This group was established to advise the CIC Chief Academic Officers on matters relating to accreditation and assessment. Members of the group exchange information and experiences from their interactions with various accrediting bodies, and make recommendations to the Provosts on matters relating to policies and implementation.

The Accreditation Network was initially formed to address assessment in the 1990's when Federal policies were first beginning to focus on this issue. Later, the group began to address re-accreditation issues. In recent years, the emphasis has shifted back to student outcomes assessment. The Accreditation Network maintains a close working relationship with the North Central Association, which accredits all CIC institutions except Pennsylvania State University.