The Georgia Center and the Continuing Education Unit

The continuing education unit (CEU) is the assurance of quality for continuing education programs. Formally defined, one CEU is "ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction."

The University of Georgia has long been involved with the CEUs. Since the unit's inception in the late 1960s and its emerging widespread use, the faculty of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education have been instrumental in helping to develop, shape, and implement the CEU as an accepted standard of measure for quality.

The assurances of the CEU enhance the quality of a learning experience in several ways:

• Nationally adopted criteria are applied to program design and activity. Faculty and staff of the Georgia Center help participants interpret those criteria for their training needs. The Georgia Center also works with other professional certifying associations to help participants gain needed hours of participation.
• A record of participation in any Georgia Center sponsored program is available upon request by the participant.
• The University's accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reaffirms the application of criteria in the area of continuing education.
• The University System of Georgia Board of Regents regularly checks to see that the University and other System institutions are using the criteria to provide quality experiences in continuing education.
• And finally, the Georgia Center is a "Certified Provider" of continuing education as designated by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET; http://www.iacet.org).

The "Guiding Principles" of the CEU, as Defined by IACET

• Activities are planned to meet the educational needs of the group.
• Activities have written learning outcomes.
• Knowledgeable people are involved in planning and conducting activities.
• Content and instructional methods are appropriate for the learning outcomes.
• Participants satisfactorily complete activities as demonstrated through a range of options such as attendance or assessment.
• Activities are evaluated by the participants.
• The institution has a clearly defined way for developing and administering activities and has a review process that ensures the CEU guidelines are met.
• The institution maintains complete records on all participants and can provide a copy of records upon request to an individual.
• The institution provides an appropriate environment and support services for continuing education activities.

The Georgia Center meets the "Criteria for Certification" established by the Certified Provider Commission of IACET.

IACET's address is: International Association for Continuing Education and Training, 1200 19th Street. NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20036-2401.