NEWS RELEASE
January 16, 2006
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Kayem Dunn, Executive Director
616.458.0400 or kayem@accredit-id.org
FIDER has a new name and look
The Foundation for Interior Design Education Research, known as FIDER, is now the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. “The intent of the name change is to explicitly communicate our mission and values. We celebrate a 35-year history of developing and applying quality standards for interior design education. Accreditation is our singular focus,” said Joseph Pettipas, 2006 board chair.
Through a process of self-evaluation and peer review, accreditation promotes achievement of high academic standards, while making education more responsive to student and societal needs. The Council engages nearly 200 volunteers, all drawn from interior design practice and education, to carry out its work. There are now 145 interior design programs accredited by the Council.
A broad constituency supports the Council’s work to set standards for interior design education and evaluate entry-level education programs. “We bring together representatives from the professional societies, testing, higher education, manufacturing, publishing, and others with an interest in the growing body of knowledge,” said Kayem Dunn, executive director. “The community is well represented in Council activities and this helps propel us forward.”