What is the potential of cross-border accreditation? Will universities go for a first or second opinion abroad? Will foreign reviews replace national assessments? What motivates universities and agencies for this extra work? What about understanding local context? Governments across the globe consider higher education a national public good. State bodies set regulatory frameworks and provide most of the funding. Quality assurance and accreditation are steered by governments either directly, through legislation or, indirectly, through funding. Conversely, external evaluations, audits and accreditation influence state licensing and funding decisions regarding students, institutions and programs. This policy brief presents cross-border reviews, which are gradually becoming an accepted and appreciated part of the quality assurance and accountability landscape.