Who Owns the CEU? Why Only Accredited CEUs Can Be Trusted
At IACET, we often hear a familiar assumption: “You all own the CEU, right?” It’s an understandable belief; after all, IACET played a key role in defining and maintaining the standard for what the CEU should mean. But let’s be clear: IACET does not (and cannot) own the CEU. In fact, no one owns it. That’s not an oversight; it’s the result of the CEU’s origin story.
The CEU Was Born in the Public Domain
The continuing education unit (CEU) was published in 1970 by a national task force convened in 1968 by the U.S. Department of Education. It was designed as a standard unit of measurement for non-credit continuing education. Since it was created under the auspices of the federal government, the CEU was placed in the public domain, meaning anyone can use the term freely, with no trademark, copyright, or licensing restrictions.
That generosity of spirit has had unintended consequences.
The Problem with Public Domain Terms
Think about what happens when anyone can use a term, regardless of whether it meets any criteria. Over time, the meaning becomes watered down, vague, and inconsistent. That’s what’s happened with the CEU.
In the decades since its creation, thousands of organizations have adopted the term “CEU.” However, without a shared standard or accountability mechanism, “CEU” has become a label that often means wildly different things in different contexts.
Some providers issue CEUs for high-quality, outcomes-based instruction delivered by qualified professionals. Others offer CEUs for watching a video and taking a quiz. The learner and the employer often can’t tell the difference.
What IACET Does and Doesn’t Do
IACET doesn’t, and legally can’t, own the CEU. But IACET does own the standard that gives the CEU its structure and credibility.
Since 2007, IACET’s Standard for Continuing Education has been recognized as the American National Standard for Continuing Education and Training based on IACET’s status as an Accredited Standards Developer by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). It clarifies and operationalizes the original vision behind the CEU by providing auditable requirements.
Original Definition of a CEU
10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.
Sounds solid, but it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. What counts as responsible? What qualifies as organized? Who decides if the instruction provided is qualified?
That’s exactly where the IACET standard steps in, transforming subjective adjectives into a concrete, auditable, quality framework that describes the aspects of a provider’s program development across nine internationally recognized, research-backed classifications, split into two main pillars:
Pillar 1: Administrative Control and Organizational Capacity
(Defines “responsible sponsorship” and “capable direction”)
This pillar ensures the provider has the infrastructure, accountability, and resources to uphold the quality of its continuing education. It gives operational teeth to terms like “sponsorship” and “direction.”
- Governance & Finance: There is a designated CE/T unit with defined responsibilities and appropriate resources, so someone is clearly in charge of quality.
- Support Systems & Learning Environment: The environment supports learning goals, with adequate systems, tools, and learner support.
- Planning & Personnel: Programs are based on needs and planned by competent professionals, not thrown together reactively.
- System for Awarding CEUs and Maintaining Learner Records: Learner records are complete, secure, and retrievable; CEUs are awarded only when earned through documented processes.
In short, this pillar defines what “organized,” “responsible,” and “capable” actually look like in practice.
Pillar 2: Instructional Design and Delivery Process
(Defines “qualified instruction” and ensures learning is intentional)
This pillar ensures that learning isn’t just delivered, but strategically designed, delivered, and measured with purpose.
- Needs Analysis: Instruction begins with documented learner or organizational needs.
- Learning Outcomes: Every learning event has measurable, pre-defined outcomes.
- Content & Instructional Methods: Methods and materials are selected based on best-fit for the outcome, not convenience.
- Assessment of Learning: Achievement of outcomes is assessed using criteria aligned with instructional intent.
- Program Evaluation: Continuous improvement is built in, using participant feedback and data.
This pillar gives concrete meaning to “qualified instruction” and ensures that learners don’t just attend, they achieve.
In other words, IACET takes the original promise of the CEU and turns it into a verified process, one that training providers can be held accountable for.
Why You Should Only Trust Accredited CEUs
Here’s the bottom line: Anyone can say they offer CEUs. But only IACET-accredited providers have demonstrated that their CEUs are awarded based on a robust, internationally recognized standard.
When IACET accredits an organization, you can be confident that its CEUs:
- Are earned, not given
- Represent meaningful, measurable learning
- Are issued through processes designed for quality and accountability
Accredited CEUs aren’t just numbers on a transcript; they’re a symbol of trust.
Defending the CEU by Upholding the Standard
We sometimes receive passionate feedback like:
“Start defending the 1970 CEU and stop letting it get watered down!”
We hear you. But the best way to defend the CEU isn’t through ownership, it’s through leadership. IACET leads by defining what the CEU should mean and accrediting those who live up to that standard.
In a landscape full of self-issued “CEUs,” only the IACET-accredited CEU comes with the assurance that the learning was real, the instructors were qualified, and the outcomes were measured.
Final Thought
IACET may not own the CEU, but we’ve spent decades building the infrastructure that makes it worth something.
If you care about credibility, consistency, and quality, don’t just ask “How many CEUs?” Ask, “Who accredited them?”
Because only accredited CEUs can truly be trusted.
About the Author
Randy is a seasoned executive leader currently serving as the President and CEO of IACET, a non-profit accrediting body in the continuing education and training sector. With a focus on strategic vision and operational excellence, he effectively leads the organization to achieve its mission and goals.
With over two decades of experience in various leadership roles, Randy has a proven track record of driving organizational success. His expertise lies in aligning technological solutions with strategic objectives, ensuring operational efficiency and sustainable growth.