Accreditation and Quality Assurance
Student Influence on Accreditation
Hello Dr Btittingham,
During my stay at KU this semester, the KU School of Architecture and Urban Planning has gone through the NAAB accreditation visit. I attended a meeting of the NAAB accreditation team with students. It was interesting to hear what students had to say about their teachers and programs.
How much do the students' remarks have an influence on the final accreditation decision? Can the Commission make suggestions and recommendations to the University based on the students' evaluation of the institution?
Thank you.
Accreditation and Quality Assurance
First, it's good that you got to see accreditation in action! The group that accredits architecture is very good at looking at student work products to see if they are being well prepared for their profession.
All accreditors want to hear from students. At NEASC, each of our teams will have an open meeting with students (as well as meeting with students in other settings in most cases), and the team will listen carefully to what the students say. The point is to make sure students are getting a good education and that they are being appropriately cared for by the institution. We also have a process whereby anyone can register a comment (in writing) or make a complaint about an institution.
So, yes, student comments can definitely influence the accrediting decision.
Barbara
International Accreditation Process
Good afternoon
I have two questions
1. Two institutions in Greece, three in Switzerland, and one in Bulgaria, Bermuda, and Lebanon, respectively, are also affiliated with CIHE."
What is the procedure and conditions for international institutions to be affiliated with CIHE?
2. Are there any Federal institution like CIHE?
Accreditation and Quality Assurance
If you go to our website http://cihe.neasc.org and look under "Becoming Accredited" you will see a section for Free-Standing Institutions Abroad. There is a link to the Requirements of Affiliation for Free-Standing Institutions Abroad (the eligibility requirements) and a manual that describes the process. The eligibility requirements are basically the same as for U.S. institutions PLUS requirements related to being American-style. The Standards for Accreditation are the same for all institutions.
There are no federal accreditors in the U.S.
Barbara
Comment: Corruption in Foreign Countries
I would just use the opportunity to inform you that the accreditation in developing countries is a process often prone to corruption.
Tatjana