Best practices
A comprehensive accreditation system of educational offering: International accreditation of awarding HEI
Users: Training Providers (Private), Training Providers (Public) | Theme: Accreditation and certification | Action: Fremework/methodology | Beneficiaries: Training Providers (Private), Training Providers (Public).
In 2020 the xAIM consortium aimed at designing a high-quality master program in explainable AI applied to healthcare management. Although each beneficiary was supposed to contribute in term of the design and the teaching staff, the vocational master program had to be delivered by one HEI only. To ensure high-level standards of quality delivered at each phase of the design, organization, roll-out and monitoring of master program, the consortium looked for internationally recognised systems for accreditation to show outstanding excellence in quality assurance.
Moreover, one of the sustainability strategies formulated by the consortium entailed the delivery of single modules of the xAIM master programs, beyond the entire master program.
Moreover, one of the sustainability strategies formulated by the consortium entailed the delivery of single modules of the xAIM master programs, beyond the entire master program.
The challenge?
The xAIM consortium faced multiple challenges:
- As an international consortium, xAIM didn’t want to rely on one single national regulation for the accreditation of the master program, in order to promote an internationally recognised high-quality master program.
- Since only one HEI was expected to award the master diploma, other national regulations were not necessarily fit for purpose.
- A broader and more international quality assurance framework was expected to be adopted for the xAIM master program.
- The sustainability strategy included opportunities to deliver single modules, beyond the whole master programs. Hence, a comprehensive accreditation system was needed, including both bachelor’s, master’s programs, and short courses.
Our solution
An internationally recognised accreditation system was selected to quality assure the entire educational offer of the awarding institution. It is worth noting that there are alternative international accreditation systems for business schools. However, the consortium decided to apply for the EFMD quality improvement system (EQUIS), managed by EFMD Global, since it has a European focus. The following explains how each of the identified challenges are addressed:
- High-quality standards in master’s programs accreditation
Challenge: One single national regulation for the accreditation of the master program could be partial and lack some international requirements in terms of accreditation of master programs
How the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:
EQUIS is a comprehensive principle-based system to improve the quality of awarding institutions;
• It has strongly agreed upon principles, though flexible implementation, based on national context and local needs;
• EQUIS provides learning communities, which are focused on specific principles (e.g., internationalisation) or thematic areas (e.g., the role of AI in educational offer). - Difficulty in selecting another (set of) national regulatory framework
Challenge: Since only one HEI was expected to award the master diploma, other national regulations were not necessarily fit for purpose
How the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:
• EQUIS is an internationally recognized standard, acknowledging national context, but promoting a standardised international process for accreditation of HEIs
• EQUIS was initially developed in and for European universities, without a specific national framework in mind - Need for a supranational accreditation system
Challenge: Need for an international quality assurance framework to overcome the limits of national regulations
How the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:
• It is an internationally recognized standard, based on a benchmarking approach
• Although it was initially intended to improve the quality of the educational offer of European universities, EFMD has now extended its scope both geographically, with a global outreach of EQUIS accredited institutions, and institutionally, covering the accreditation of non-university training institutions too;
• EQUIS has a strong experience in the field of accreditation of business schools, although its principles and processes are adapting to the ever-changing international educational landscape. - Comprehensive accreditation system
Challenge: Need to assure short courses and longer programs
How the EQUIS accreditation process facilitates solutions:
• EQUIS is an institutional accreditation system covering bachelor’s, master’s, PhD’s, executive programs, and other educational offer;
• Being a comprehensive quality improvement system, EQUIS provides support to accredited HEIs in enhancing the quality of the entire educational offer, from multiple and interlinked perspectives;
• EQUIS provides HEIs with a global quality recognition of their educational offer.
Outcomes
The membership to the EFMD Global Network, and the eligibility to EQUIS accreditation were the first steps achieved in the process of EQUIS accreditation. The achievement of these milestones resulted in a set of outcomes:
- 15% increase in recruitment of international students;
- 1 new international exchange program with an EQUIS internationally accredited HEI;
- International recognition in accreditation of educational offer in advanced digital skills, with one new co-funded project with other EQUIS accredited HEIs;
- Improvement in national and international ranking for master programs
- Integration of EQUIS methodology with European approach to micro-credentials to further increase the quality level of educational offer.
Key takeaways
Institutional accreditation (e.g., EQUIS) is key when HEIs and training institutions are looking for a comprehensive accreditation system for their educational offer. Being principle-based, the EQUIS accreditation process is a replicable, yet flexible, strategic benchmarking tool to enhance the quality of the HEI’s educational offer.
- Institutional accreditation system
What worked: The accreditation system is not targeting a single program, or a short course, but the whole HEI or business school awarding the diplomas or certifications.
This approach ensures accreditation is coherent throughout the HEI’s educational offer
Replicable Lesson:
Adopting comprehensive accreditation systems can lower the time to seek for accreditation of one additional program or course
The whole institution is involved in the quality assurance process, leading to change in the mindset - Standardised and widely adopted accreditation system
What worked: EQUIS is an internationally recognised and globally adopted accreditation system.
In order to get immediate international recognition of the high-quality of its educational offer, the HEI can look for a widely adopted international standard.
Replicable Lesson:
An initial scope of the accreditation systems available in the market can help selecting the one best fitting the training institution’s needs.
Benchmarking of leading HEIs can support the choice of an institutional accreditation system and its implementation - Lessons learnt on the institutional accreditation system can be shared among partner HEIs
What worked: More experienced HEIs in institutional accreditation systems can mentor other partner HEIs, in the same consortium, in their journey towards institutional accreditation.
Replicable Lesson:
Sharing achieved outcomes and best practices among consortium’s beneficiaries can facilitate the decision-making process towards the adoption of an institutional accreditation system and the accreditation process as a whole
Best-in-class HEIs can train other partners in terms of quality assurance - Virtuous accreditation circle
What worked: The first steps achieved in the institutional accreditation systems facilitated the participation of other accredited HEIs in another project proposal
Replicable Lesson:
Institutional accreditation spreads since it facilitates the agreement between accredited HEIs.
European approaches to single programs/courses accreditation can be integrated with institutional accreditation system to further increase the quality of the educational offer.