The World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC) is an institutional educational accreditation body not recognized by the United States Department of Education. It is run by Maxine Asher, director of the American World University, an unaccredited school. WAUC's website claims that "laws in the U.S.A. prohibit the recognition of global accreditation associations."
According to Maxine Asher's American World University, World Association of Universities and Colleges was started in 1992.
In March 2001, WAUC was reported to be using an executive suite in Henderson, Nevada as its address.
In 2004, Asher was forced to close down the World University of Iowa, a Hawaii-based institution similar to American World University and accredited by World Association of Universities and Colleges. As part of a summary judgement, she was ordered to cease operations, refund tuition money to all students, and pay $240,000 in damages. The action came as part of a statewide crackdown on unaccredited schools, as many had relocated there after 1999 in an effort to evade regulation in the mainland United States. During court proceedings, Asher refused to provide school documentation such as a list of students.
In June 2007, the organization's website listed an address in Beverly Hills, California and WAUC listed 57 accredited schools and 28 nonaccredited "members only" schools. In 2010, it offered accreditation for limited time offer at $500.
As of September 2011, WAUC's website was offline.
In 2012, the World Association of Universities and Colleges claims "a membership of forty universities, with dozens of other worthy institutions in the process of application.".
As of 2008, WAUC listed the following as accredited members:
Abbot Institute of Modern Sciences (United Kingdom)Alhuraa University (Netherlands; operated by Iraqi academics living outside of Iraq)American Global University School of MedicineAmerican International University of LearningAmerican International University of Management and TechnologyAmerican Middle East UniversityAmerican Northeastate UniversityAmerican University of LondonAmerican World UniversityArab Open Academy in DenmarkAtlantic National UniversityBarron UniversityBolton International UniversityBuckingham College (United Kingdom)California University of Management ScienceCambridge International University (Spain)Cambridge State UniversityCentral School of Professional StudiesCity School of Commerce and Technology (United Kingdom)City University (located in Pacific time zone; not to confused with the City University of Hong Kong, London, New York, or Seattle)College of Applied Sciences (United Kingdom)College of Management and Technology (United Kingdom)Columbus UniversityEuropean Business School (California; not to be confused with other schools of the same name)European University of LefkeFoundation University (Netherlands; not to be confused with Foundation University of Philippines)Freie Und Private Universitaet Sersi (Switzerland)Hegel International UniversityHuntington Pacific UniversityInternational School of Management (ISM)[1]International University of America/Management Education Resource Centre (MERC Education Group)Keller International UniversityLaureate University (United States and United Kingdom)Lincoln College of London (United Kingdom)London College of Technology and Research (United Kingdom) (accreditation in-process)Madison University (not to be confused with University of Wisconsin–Madison or James Madison University)Medical University of the Americas BelizeMedical University of the Americas UKMist UniversityRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesSt. John's College (London)TEC Institute of ManagementThompson International UniversityUniversal Church of the MasterUniversal Studies Academy (Gaza, Palestine, Israel)Universidad CentralUniversidad de los Pueblos de Europa (Spain)Universidad Internacional De Las AméricasUniversidad Ortodoxa de las Americas Inc. (Puerto Rico)Universidad y Seminano Apostilico de las Americas Inc (Puerto Rico)University of Central Europe (California)University of Global Religious StudiesUniversity of Health ScienceUniversity of JamesVan Holland University (The Netherlands)Virtual American International UniversityWashington InterContinental UniversityWisdom UniversityYork University (Mobile, Alabama) (not to be confused with York University of Toronto or with the University of York)