- Educational Quality which
is defined and interpreted within the context of the
institution's/programme's statement of scope and purpose as compared
with conditions that are believed to be necessary and desirable to
produce educational quality; and by looking at evidence that the
programme does achieve the stated outcomes.
- Institutional Integrity,
that is, determination that the programme is in fact what it says it is
and does what it says it does.
In fulfilling its purposes,
accreditation provides services to several constituencies: institutions,
students, and the general public.
To the
Institutions
- The process allows
institutions to perform self-evaluation and self-direction towards
institutional and programme improvement. It enhances an institution's
capacity for change and facilitates a structured mechanism for research,
self- analysis and self-improvement.
- Accreditation provides
public certification of acceptable institutional quality thus enhancing
the reputation of an institution and its programmes and inspiring
confidence in the educational community and the public it serves.
- Accreditation provides
opportunity for consultation and advice from persons of other
institutions and professional bodies (local and international).
To the Student
- Accreditation provides
students with an assurance that the educational programme(s) of an
institution have been found to be satisfactory and should therefore meet
the needs of the student.
- An award from an
institution with an accredited programme provides (a) students with a
prerequisite for entering a profession; (b) a basis for admission into
further studies by both local and foreign educational institutions; (c)
assistance in the transfer of credits between institutions through the
general acceptance of credits among accredited institutions and where
the credits to be transfered are appropriate to the receiving
institution.
To the Public
(a) Accreditation provides an
assurance of external evaluation of the programme and a determination that
there is conformity to general expectations.
(b) It provides an
identification of institutions and programmes, which have voluntarily
undertaken and successfully completed explicit activities towards
improving the quality of their offerings.
(c) It provides an avenue for
improvement in educational services available to the public through
mechanisms for continuous programme evaluation leading to modifications
reflecting changes in knowledge and practice generally accepted in the
particular field.
ELEMENTS OF ACCREDITATION
The accrediting process is
intended to strengthen and sustain the quality of education, making it
worthy of public confidence.
To achieve the accreditation
objectives, a number of features must be considered, but in order to
encourage diversity, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) is
particularly careful not to be prescriptive. Furthermore many elements are
not quantifiable and value judgements are necessary.
Among the elements considered
in the process are: -
(i) The quality of the
students
(ii) The quality of the staff
(iii) The quality of the
programme: - Aims and philosophy - Structure/content - Practical work
(iv) Assessment Methods
(v) Resources
(vi) Student Support
Services
(i) The Quality of the
Students
- Entry standards should be
published and students should be admitted according to these published
standards.
- Criteria should be
developed for selecting students with alternative qualifications.
- Selection procedures should
be clear and a commitment to these should be demonstrated.
- Students should:
display a high level of motivation and enthusiasm for the programme.
display competence in oral and written communication skills.
demonstrate the ability to undertake independent study.
- Careers and employment
patterns of graduates should be documented.
(ii) The Quality of
Faculty
Staff should:
display a high level of
academic rigour.
be appropriately qualified
in the discipline.
be actively engaged in
research activities and be able to show how these activities influence
the programme.
have professional
affiliations;
have a record of
publications.
have contact with
business/professions/industry through activities such as recent
industrial/business/professional consultancies and secondments to
industry/ business.
display motivation,
enthusiasm and commitment to the programme.
- Other areas to be
considered in the assessment of the quality of the faculty
include:
The staff work load.
The extent to which staff
shape the course and their commitment to the course philosophy.
Staff/student
relations.
Staff development policy
and activities.
(iii) The
Programme
- Aims and
philosophy
Programmes should:
- Inculcate a professional
ethos.
- Show clarity and coherence.
- Achieve the declared aims
and objectives.
- Possess facilities underpinning the particular
philosophy of special subjects.
- Concentrate on the career patterns
envisaged.
- Show industrial/business/academic liaison in its
development.
- Encourage adaptability and flexibility for the
graduate output.
- Structure/content
The structure of the programme should reflect the following:
- The nature of the programme: design orientation, breadth/depth.
- The curriculum: balance, coverage, and intellectual level.
-
The syllabuses: currency, coherence, and adequacy of mechanism for
change.
- The rate of change such as ability to keep up-to-date with
modern technologies.
- Inclusion of professional studies and general
education course for broadening purposes.
- Exposure to current
industrial/business/professional practices.
- Practical Work
Practical work should incorporate the following:
- Varied
laboratory work: structured, open-ended, mini projects, computer
applications.
- Project work: method of topic selection, individual
or group activity, oral/ written presentation, and opportunity for
industrial/business/professional involvement.
(iv) Assessment
Methods
- Level and style of
examinations
- Examining strategy and
philosophy.
- The role of projects, their
assessment and weighting.
- Laboratory and course work
assessment and their contribution to the degree programme.
- Progress of students:
failure rate, repeats, resits patterns.
- Communication skills,
written and oral.
(v)
Resources
Emphasis should be placed on
the following:
- Library: availability of
books from recommended booklists, accessibility, range of modern text
books and current journals, internet facilities.
- Computing facilities
- Laboratories, range,
quality, quantity and modernity
- Support Staff
- Adequate resources for
projects
- Adequate financial
resources
Student Support
Services
Provision for student support
services should include:
- Counselling services
- Work/study
arrangements
- Recreational
facilities
- Loan facilities,
scholarships, grants, etc.
- Cafeteria Facilities
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