Archive Service Accreditation memorandum of understanding
Read the memorandum in English.
Management of Archive Service Accreditation
Archive Service Accreditation is supported by a partnership of seven organisations across the UK. The Archive Service Accreditation Committee helps to decide policy direction, and forms the panels that decide on award, retention, and removal of accredited status.
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A repository at Salford University.
Richard Stonehouse
UK Archive Service Accreditation Partnership
Archive Service Accreditation is supported by a partnership of:
- The Archives and Records Association (UK and Ireland)
- Archives and Records Council Wales
- National Records of Scotland
- Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
- Scottish Council on Archives
- The National Archives
- The Welsh Government (through its Culture Division)
The partnership is defined in the memorandum of understanding, which is available to read in both English and Welsh.
Memorandwm Cyd-ddealltwriaeth
Read the memorandum in Welsh.
Reviewing the programme
The Archive Service Accreditation programme was reviewed in 2025, 10 years since the programme was launched. In consultation with the sector, the programme was reviewed holistically, and following constructive feedback, changes made.
We are keen to ensure that the programme continues to evolve with the sector, and remains both an achievable standard and a beneficial process for applicants. With this in mind, we aim to undertake future reviews at five-year intervals.
Our latest statistics and outcomes report offers an overview of how Archive Service Accreditation is progressing across the UK since its launch, with a particular focus on the period June 2025 to May 2026. It is available to read in English and Welsh.
Archive Service Accreditation Committee
The Archive Service Accreditation Committee provides oversight for the accreditation programme and sets its policy direction in discussion with the programme partners. Members of the committee also form awarding panels, making decisions about the award, retention and removal of the status of Accredited Archive Service.
The committee is formed of seven members openly recruited through this process, and seven members nominated by the programme partners. The committee is chaired by the nominee of the Archives and Records Association (UK and Ireland).
Committee members serve initially for a period of three years. They are current or recently retired archive sector practitioners and service initially for a period of three years.
Archive Service Accreditation Committee meeting minutes
Read the minutes from the latest meeting of the Archive Service Accreditation Committee.
Committee members
Nominated members
- Claire Harrington (Archives and Records Council Wales)
- Lesley Ferguson (Archives and Records Association, committee chair)
- Susan Corrigall (National Records of Scotland)
- Tina Morton (The National Archives)
- Stephen Scarth (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)
- James Crostin (The Welsh Government, through the Culture Division)
- Awaiting appointment (Scottish Council on Archives)
Recruited members
- Fran Baseby (Historic Environment Scotland)
- Teresa Doherty (Royal College of Nursing)
- Sam Johnston (Dorset History Centre)
- Richard Meunier (Bath Record Office)
- Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan (Consultant Archivist)
- Karen Sampson (Lloyds Banking Group)
- Lisa Snook (Gwent Archives)
- Matti Watton (Victoria and Albert Museum)