Programme Accreditation

Accreditation is the status granted to a programme that has been found, through self-study and peer review, to meet or exceed established standards for educational quality. Accreditation promotes the improvement of educational quality through self-evaluation, self-regulation and accountability. The role of the accrediting body is to ensure the attainment and maintenance of quality through application of educational standards.

Once registered, an institution has a maximum of four years to submit programme(s) for accreditation. The process for programme accreditation is outlined below:

Step 6 APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION

  • The scheduling of training of staff of the institution in preparing for accreditation;
  • Institutions are provided with the following documents:
    • The Accreditation Process: Guidelines for Programme Accreditation
    • Application for Programme Accreditation
    • Accreditation Process
  • The institution’s submission of a completed application for programme accreditation;
  • The processing and review of documents submitted by the institution to determine eligibility for an accreditation visit.

Step 7       ACCREDITATION SITE VISIT

  • The selection and training of an evaluation team for the accreditation visit;
  • The interviewing of relevant stakeholders of the institution including students, graduates and employers of graduates and an evaluation of the institution’s facilities and resources by members of the evaluation team.

Step 8      REPORT WRITING

  • The preparation of the Accreditation report by members of the evaluation team.

Step 9        INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE 

  • The Accreditation report is sent to the President/Principal of the institution for review;
  • The institution prepares a written response to the UCJ to address the recommendations in the Accreditation report.

Step 10     ACCREDITATION DECISION 

  • The institution submits the response to the Accreditation report to the UCJ.
  • The review of the Accreditation report and the Institution’s response by the Accreditation, Curriculum and Development Committee (AC&D) and the submission of recommendation to Council;
  • The Council’s review of the recommendation of the AC&D;
  • Council may delay a decision and ask that the institution address particular issues. In such a case, the application would revert to Step 9 of the process;
  • The decision of Council is communicated to the institution in writing.

Step 11   Monitoring

  • The institution that has been granted programme accreditation submits annual status reports during the period of accreditation. For first time accreditation, the maximum period of accreditation is four years. Subsequently, the maximum period is five years.

Step 12   Re-accreditation

  • The institution submits an application to renew accreditation at the end of the period of accreditation. A full re-evaluation of the programme(s) is undertaken.

 

Click here to view or download – The Accreditation Process