HEQC Accreditation Process & Role of Professional Bodies (PB)
Developments in Programme Accreditation QA Forum with Professional Bodies August 2011.
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Transcript of Developments in Programme Accreditation QA Forum with Professional Bodies August 2011.
1. New framework
Broad level:
•Existing framework sound in terms of principles but relates to programmes only – candidacy and accreditation phases. Overambitious? Currently not implementing accreditation phase.
•No real link with institutional quality capacity – audit/institutional review/site visits …. Self-accreditation?
Regulatory issues:
•Some principles need amendment or foregrounding e.g. blind peer review
•Spell out re-accreditation in relation to registration with DHET
•Better provisions for complaints, withdrawing of accreditation and appeals
Context changes:
•2nd cycle – institutions at different stages of “quality maturity”
•Mergers, growth in private sector, established institutions now developing new sites/changing sites
•HEQF – new framework for all qualifications, not just new
•Changing roles of CHE/SAQA
Purposes of accreditation
• Assure and enhance quality in higher education programmes and the institutions that offer them – grant recognition status for meeting minimum standards
• Protect students…
• Support providers to institutionalise a culture of self-managed evaluation
• Increase public confidence…
What do we want to do with new framework?
• Integrate institutional accreditation with programme accreditation and with other HEQC processes (institutional audits/reviews, national reviews), and deal with promised self-accreditation
• Therefore, build a system of institutional accreditation
Some context factors• 23 publics (22 audited in 1st cycle), 116
privates (a handful audited, some site-visited)
• HEQF – need to get over first before implementing big new parts of framework (2014/15)
• New and existing programmes – diff acc statuses
• Regulatory changes urgent
Institutional accreditation
• Purpose – to determine institutional capacity to offer HE programmes
• Outcome: – provisional accreditation (if new)– conditional accreditation– on notice of withdrawal of accreditation– accreditation (self-accreditation status)– not accredited
Processes• New institutions – application, SER, site
visit, (3yrs)
• Existing institutions –– Those audited with no serious
recommendations, plus good accreditation history – simple process, application, a reviewer, AC, HEQC
– Those eligible for audit but not audited need audit first
– Those not audited – self-evaluation, site visit.
Institutional accreditation
New institutions
Audited institutions
Unaudited institutions
Programme accreditation
Institutions not eligible for
auditSite visit
Audit
Site visit
Programme accreditation
New programmes
Candidacy programmes
Resubmitted programmes
Conditions
Programmes accredited prior to first
cycle
Overview of programme and institutional accreditation
Submit ONLINE application for institutional accreditation along with application for
programme accreditation
Directorate assesses for
completeness
Institutional application
Programme application (parallel with institutional application)
Reviewer appointed by Directorate
Review reports on site visit and programme, recommendations and application documents submitted to
Accreditation Committee with the recommendation from the Directorate
Recommendation made to HEQC which makes decisions,
Institution accepts outcome and
proceeds accordingly
Institution does not accept outcome and
submits representation
Site visit panel appointed by Directorate
Site visit conducted and
report submitted to Directorate
Provisional accreditation of the institution is
decided
Programme accreditation process goes ahead, decision is made and
Directorate communicates it
Provisional accreditation of the institution is
not decided
Programme accreditation process deferred, institution
given time to attend to institutional issue.
Directorate communicates this
Institution accepts outcome and
proceeds accordingly
Institution does not accept outcome and
submits representation
Accreditation of new institutions
Institutions with programmes
accredited in 2011 or before
Audited institutions
Institutions that were not audited
Public institutions Private institutions
Institutional review arranged by the
Review Directorate
Process followed as for new institutions
Application submitted any
time before December 2014
Self review and report on progress report from the IAC
which includes recommendation on whether site visit is needed and what
focus should be
Directorate appoints reviewer,
IAC recommends site visit
Directorate appoints site review panel
IAC does not recommend site
visit
Reports to AC who make
recommendation to HEQC
HEQC makes decision,
Directorate communicates it
Extension of provisional
accreditation
Notice of intention to withdraw
accreditation Accreditation
Institutional response
Institution accepts decision and
proceeds accordingly
Institution does not accept
decision and submits
representation
Existing provisionally accredited institutions
Programmes
• Candidacy phase for new programmes
• Existing programmes – HEQF alignment, deemed accredited (structural coherence, names etc) – link to institutional accreditation
• Re-registration – summarised report on current status of programmes to DHET.
Appeals
• Representation within 21 days, re-evaluate, back to AC and HEQC
• Can re-apply after 12 months
• New appeals process:
• Appeals Cttee, meets 2x per year (1x)
• If appeal lodged, appeal and all original reports and submissions evaluated by 2 independent reviewers, recommendation to Appeals Committee
• Document processes for:– representations, – new sites of delivery, changes of mode,
changes of name, – complaints– notice of, and withdrawal of, accreditation
Summary
• Mandatory site visit for new institutions
• Linking programme and institutional accreditation
• Institutional accreditation – self-accreditation
2. A Revised HEQF
• Review process
• Main findings:– Mostly affirmed in intent and design– Bit restrictive and inflexible in some areas
Three main areas of concern with framework itself:
– Levels 5/6– Pathways for professional qualifications– Professional qualification at Level 9
ADDeg 360 prof
Dip 360
Bach 120/156
Prof M
Prof D
Snr Doc
PGCE
Dip 240 Dip
240
PG Dip
36 credits
10
9
8
7
6
5HC
AC Deg 360
Deg 480
HonsPG Dip
Masters
Doc
Dip 360
Potential exceptions
• MMed at 660 credits, MMedVet
• Subspecialities
• MBCHb
• MBA level – 8, 9 – funding?
Proposals
Proposal 1:
•The CHE proposes that there be a recognition of three broad qualification progression routes, namely the vocational, professional and general routes. While the routes should be reasonably clear, the CHE advocates permeable boundaries between them.
Proposal 2:
•The CHE proposes that the HEQF should provide for various forms of work-integrated learning including work-directed theoretical learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning and workplace learning.
Proposal 3
•The Higher Certificate at Level 5 and the Advanced Certificate at Level 6 should remain on the HEQF. The HEQF should make provision not only for the CHE to include more qualification types on the HEQF, but also to suggest the relocation of some qualification types to other frameworks in the future.
Proposal 4:
•A 240-credit Diploma at Level 6 as a variant of the 360-credit Diploma, which leads to a professional designation, should be introduced.
Proposal 5:
•The CHE proposes the recognition of a 360-credit Bachelor’s degree with a professional orientation at Level
Proposal 6:
•The CHE proposes that a Bachelor’s degree in both 360- and 480-credit variants may have a professional or general orientation
Proposal 7:
•The CHE proposes that the purpose and characteristics of the Advanced Diploma be expanded to include preparation for further study and that the Advanced Diploma at Level 7 articulate into an appropriate and cognate Honours degree at Level 8 as well as into the Postgraduate Diploma at Level 8.
Proposal 8:
•The CHE proposes the introduction of a professional Master’s degree as a separate qualification type to the general Master’s in its current two variants.
Proposal 9:
•The CHE proposes the introduction of a professional doctoral degree as a variant of the research doctorate.
Proposal 10:
•The CHE proposes that the HEQF specifies the minimum total credits for each qualification type, as well as the minimum credits at the exit level of the qualification, but does not specify the maximum credits at levels below the exit level.
HC
ACDip 360
AD
Level 7 Deg
Deg 480
Hons
Res M/course M
Doc10
9
8
7
6
5
Level 7 Deg prof
Prof D
Snr Doc
Dip 240
PG Dip Hons
Prof M
Level
8Deg
10
9
8
7
6
5