President
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), United States
Dr. Nasser H. Paydar is the President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a national organization that advocates for academic quality and the independence of accreditation in the United States. He began this role in August 2025, following a distinguished career in federal service and higher education leadership.
Dr. Paydar served as the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education from 2022 to 2025. Prior to his federal appointment, he was the chancellor of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), now Indiana University Indianapolis, and executive vice president of Indiana University (IU).
Accreditation in Transition: Quality, Trust, and the Policy Landscape
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM East Coast USA Time