GUIDELINES ON CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR PROGRAM ACCREDITATION (AREA 4, 5, 6, 7 AND 9)

1. GUIDELINES ON CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR PROGRAM ACCREDITATION(AREA 4, 5, 6, 7 AND 9)

2. Section 2 - Guidelines On The Standards and Criteria For Programme Accreditation • Vision, Mission, Educational Goals and Learning Outcomes • Curriculum Design and Delivery • Assessment of Students • Student Selection and Support Services • Academic Staff • Educational Resources • Programme Monitoring and Review • Leadership, Governance, and Administration • Continual Quality Improvement

3. The Standards

4. AREA 4: STUDENT SELECTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES 4.1 Student admission and selection (comply with policies of MOHE) • Min. qualification, knowledge and capacity to pursue a programme 4.2 Articulation Regulations, Credit transfer and Credit Exemption 4.3 Transfer of students –student mobility 4.4 Student support services and co-curricular activities • facilitate learning and personal development • Many components apply at HEP level but Dept has access to them 4.5 Student representation and participation • Inculcate self-confidence and wholesome development 4.6 Alumni • Provide feedback on program, linkages with industry

5. 4.1 STUDENT ADMISSION AND SELECTION • Criteria and processes of student selection must be clearly stated and disseminated to public especially to students • Prerequisite knowledge and skills for the programme must be clearly stated • Selection interview must be structured, objective and fair • Student selection must be free from discrimination and bias • Student intake– also take into account visiting, exchange or transfer students, professional prog must be stated and related to capacity of Dept

6. 4.1 STUDENT ADMISSION AND SELECTION • Appeal on student admission and selection Clear policy and appropriate mechanisms • Admission policy must be monitored and reviewedperiodically • Admission policies and processes should be reviewed in consultation with relevant stakeholders, nationally and internationally

7. 4.2 ARTICULATION REGULATIONS, CREDIT TRANSFER AND CREDIT EXEMPTION, 4.3 TRANSFER OF STUDENTS • Policies, regulations and processes on articulation practices, credit transfers, credit exemptions and student transfers must be clear, well-defined and widely disseminated • Incoming transfer students must have comparable achievement in their previous institution

8. 4.2 ARTICULATION REGULATIONS, CREDIT TRANSFER AND CREDIT EXEMPTION 4.3 TRANSFER OF STUDENTS • The Dept should: have policies and mechanisms to facilitate student mobility, between programmes or institutions, within or outside the country (articulation agreements, credit transfer and credit exemption, including cross-border collaboration)

9. 4.4 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • Appropriate and adequate support services – physical, social, financial, recreational, counseling and health must be made accessible to students • Support services must be: evaluated regularly to ensure adequacy, effectiveness and safety • Academic and career counseling must be provided by adequate and qualified staff • Effective induction program must be made available with special attention given to out of state and international students, and students with special needs

10. 4.4 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • Student support services should be given prominent organisational status and dominant role eg proper international students office, full time counselors • There should be structured training and development plan to train and enhance skills and professionalism of counselors

11. 4.5 STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION • Dept must : adhere to HEP’s policy on student participation and representation eg student bodies – participate/feedback on programme development have a policy and programme for active student participation eg co-curricular activities and community or NGO engagement • Publication activities should: - be guided by clear, formal and well-publicised policy (responsibilities, restrictions) - have adequate facilities

12. 4.6 ALUMNI • Department should: -foster active linkages with its alumni - encourage alumni to play a role in providing linkages with the industry and the professions and development of the programme

13. AREA 5: ACADEMIC STAFF Academic Staff Important Contribution to Quality of the Programme • Effective policy on recruitment, service, development and appraisal • Qualified and sufficient staff • Conducive environment that encourages recruitment and retention – training, equitable work distribution, recognition and reward system 5.1 Recruitment and Management 5.2 Service and Development

14. 5.1 Recruitment and Management • There must be clear and documented policy on recruitment, service, development and appraisal • The staff student ratiomust be appropriate and comply with discipline standards • Dept must: - have adequate full time & core academic staff - clarify roles of academic staff in teaching, research, consultancy, community services and administrative functions

15. 5.1 Recruitment and Management • Recognition and reward must be based on equitable work distribution and meritorious academic roles • Academic appointment and promotion – eg Prof & Assoc. Prof must be guided by and in line with national policies and international best practices

16. 5.1 Recruitment and Management • There should be: - a balance between senior/junior, academic/non academic, local/international staff - national and international linkages– faculty exchange to enhance teaching and learning of the programme

17. 5.2 Service and Development • Institutional dan Dept policy must complement each other – service, development and appraisal • Dept must provide - mentoring and formative guidance for new staff - necessary training, tools and technology for self- learning, access to information

18. 5.2 Service and Development • There should be - opportunities – including funding – for academic staff participation in professional, academic and other relevant activities, national and international - provision for advanced staff enhancement via research leave, sabbatical, participation in, and organization of, conferences

19. AREA 6: EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Adequate resources important to support teaching and learning – include finance, expertise, physical infrastructure, ICT and research facilities 6.1 Physical facilities - guided by field of study 6.2 Research and Development – largely directed to universities offering degree level programmes and above 6.3 Educational expertise – specialised staff trained and have considerable experience in teaching-learning methodologies 6.4 Educational exchanges – students, staff, educational materials 6.5 Financial allocations

20. 6.1 Physical Facilities • Physical facilities must be - sufficient, appropriate to ensure effective delivery - comply with relevant laws, health and safety regulations • Library or resource center must be adequate, up-to-date, qualified staff, support facilities • Equipment and facilities must be adequate for practical-based programme

21. 6.1 Physical Facilities • Learning environment should be regularly improved through renovations, new facilities, latest equipment • Facilities should be user friendly to those with special needs

22. 6.2 Research and Development (R & D) (For universities running degree programmes and above) • Dept must have a policy and program on research and development • Facilities must be adequate to sustain R & D • There should be -linkbetween R & D and commercialization -periodic review on research resources and facilities to enhance research capabilities

23. 6.3 Educational Expertise 6.4 Educational Exchanges • Dept must have a policy on use of educational expertise in development of new and effective teaching & learning methods • The Dept should have: - a policy and future planning on educational exchanges (collaboration with other institutions, nationally and internationally)

24. 6.5 Financial Allocation Dept must have budgetary and procurement procedures to ensure sufficient and efficient utilisation of resources • include planning, monitoring and control of resources Dept should begivensufficient financial autonomy in allocating resources

25. AREA 7: PROGRAMME MONITORING AND REVIEW Prog monitored, reviewed, evaluated - quality enhancement -include reviewing institutional structures and processes, curriculum components (current?, industry relevant?) -monitoring student progress, employability and performance Feedback – students, faculty, employers, alumni, professional bodies, analysis of student performance 7.1 Mechanisms for programme monitoring and review 7.2 Involvement of stakeholders

26. 7.1 MECHANISMS FOR PROGRAMME MONITORING AND REVIEW7.2 INVOLVEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS Student performance and progression must be analysed in relation to the objectives and LO of programme There must be -programme review committee - periodic program evaluation using proper mechanisms and resources Partners involved in collaborative arrangementsmust share responsibilitiesin programme monitoring and review Program evaluation must involve relevant stakeholders

27. 7.1 MECHANISMS FOR PROGRAMME MONITORING AND REVIEW7.2 INVOLVEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS Stakeholders should have access to the review report and their views considered Programme review exercise should incorporated stakeholder feedback esp from alumni and employers involve relevant professional bodies, in the case of professional programmes

28. AREA 9: CONTINUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT The only constant is change - advances in science and technology, new knowledge - changes structures, functions, activities, curriculum, T-L methodologies, assessment methods etc Need to continually and systematically review and monitor these changes and developments to ensure that: - learning outcomes of programme are met - curriculum is current and industry relevant - programme delivery is effective - assessment methods appropriate - educational resources adequate and up-to-date

29. AREA 9: CONTINUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Dept must: - support and complement the HEP’s policies, procedures and mechanisms for review – structures, functions, processes, strategies - develop a system to reviewits programme periodically - initiate review, implement its recommendations and record results ie follow-up and follow through process

30. AREA 9: CONTINUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Dept should embrace the spirit of continual quality improvement – based on prospective studies and analyses. Current policies and practices should be revised based on past experience, present conditions and future possibilities Person or unit responsible for internal quality audit should be given a prominent role in the policy processes of the Dept

31. CONCLUSION Standards in the nine areas of evaluation: • Assist Dept to ensure that the internal QA systems (policies, processes, mechanisms) are in place: • aims, objectives and LO of programme achieved • produce graduates with the required LO that is compatible with the national and international human resource requirements

32. SECTION 3: SUBMISSION FOR PROVISIONAL AND FULL ACCREDITATION - Assist HEP Prepare Documents For Submission For Provisional And Full Accreditation - Provide Guide On Information Required. Covers All Nine Areas Of Evaluation - Describe The Various Documents Required For Submission To MQA