Types of Accreditation
1. Program Accreditation & Institutional Accreditation
2. National Accreditation & International Accreditation
Program Accreditation
Program accreditation (also called specialized/course accreditation) is a type of accreditation that is focused on professional preparation programs within institutions of higher education (e.g., the Nursing program, the School of Business, etc.).
Programmatic accreditation:
Is focused on one program (e.g., engineering), or a set of related programs (e.g., business, or applied sciences/engineering/technology)
Has quality standards that are likely to be very specific (e.g., to the point of providing specific questions that must be asked of graduates in a survey)
Likely to affect how easily graduates can find work in their field
Likely to affect whether graduates can take state licensure exams in their field
Likely to affect whether graduates of a program are admitted to graduate school for further study in their field
Is oftentimes managed by the department chair or Dean of the program in question
An important example of program accreditation is NBA accreditation in India.
Institutional Accreditation
Institutional accreditation is an assurance that an HEI meets a series of quality standards. Accreditation standards require institutions to show that they comply with good practices in higher education.
Institutional accreditation:
Covers the institution as a whole
Has quality standards that are usually general, and are seldom prescriptive in terms of specific ways in which an institution must show compliance
Is the gatekeeper for financial aid funds for students at the institution
Affects how easily students can transfer credit from institution to institution
Is managed by the institution’s Accreditation Liason Officer, often the chief academic officer or head of institutional effectiveness
National & International Accreditation
National Accreditation
The most important national accrediting bodies are mentioned below
NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council)
In India, NAAC has been set up to facilitate the volunteering institutions to assess their performance in relation to set parameters through introspection and a process that provides space for participation of the institution. NAAC is one of the recognized names for providing accreditation to higher educational institutions in India. The process includes 7 steps, like eligibility criteria, unit of assessment, to assessment outcome, and each step is lengthy and needs ample data for review.
NAAC is one of the recognized names for providing accreditation to higher educational institutions in India. The process includes 7 steps, like eligibility criteria, unit of assessment, to assessment outcome, and each step is lengthy and needs ample data for review.
NBA (National Board of Accreditation)
NBA is an independent autonomous body with the objectives of assurance of quality and relevance to technical education, mainly of the programs in professional and technical disciplines, i.e., Engineering and Technology, Management, Architecture, Pharmacy and Hotel Management and Catering Technology, through the system of accreditation of programs offered by technical institutions
International Accreditation:
Some of the major international accrediting bodies are:
ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology)
The ABET is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. The accreditation of programs takes place mainly in the United States but also internationally.
FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation)
FIBAA is a European, internationally oriented agency for quality assurance and quality development in HEIs. It is a partner for HEIs and comparable education providers. The disciplinary focus of FIBAA activities is on management studies, law, social sciences and economics.
The other notable international accreditation bodies include AACSB and AMBA.