The Distinguished

CCREDITATION IS a two-part

process with 10 steps. Part 1,

Registration, entails steps 1-5,

and part 2, Accreditation, includes

steps 6-10.

REGISTRATION

To be eligible to submit programmes

for accreditation, institutions must first

seek registration by the University

Council of Jamaica (UCJ). The aim of

registration is to certify that an

institution meets certain minimum

operating standards required for the

conduct of a higher education

institution in Jamaica. It is a first step

towards the accreditation of

programmes offered by an institution.

Registration, therefore, is a pre-

accreditation status. The criteria for

registration are closely related to the

criteria for accreditation since they are

meant to provide registered institutions

with a foundation for logical

development towards accreditation.

Accreditation is a voluntary process.

STEP 1: APPLICATION FOR

REGISTRATION

The scheduling of a preliminary

meeting with the institution to

discuss the quality assurance

framework, the requirements of the

documentation and the registration

process;

Institutions are provided with the

following documents:

• The Registration Process:

Guidelines for Registration

• Application for registration

• Registration Process

The institution’s submission of an

application for registration;

The processing and review of

documents submitted by the

institution to determine eligibility for

registration visit.

STEP 2: SITE VISIT

The selection and training of an

evaluation team for the Registration

visit;

The interviewing of relevant

stakeholders of the institution

onsite and evaluation of the

institution’s facilities and resources

by the evaluation team.

STEP 3: REPORT WRITING

The preparation of the Registration

report by members of the evaluation

team.

STEP 4: INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE

The registration 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 registration

report.

STEP 5: REGISTRATION DECISION

The review of the Registration

report and the institution’s response

by the Accreditation, Curriculum and

Development Committee (AC&D)

and the submission of a

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 4 of

the process;

The decision of Council is

communicated to the institution in

writing.

ACCREDITATION

Once registered, an institution has a

maximum of four years to submit

programme(s) for 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.

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 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.

THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF JAMAICA FEATURE | MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS

Senator Ruel Reid, minister of education, youth and information, is flanked by

Dr Carolyn Hayle (second right), chairman of the University Council of Jamaica

(UCJ); Althea Heron (right), executive director; and Dr Ethley London, founding

executive director at the UCJ’s 30th Anniversary Awards Ceremony.