Introduction
Accreditation is a recognition status granted for a stipulated period to a new programme after a QAC evaluation indicates that it meets or exceeds minimum thresholds of educational quality.
Accreditation is both a status and a process. It should provide a public certification of acceptable quality as well as the opportunity and incentive for self-improvement in the programmes accredited.
The process of accreditation should provide education institutions with an opportunity for critical self-analysis leading to improvement of quality; for consultation and advice from persons coming from other institutions. This is not only to meet certain standards but also to continuously seek ways in which to enhance the quality of education. Therefore accreditation must be a process in different steps: the nine stepping-stones of accreditation are:
- Development of an Application
- Submission of Initial Documentation
- Preliminary Review of Initial Documentation
- Formative evaluation
- Evaluation process
- Site Visit
- Report Preparation
- Accreditation Decisions
- Dissemination
The result of the whole accreditation process is an accreditation report accessible by all stakeholders. If accreditation is to be accepted by all parties concerned the process must be completely transparent. The accreditation process is based on the assessment of the program by subject and field specialists based on agreed upon criteria. The application form that is structured in two sections.
• Section A is focused on institutional information.
• Section B is focused on the program itself and is structured
Procedure For Evaluation Request
Below is applicable to all requests seeking accreditation for new programmes for new education institutions.
Procedure for Evaluation of Requests for
Accreditation of New Institutions and Programs
(6/2004)
The following 7-step procedure is applicable to all requests seeking accreditation for new programmes at education institutions.
| Steps |
Documentary evidence & Clarifications |
| 1- Receiving the Request |
1.1 To be received at QAC prior to the next academic year, for which it is, proposed to start. Request is recorded in the database of the new requests. |
| 2- Request complete administratively |
2.1 Submitted on “Form QAC 6-2004”, for programs, signed and dated.
2.2 Submitted on “Form QAC 6--2004”, for institutions, signed and dated.
2.3 All listed documents in the Forms attached.
2.4 Two copies—hard and electronic—of the request are submitted.
2.5 Relevant licensing and accreditation fees are transferred to QAC’s bank account.
2.6 Requests submitted by stipulated date and not completed administratively by date of the following year are dropped from the database, and have to re-apply. |
| 3- Evaluation of Request |
3.1 In-house evaluation by the relevant “Specialization Coordinator”.
3.2 Send request to an internal (within European Union) evaluator.
3.3 Send request to an external (outside European Union) evaluator.
3.4 Specify 3 weeks for the submission of evaluations.
3.5 Requests are sent under the cover of a Standard Letter. |
4- Follow-up of
Recommendations |
4.1 Send evaluations (blind) to the initiator (s) of the request, for follow-up and revisions.
4.2 Grant a period 3-4 weeks to submit required revisions.
4.3 Review evaluations by the relevant “Specialization Coordinator” at QAC.
4.4 If recommendations are contradictory, send the entire file to the QAC Council member who specializes in the same field, for opinion. |
| 5- Site Visit |
5.1 Not required for every request. If the information submitted not clear, or accurate, or persuasive, etc., the Assistant Commissioner General of QAC arranges for a Site Visit.
5.2 A Site Visit Team of 2-3 is composed, generally, of the Assistant Commissioner General of QAC, the “Section Head” and an external specialist in the field.
5.3 The time for the Site Visit is arranged with the relevant institution.
5.4 The purpose of the Site Visit is communicated in writing to the relevant institution.
5.5 The “Section Head” prepares a Site Visit Report, which becomes an integral part of the evaluations. |
| 6- Decision |
6.1 Send all evaluations to QAC Board, accompanied with a summary of main conclusions, using the “Decision-Taking Form”.
6.2 Place a copy of all requests under discussion on QAC website, with restricted access to Board members, for ease of reference.
6.3 QAC Board discusses all requests ready for decision, in one or more special Council sessions for this purpose. The decisions and conditionalities are recorded on the “Decision-Taking Form”, which gets signed by the Assistant Commissioner General of QAC.
6.4 The Assistant Commissioner General arranges for a special session with the Commissioner General, to review the decisions and issue the appropriate letters, signed by the Commissioner General. |
| 7- Dissemination |
7.1 QAC updates the “List of Accredited Programs”, including the new decisions. |
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