IAESC is an Indigenous-controlled and governed Council, recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017 and tasked with establishing quality assurance standards and benchmarks for programs delivered by the Indigenous Institutes pillar. The Council uses a quality assurance process steered by its Indigenous Institutes Quality Assessment Board (IIQAB). Through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2018, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) is providing IAESC reference to its foundational accreditation process and access to its expertise.