At least in Jordan, dear Mahfuz, we were better without!

Dear Mahfuz,

I guess nowadays to involve bureaucracy in this question has no much sense.

In Brazil universities are accredited by a governmental agency, but we have still been facing problems. Then, the Order of Attorneys of Brazil created a test to control the quality of lawyers they would receive on the market. I think it was a good idea because the market is probably the best to established what kind of knowledge is acceptable for its lawyers. 

I am also fond of periodic test along one's carreer. Say, a test every three years. The world has been changing so fast that it is not acceptable to have one professional who is computer illiterate. One mechanic who was graduated 20 years ago, may need a brush up course and be tested again to see if he can be responsible for the new machinery available to him in the market. So, we should be required to renew our licenses  from time to time, either by a formal test or by taking a course on new technologies. A teacher who does not know how to operate a tablet, use emails or  virtual storage device, may have a hard time to follow his students experiences.

These changes, in my opinion, have to be implanted immediately because of the growth of online teaching. The quality of the professionals that come out of the new schools can be even worse than what we were having from the traditional teaching practice.

Dear Cecilia,

This is the point. I agree. In general, universities and colleges should be accredited by professional  agencies of accreditation. Knowledge of the accreditation process will help students to avoid  institutions that grant degrees without providing students a quality education. 

To accredit a university, as a whole, or a certain program within a university, a non-governmental agency will better do the job. Local experts will form the agency & they will graft it with some foreign experts to ensure the presence of free independent objective judgment. Otherwise, politics will divert & turn the facts upside down in order to describe the case under study as a huge achievement under the reign & directions of his/her Excellency the Emperor/Empress .

I generally agree with D. Nizar that to accredit a university, as a whole, or a certain program within a university, a non-governmental agency will better do the job.

As I know the said question belongs to Financial matter for all over the world. Therefore each and every financial matter should be Government sector.

The quality of an accreditation process matters as both the processes can be valuable.

In the Philippines, we have both.

Accreditation is a MUST for Higher Education Institutions! In my country, there is independent accreditation body financed by Government! Someone would ask a question about the impact of the Government to this accreditation body!?

More on different approaches to the process of accreditation of HE Institutions are given bellow!

http://www.educations.com/Accreditation__d2774.html

Dear @Mahfuz and friends, in my country, the Accreditation and quality assurance commission has been set up, as a task force, by the National council of higher education to deal with accreditation, quality assurance of higher education institutions and evaluation of study programs...."The Commission shall be independent and function on the principle of professionalism. Besides the implementation of the accreditation procedure and issue of licenses the Commission shall propose the following standards and procedures determined by the National council: standards and procedure of accreditation of higher education institutions; accreditation of study programs; self-assessment and quality evaluation of the higher education institutions."

http://www.kapk.org/index.php?lang=en

The governmental accreditation and quality assurance commissions are doing fine in most countries. Their success in doing their tasks is related to avoiding all types of beaurocrasy.

Assessment process involves identification of strengths and weaknesses. As on outcome of accreditation process, institutions are helped to enhance the potential strength factors, rectify and deficiencies through appropriate interventions e.g. capacity building exercises in all the quality parameters by laisoning with the public and private sector through policy measures and other developmental initiatives. As a result of the diagnosis of the current quality status and the contributing factors, institutions can do the necessary intervention

http://naac.gov.in/docs/Accreditation-Outcome.pdf

I think Government or non government agencies that doesn't matter.. Only matter is the quality of assessment and its outcomes..

Accreditation process is much better done by non-government agencies which should have trustful experts.

I agree with @Cecilia that accreditation process can be better performed by a national board of selected experts in the field.

It is important that board members be selected based on merits only and transparent decisions be made based on rules and collective expertise of the board members.

Educational programs should be accredited as recognition of their content. The quality of the contents should be close to the institution's relevance. Example higher educational schools 'i.e grandes ecoles', institutes and faculties could obey to same program but with different scales of difficulties, generally programs in 'grandes ecoles' are more consistent then in faculties for instance. Independent academic and professionals  commissions of experts ' if possible merged with international ones' are more suitable to that. No matter if a governmental agency organizes it, what matters is the quality and efficiency of the accreditation to the corresponding institution, and the recognition of the titles and degrees with international required standards

Yes, dear Fairouz. The quality and efficiency of the accreditation process to the corresponding institution is very essential.

Yes, The quality and efficiency of the accreditation process is very essential.

The accreditation process is important as it requires universities to have a comprehensive look at their organization and to identify and address any weaknesses.

The following university's key performance fields are considered in the accreditation process:

• Financing
• Material and personal equipment
• Commitment
• Organization and Administration,
• Teaching
• Teaching related support processes,
• Research and Development

Accreditation and External Evaluation of HE Institutions in Serbia is fine presentation about the issue! Good resource! European standards are given also!

http://www.konus.ac.rs/files/Accreditation_and_External_Evaluation_of_HE_Institutions_in_Serbia.pdf

Thank you dear Ljubomir. It is a very informative and interesting presentation.

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