Accreditation
We make accreditation accessible and useful for your institution
Consistent with the process followed by each accreditation agency, we help your institution starting with the design of the self-study, all the way to the follow-up of the accreditation visit, including:
- Creating a data collection plan and helping you fulfill it
- Training your staff according to the accreditation standards
- Facilitating accreditation committees and sub-committees’ meetings
- Structuring the physical or virtual document room for the accreditation visit
- Crafting a solid self-evaluation report
- Preparing for the accreditation agency’s visit
- Developing accreditation related reports, including:
- Follow-up reports
- Annual reports
- Interim reports
A good, up-to-date, and authentic self-evaluation process is the key to continuous improvement and a solid institutional planning process.
Accreditation is a demanding and resource-intensive process. Larger institutions usually have teams dedicated to the tasks associated to this process; other institutions, generally smaller, don’t have the same resources. When it’s time for the self-study process in preparation for the accreditation visit, smaller institutions need to divert staff and faculty from their ordinary responsibilities. They must shift their focus to drive the process, including data collection and analysis, creation of assessment committees, and support on chapter drafting, among others.
We will not do the self-study for you, but we will support your team along the process.
The accreditation process is an ongoing effort, that typically consist of five stages.
Self-study
Based on the standards established by the corresponding agency, the institution or program seeking accreditation conducts an in-depth self and prepares the evaluation report describing its performance regarding each standard.
On-site evaluation
The agency selects a team of peers that will review the institution or program on-site and determine if the applicant meets the standards.
Decision and publication
Based on the report by the team of peers, the agency decides whether to grant accreditation or take a different decision,, such as issuing a notice of concern or putting the institution or program under notice.
Monitoring
The accrediting agency monitors the accredited institution or program throughout the period of accreditation granted to verify that it continues to meet the accreditor's standards.
Reevaluation
The agency periodically reevaluates each institution or program that it lists.