Setting the standard for acupuncture education since 1990
The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB) was established in 1990 to accredit acupuncture programmes within the United Kingdom. Since then, BAAB has played a pivotal role in shaping the profession. with those graduated from BAAB-accredited programmes, carrying forward the high clinical and professional standards that have become synonymous with members of the British Acupuncture Council
For more than three decades, BAAB has championed an approach to accreditation that mirrors the educational rigour, clinical governance and professional accountability expected of regulated healthcare professions.
Today, BAAB is recognised as the gold standard for acupuncture programme accreditation across Europe, focusing on higher education programmes leading to professional qualifications in acupuncture. Graduates of BAAB-accredited programmes have always been eligible for direct entry to membership of the British Acupuncture Council.
The British Acupuncture Council's register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), the body accountable to Parliament for promoting high standards and public protection across healthcare regulators and accredited registers.
The PSA's recent move to a unified standards framework is an important milestone. For the first time, accredited registers and regulated professions are being assessed against a common set of standards for public protection, governance, education, training and professional practice. This reflects a growing recognition that high-quality healthcare depends on robust standards, regardless of whether a profession is statutorily regulated or voluntarily regulated.
BAAB's accreditation framework has long embodied these principles. The standards expected of BAAB-accredited programmes have consistently reflected the level of educational quality, clinical competence and professional accountability that patients, policymakers and healthcare stakeholders increasingly expect across the healthcare sector.
Our commitment
We remain as committed as we ever have to:
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Upholding rigorous standards for acupuncture education, clinical training and professional practice.
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Promoting continuous improvement, innovation and excellence in learning and teaching.
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Supporting educational providers in developing practitioners who are competent, evidence based, reflective and safe.
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Maintaining accreditation processes that are robust, transparent and independent in their decision-making.
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Aligning educational standards with professional expectations, public protection and the evolving healthcare landscape.
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Working collaboratively with professional, regulatory and international partners to strengthen the standing of acupuncture education and practice.
While the integrated into the BAcC, our partner for over 30 years, our independent governance structures remain, ensuring that accreditation processes remain as trusted and independent as it always has been.
