1. Higher Education Quality Committee
INFORMATION SHARING WORKSHOP:
ACCREDITATION AND COORDINATION
Presentation by: Tshepo Magabane
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2. OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATIONS
Higher Education Quality Committee
OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATIONS
Legislative Context.
Regulatory Framework for Accreditation.
Roles and relationships.
Framework for programme accreditation.
Criteria for programme accreditation.
Roll out plan.
Evaluator training.
Online system.
Mergers and accreditation.
Coordination.

3. Legislative Context HEQC
Higher Education Quality Committee
Legislative Context
Higher Education Act
White Paper 3: A programme for the transformation of higher education
DoE policies and regulations
HEQC
SAQA and its Regulations
National Plan for Higher Education

4. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR ACCREDITATION
New Accreditation Framework
New Accreditation Criteria
DoE and Accreditation Regulations
Report 150
Report 116
Norms and Standards for Educators, 2000
HEQC Policy precedents document
Programmes and Qualification Mix Document

5. Links between functions of HEQC, DoE and SAQA
Higher Education Quality Committee
Links between functions of HEQC, DoE and SAQA
The DoE –
(i) Approves the programme and qualification mixes (PQMs) of public higher education institutions.
(ii) Funds programmes which are accredited by the HEQC.
(iii) Registers all private higher education institutions before they are allowed to operate.
2. SAQA registers learning programmes offered by higher education institutions that lead to a qualification on the NQF.
3. The HEQC accredits new programmes for higher education institutions, in relevant cases in cooperation with professional councils and statutory Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

6. Links between functions of HEQC, DoE and SAQA continued
Body
Public institutions
Private institutions
DoE
Approves offering and funding of programmes
PQM Clearance
Registers institution in accordance with the HE Act
SAQA
Registers each qualification on the NQF
HEQC
Accredits new learning programmes to be offered by higher education institutions

7. FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION
FRAMEWORK GUIDED BY HIGHER EDUCATION POLICIES
Policies and regulations by the DoE
Policies and regulations by SAQA
National Plan on Higher Education

8. The HEQC’s programme accreditation model
Higher Education Quality Committee
The HEQC’s programme accreditation model
Takes into consideration the following:
Define what programme accreditation entails.
Provides for the rationale for programme accreditation.
Principles of the model used.
Objectives of the model used.
Use of criteria in the model.
Accreditation of new programmes.
Re-accreditation of existing programmes.

9. What is programme accreditation?
Higher Education Quality Committee
What is programme accreditation?
Programme accreditation entails the evaluation of higher education academic programmes using the HEQC’s programme accreditation criteria, which stipulate the minimum requirements for programme aspects.

10. Rationale for the programme accreditation model
Protection of students against poor quality programmes.
Maintaining the credibility of qualifications.
Building capacity in developing new programmes, particularly at historically disadvantaged institutions and new institutions.
Accountability, but various opportunities exist for improvement and development, for example, in the mid-term evaluation.

11. Principles of the programme accreditation model
Higher Education Quality Committee
Principles of the programme accreditation model
Academic programmes should be of acceptable quality.
The primary responsibility for programme quality rests with higher education institutions themselves.
The HEQC’s responsibility is to establish a value-adding external system of programme accreditation that validates institutional information on the effectiveness of quality arrangements.
A system of peer and expert review is used by the HEQC to ensure credible and consistent programme evaluations.

12. Objectives of the programme accreditation model
Higher Education Quality Committee
Objectives of the programme accreditation model
Assuring and enhancing the quality of higher education programmes.
Protecting students from poor quality programmes.
Encouraging and supporting providers to institutionalise a culture of self-managed evaluation.
Increasing confidence of the public in programmes and qualifications.
Facilitating articulation between programmes.

13. Use of criteria in the programme accreditation model
Higher Education Quality Committee
Use of criteria in the programme accreditation model
The HEQC’s criteria will be used as benchmarks against which all higher education programmes will be evaluated.

14. Accreditation of new programmes
Higher Education Quality Committee
Accreditation of new programmes
Candidacy phase
If a programme meets the HEQC’s requirements for the Candidacy phase, the programme receives candidacy status and is provisionally accredited.
Accreditation Phase
If a programme meets the HEQC’s requirements for the accreditation phase, the programme is (fully) accredited.

15. New programmes (Candidacy Phase)
Higher Education Quality Committee
New programmes (Candidacy Phase)
Submission of application
Programme meets HEQC’s criteria for the candidacy phase or can demonstrate potential and capability to meet criteria in stipulated period of time. Based on self-evaluation of new programmes.
Implementation plan:
Implementation steps, with time frames and budgetary allocations for each step, and human resources for managing the implementation.
Institutional strategies to ensure that HEQC’s criteria for accreditation phase will be met.
Evaluation by HEQC panel (site visit, if necessary)
Decision by HEQC Board
Mid-term progress report
Progress with implementation, ensuring criteria for accreditation phase are met.

16. Accreditation phase Application for accreditation status
Higher Education Quality Committee
Accreditation phase
Application for accreditation status
Institution has to show that conditions set during candidacy phase have been met.
Self-evaluation is conducted against HEQC’s criteria for accreditation phase.
Programme improvement plan to address areas in need of attention.
Evaluation by HEQC panel of peers (site visit, if necessary)
Decision by HEQC Board
Development opportunities are available if programme does not meet requirements.

17. CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION
Higher Education Quality Committee
CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION

18. DEFINITION OF PROGRAMME CRITERIA
Higher Education Quality Committee
DEFINITION OF PROGRAMME CRITERIA
Programme criteria indicate the minimum standards necessary to support and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in a programme.

19. Who will use the criteria for programme accreditation?
Higher Education Quality Committee
Who will use the criteria for programme accreditation?
Higher education institutions in applying for accreditation of new programmes or re-accreditation of existing programmes.
HEQC programme evaluators in evaluating applications from institutions.
Stakeholders, especially students, as indicators of minimum standards required for programme quality.

20. Classification model for programme criteria
Higher Education Quality Committee
Classification model for programme criteria
Programme input
Standards for activities, resources, conditions, etc., which should take place / be available or present in order to offer the programme. EXAMPLES: infrastructure, staff, a designed programme, etc.
Programme process
Standards for processes and activities which pertain to the delivery of the programme. EXAMPLES: programme coordination, assessment practices, etc.
Programme output and impact
Standards for what is delivered and attained by a programme. EXAMPLES: student retention rates, employability of students (if desired outcome of programme). etc.
Programme review
Standards for reviewing a programme. EXAMPLES: user surveys, reviews, impact studies, etc.

21. Types of programmes and applicable criteria
Type of programme
Applicable criteria
1. New programmes:
Candidacy phase
Accreditation phase
Input criteria
Input, progress, output and impact, and review criteria
2. Existing programmes

22. Criteria for programme input
Higher Education Quality Committee
Criteria for programme input
Programme areas
Criterion
1. Programme design 1
2. Student recruitment, admission and selection 2
3. Staffing
3 & 4
4. Teaching and learning strategy 5
5. Student assessment policies and procedures 6
6. Infrastructure and library resources 7
7. Programme administrative services 8
8. Postgraduate policies, regulations and procedures 9

23. Higher Education Quality Committee
Example of an input criterion Criterion 6: Student assessment policies and procedures
The different modes of delivery of the programme have appropriate policies and procedures for internal assessment; internal and external moderation; monitoring of student progress; explicitness, validity and reliability of assessment practices; recording of assessment results; settling of disputes; the rigour and security of the assessment system; RPL; and for the development of staff competence in assessment.
In order to meet the criterion, the following is required at minimum:

24. Monitoring student progress in the course of the programme.
Higher Education Quality Committee
Criterion 6 (cont.)
(i) The programme has appropriate policies and procedures in all modes of delivery for -
Internal assessment of student learning achievements by academic staff responsible for teaching a course / module of the programme in a system that includes internal moderation.
External moderation of students’ learning achievements by appropriately qualified personnel. Moderators are appointed in terms of clear criteria and procedures and conduct their responsibilities in terms of clear guidelines.
Monitoring student progress in the course of the programme.
Ensuring the validity and reliability of assessment practices.
Secure and reliable recording of assessment results.
etc.
(ii) There are appropriate policies and procedures for RPL.

25. Provision for different modes of learning.
The criteria apply to contact, distance education and e-learning programmes. Requirements pertaining specifically to distance education or e-learning are indicated, where applicable. Where necessary, additional criteria for distance learning provision, universities of technology and comprehensive institutions will be developed to supplement the criteria set out in this document.
(Criteria for Programme Acccreditation, p. 3)
Example:
Criterion 4: Requirements for academic and support staff
(vii) For distance learning programmes, sufficient administrative and technical staff is employed to handle the specialised tasks of registry, dispatch, management of assignments, record-keeping, and other issues in relation to student needs.

26. Evidence in programme accreditation.
The HEQC’s criteria for programme accreditation should be used as the basis for an
institution’s self-evaluation of the programme(s) submitted for accreditation, along with
additional benchmarks which the institution might set for itself.
The HEQC will use the criteria, the self-evaluation report and supporting evidence provided
by the institution, in the evaluation of applications for programme accreditation (new
programmes) or re-accreditation (existing programmes).
Types of evidence.
Answers to questions about the criteria in the electronic submission of the application.
Documents provided during the site visit.
Oral evidence provided during site visit.

27. ROLL OUT PLAN FOR THE NEW SYSTEM.
DATE
EVENT/ ACTION
28 October – end of November
Finalisation of the system. Completion and integration of evidence tables
End of November 2004
Online system ready for lodging applications by pilot institutions
1st week of February 2005
Training workshop for evaluators
Second week of February 2005
Refining and finalizing the system (Integration of comments from the training workshop)
March – April 2005
Road-shows (Getting institutions ready for the system)
1st and 3rd weeks of March 2005
Two regional evaluators training workshops if possible (at least one)

28. April and/ or May 2005
Training for evaluator chairs and report writers
May 2005
Institutions could apply online after PQM clearance (public higher education institution)
End of June 2005
First Accreditation Committee meeting
End of September 2005
Second Accreditation Committee meeting
Mid November 2005
Special Accreditation Committee meeting

29. Evaluator Training (Rationale and Approach)
Institutional Approach
Internal capacity to enhance improvement of programme development and review.
Internal capacity for self regulation.
National peer evaluators.

30. ONLINE SYSTEM (PROCESS AND PROCEDURE).
Seven major steps were identified in the application for accreditation. The different steps are the following: 
          
Application Acknowledgement
Check-listing          
Evaluation (Paper based and site based)           
Communication of recommendations and representations             
Decision making            
Communication of outcomes             
Accreditation database 
 The processing steps takes into account the following:
Activity, Responsibility for execution and management & timeframe.

31. Mergers and accreditation
The HEQC acknowledges the existence of various permutations of reconfiguration and consolidation of programme profiles in relation to the following:
Merger between a University and a University.
Merger between a Technikon and a Technikon.
Merger between a University and a Technikon plus incorporations.
Historically disadvantaged institutions becoming Comprehensive Institutions.

32. Mergers continued
The above permutations have implications for programme re-configuration and recurriculation that could result in one or all of the following:
New programmes arising from consolidation of existing programmes of the same institution type. For instance, university and university.
Totally new programmes developed by merged or comprehensive institutions (that never existed before).
Reconfiguration of programmes from different institutional types (former technikon and universities: B. Tech to BA).

33. Mergers continued
The HEQC is still engaged in a consultative process with higher education institutions in establishing the scope and nature of these permutations.
This will be followed by a pilot process with higher education institutions involved in the merger process, the outcomes of which will inform the HEQC`s future approach and model in dealing with new and or existing programmes from merging institutions, universities of technology and comprehensive institutions.
The HEQC will keep you informed regarding the process and its outcomes.