The Bahamas (UB) as a candidate for accreditation, an historic milestone.
President of SACSCOC Dr. Stephen Pruitt made the announcement during his address at the SACSCOC Annual General Meeting being held in Nashville, Tennessee.
“On our journey towards full accreditation, the awarding of candidacy is a powerful affirmation of what we can achieve when a nation believes in its own capacity to elevate, strengthen, and continuously improve in pursuit of the highest standards of academic excellence and operational efficiency. From inception, this institution was envisioned to rise to its fullest potential and, in doing so, expand the horizons of The Bahamas and elevate the capacity of Bahamians to excel. Today, the international academic community, our peers, has validated that we are delivering quality and are committed to continuous assessment and growth. This is, without question, an historic achievement and proud moment for the nation”, said Chair of the UB Board of Trustees Mrs. Allyson Maynard Gibson, KC.
“The Board also extends our profound gratitude to all those, past and present – visionaries, educators, staff, students, and national leaders whose dedication and loyalty made this milestone possible. We stand firmly on their shoulders, inspired by their sacrifice and commitment as we continue to advance our University and our nation.”
UB President Dr. Robert Blaine, III and his Executive Leadership Team were present for the announcement.
Dr. Blaine said this is among the most significant moments in UB’s history. The awarding of candidacy status signals that UB has demonstrated compliance with the standards outlined in its initial application, as verified by the SACSCOC Candidacy Committee which visited the institution in November.
“The attainment of accreditation candidacy is a defining milestone for UB and The Bahamas,” noted Dr. Blaine. “It reinforces the foundation laid 51 years ago by a nation determined to create a university that would elevate its people and expand their realm of excellence. UB was established with purpose and we are advancing to deliver on the promise of transformational higher education.
“We recognize that there are still many rivers to cross to achieve the ultimate validation of quality and rigour; however, candidacy affirms that we are on the right path. The urgency of fulfilling our mission of supporting and driving national development is that much stronger. Our resolve to place student success focused excellence at the centre of all we do, is equally as strong.”
Dr. Blaine added that the awarding of candidacy status signals the work the university does – in education, research, innovation and service – in fulfilment of its mission is building a stronger, more progressive, and globally recognized institution. Yet, he acknowledged that more work remains. UB is now preparing for the next step in the accreditation process – completing the Compliance Certificate and being authorized to receive another SACSCOC visit, this time from an Accreditation Committee.
UB’s status will be updated on the SACSCOC website to being a candidate for accreditation in category III for institutions that award up to master’s degrees.
UB has been intentionally working towards international accreditation since 2017. The university is also pursuing national accreditation with the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas.
Department of Communications
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
University of The Bahamas
Oakes Field Campus
University Drive, Nassau, The Bahamas
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365
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