HEQC Accreditation Process & Role of Professional Bodies (PB)

CHE & Professional Bodies Forum

12 September 2012

OUTLINE• CHE Purpose – programme accreditation

• Responsibility for accreditation

• Principles

• Process

• Outcomes

• Challenges

• Considerations

PURPOSE

• Assure and improve the quality of programmes

• Grants recognition status to provider for meeting minimum standards

• Supports providers enhance quality at an institutional level

• Provides information of accredited programmes to students and parents

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCREDITATION• HE Act (1997) and NQF Act (2008)

• QC for all whole qualifications (L 5 – L10)

• New programmes – public & private HEIs

• Reaccreditation – PHEIs

• Per provider, qualification, mode of delivery & site

• Approximately 400 applications per year

• No delegation

SYSTEM

• HEQC on-line - new programmes, re-accreditation

• Application form – in order of criteria 1-9 for new programmes (candidacy phase)

• Documents uploaded e.g. policies

• 19 criteria – each with minimum standards

PRINCIPLES

• Explicit set of criteria

• Peer evaluation process

• Rigorous - Fairness & consistency

• Multiple checks and balances: – Checklisting & screening– Evaluation– Recommendations– Accreditation Committee scrutiny– HEQC

CRITERIA

1. Programme design

2. Student recruitment,admission & selection

3-4. Staffing

5. Teaching and learning strategy

6. Assessment

7. Infrastructure and library resources

8. Administrative services

9. Postgraduate policies, procedures etc.

CANDIDACY PHASE: ON-LINE PROCESS (1)

CANDIDACY PHASE 1.1

CANDIDACY PHASE 1.2

Defer

Site Visit

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

OUTCOME

WITHCONDITIONS

Representation

NOCONDITIONS

Short Term

Long Term

Prior to Commencement

DHET

SAQA

CHALLENGES

• HEQF alignment

• Increasing number of applications

• Short courses

• Improving efficiency and effectiveness of dual professional body and CHE processes

• Reports from professional bodies

• MOUs with professional bodies

POSSIBLE AREAS OF COLLABORATION

• New programmes

• Batch evaluation

• Evaluators – training & incentives

• Accredit with condition of PB approval

• Membership of CHE Accreditation Committee

• Portal for PB on HEQC-Online system

OUTCOMES

• Improved programmes?

• High quality graduates i.t.o. skills, knowledge & attitudes?

• Elimination of non-accredited programmes?