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Accreditation by Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) - Outline of Process

Applicability and Timing

These procedures apply to any taught course, undergraduate or postgraduate for which accreditation is customary or is sought.

The timing of accreditation events is usually determined by the PSRB involved but is generally similar to the five-yearly cycle operated for programme review. In cases where the timetable for accreditation is longer than this, a dispensation must be sought by the relevant school from the Vice-Principal (Educational Development), who will consult with Academic Affairs Directorate and report such arrangements as agreed via AQSC.

Where adjustments would be required in the cycle of programme reviews to accommodate a joint accreditation-programme review event (see below), this should be agreed by the Vice Principal (Educational Development) and reported to AQSC.

Responsibilities within the Accreditation process

Accreditation is essentially a discipline-related matter, with procedures defined by the PSRB. The primary organisational responsibility therefore rests with the relevant Dean or Programme Leader liaising with the PSRB contact.

For accredited degrees, the Dean or equivalent, reporting to the School Board, and in consultation with the PSB, may decide whether the accreditation process and the Programme Review process should be combined as a joint event (guidance available here). The assumption should be that external accreditation has primacy over internal programme review procedures where the two overlap in the majority of elements covered and where methodologies and outcomes are broadly similar. The Director of Quality Assurance should be consulted in cases of doubt. It is, however, acceptable to hold separate events even if the processes are similar, for example where it is felt that Programme Review might assist in development of accreditation documentation or preparation of staff.

The Director of Quality Assurance will:

• provide support and guidance to programme teams
• attend accreditation board meetings when requested to explain aspects of the internal quality assurance framework
• together with the office of the Vice-Principal (Educational Development) maintain a register of accrediting bodies
• maintain an archive of accrediting body reports
• make annual reports on accreditation events to external bodies (e.g. SFC) as required, reporting to the Vice-Principal (Educational Development) and AQSC.

The ASQC will maintain oversight of accreditation at institutional level, via consideration of action points from PSB reports.

Deans and school boards should maintain oversight of PSB accreditation and follow-up actions.

Reporting Process

Regardless of whether the accreditation event is treated jointly with programme review or is regarded as separate, the report from the PSB accrediting team should be considered in a similar fashion to a report arising from programme review:

1. The School Board should receive the report, discuss it, and consider an action plan in relation to conditions or recommendations contained in the report.
2. The dean should submit a copy of the Accreditation Report plus the School Board's observations to the College Board, the Director of Quality Assurance and the Vice-Principal (Educational Development). The Vice Principal (Educational Development):
   • will consider the report
   • may raise issues directly with the dean / programme leader
   • may refer the report to the Academic Secretary for consideration.
3. The dean or school secretary should follow-up any issues as appropriate. Those relating to College or University policy, procedures or resourcing should be noted for consideration by the College Vice-Principal or University Vice-Principal (Educational Development) and included in School and College Board reports as appropriate.
4. If the accrediting board's recommendation is that the programme is not approved, or that a resubmission is requred:
   • the Academic Secretary and University Vice-Principal (Educational Development) should be informed as soon as possible
   • the dean should determine a plan of action, consulting the College Vice-Principal or nominee
5. the dean should submit a copy of the report, and a note of the plan of action to School Board, College Board and the University Academic Quality Committee.

Outcomes of accrediting board report(s) should be taken into account in the School's Annual Module and Programme Monitoring; the School Learning and Teaching Development Plan and the College Learning and Teaching Strategy; and, where the processes are separate, in the Programme Review evaluation and development plan.

Where accreditation is sought as part of the Programme Approval Process, the School should:

• consider PSRB accreditation criteria as a primary external reference point
• allow representatives from PSBs to be members of approval boards
• allow joint University / PSRB approval events, subject to the approval of the dean.

Outcomes of accrediting board reports may be followed up by AQSC and Learning and Teaching Committee. The Director of Quality Assurance prepares an annual report on programme review for submitted to AQSC and the Scottish Funding Council.

Published information regarding PSRB accreditation status

Particular care should be taken to ensure clarity of any information concerning accreditation that is made public, or made available to students or prospective students. This should include clarification of the following:

• the name of the PSRB
• the named programme and award, clarifying whether non-honours or honours, and if honours, any requirements regarding classification
• the level / nature of accreditation - using the PSRB's wording
• the cohorts of students and graduates who would be eligible for an accredited award - e.g. 'students entering in years 2003 to 2007' or 'students graduating in years 2007 to 2011'
• any conditions or restrictions on accreditation, e.g.:
  • - any modules that are options within University regulations, but are required by the PSB
  • - any required level of performance beyond a pass
  • - any minimum periods of study within the University or within UK HE
  • - any restrictions on awards that include Accreditation of Prior Learning or Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning (AP(E)L).

Within the Programme Specification, the wording for the relevant section Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body Accreditation should avoid making a definitive statement that the programme is accredited, since accreditation is normally dependent on PSRB decision and is time-limited (see New Programme and Module Approval - Guidenotes and Templates