Positive Pre-Accreditation Feedback
Positive Pre-Accreditation Feedback
02
May
02/05/2017
USJ undertook a pre-accreditation review of the university, between 24 to 27 April, and received positive feedback.
The University of Saint Joseph invited a consultant indicated by the British Accreditation Council to undertake a pre-accreditation review of the university, between 24 to 27 April. This was part of USJ’s ongoing preparation for Institutional Accreditation.
The consultant, Mr. Ian Fleming, former inspector of BAC and QAA, carried out a formal inspection in the form of a mock Institutional Accreditation by BAC. The six areas inspected included: Governance, Strategy and Financial Management; Academic Management and Administration; Teaching, Learning and Assessment; Student Recruitment, Support, Guidance and Progression; Premises, Facilities and Learning Resources; and Quality Management, Assurance and Enhancement.
Of the 27 standards under these six areas of inspection USJ fully met 18 and partially met 6. The 3 standards “not met” were in the area of quality management, and this pre-accreditation exercise was precisely part of the consolidation of those procedures.
USJ received high commendation in this mock accreditation for:
- its facilities and premises, due especially to its state-of-the-art new campus in Ilha Verde;
- its library resources and education tradition;
- its small class size; and
- its support to academic staff for career enhancement and research.
Future action to be taken by the university includes consolidating its policies and procedures for clearer referencing, and developing an internal quality assurance manual to help enhance teaching, learning and assessment. The university will also engage students directly in future QA processes and performance reviews.
The result of the mock-accreditation was positive, though there is much still to enhance and develop. According to the consultant, if things proceed as they have done so far, USJ should be ready for international accreditation in a year or so, after settling into its new campus.
