ACCREDITATION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

As the quality assurance body for Jamaican tertiary education, the UCJ establishes guidelines and procedures for institutions seeking accredited status for particular programmes. UCJ's granting of accreditation status to an institution is an expression of confidence in the institution's mission and goals; the quality of faculty and students; the quality of academic programmes and the level and appropriateness of resources. The assurance of quality education by member institutions is the UCJ's primary consideration in the decision to confirm or reaffirm accreditation.

WHAT IS ACCREDITATION

Accreditation is the status granted to an institution or programme that has been found, through self-study and peer review, to meet or exceed stated guidelines of educational quality.

Accreditation is a voluntary activity that promotes self-evaluation, self-regulation and accountability. The role of the accrediting body is to ensure quality through encouraging the improvement of educational standards.

There are two types of accreditation; institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation is accreditation of the whole institution and speaks to the general quality of the institution. Programme accreditation, on the other hand, evaluates the quality of specific programmes of study offered by an institution. The UCJ effects programme accreditation; however an institution will enjoy accredited status when all programmes are accredited. In addition a process of institutional assessment must precede accreditation of programmes in an institution..