Source: The Economic Times
In top universities across the globe, students’ feedback for faculty courses is mandatory and an important aspect of assessment.
accreditation
Don’t Mislead People On Accreditation Status
Source: Times of India
The National Assessment & Accreditation Council has warned institutions about providing false information to the public as well as students.
For the complete text, visit the Times of India.
Canada’s International Credential Assessors Find New Resource in Web Portal
The recognition of international academic credentials in Canada has found new support in a web portal launched by the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials. The new portal offers information and extensive resources to support the assessment and recognition of international academic credentials. These resources include a step-by-step guide on how to assess an academic credential issued outside Canada, a Quality Assurance Framework, and a competency profile for an academic credential assessor. Academic credential assessors across Canada will also have access to additional resources through a special interface, which will feature access to detailed profiles on the education systems and academic credentials of 12 countries, along with how they may compare to education systems in Canada.
AlgomaU’s ESL Programs Receive Accreditation From Languages Canada
Source: Algoma University News Release via Academica | March 17, 2014
Algoma University has received full accreditation from Languages Canada for its English as a Second Language (ESL) program. “Languages Canada holds its members to the highest standards, and only those who continuously offer quality education receive accreditation. Being a member of Languages Canada increases the accountability of the university’s program, and ensures that course objectives and learning outcomes are always met,” says AlgomaU President Richard Myers. Languages Canada examined 6 areas of the ESL programming, including student services, curriculum, program administration, teaching staff qualifications, marketing and promotion of the program, and student admissions.
TCS Insights: International students will now be able to find greater success at Algoma University due to their ESL program earning full accreditation. Students who are new to English should be assured that they will be able to learn the language here through teaching of the highest quality.
UGC accreditation must for technical institutes
Source: The Pioneer via PwC – EdLive
According to the HRD Ministry officials, the UGC is in the process of coming out with regulations in this regard. At present, the AICTE is the lone regulatory authority for technical education providers. The step has also been taken following cognisance of a feedback study by the Union HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju. The study found 53% technical graduates not meeting the standards of the industry today. A dismal 13% of the technical graduates were found industry-ready, while 17% worth trainable. “This is being done to bring greater accountability in the technical and management education in the country. There have been reports about various irregularities in the accreditation process so far by the AICTE. Giving UGC the mandate will create checks and balances,” said an HRD Ministry official. The regulations could be notified by February 2013 so that it comes into effect during the coming academic session.
The UGC, presently, regulates only the general academic programmes across the country and very recently it has also been tasked to regulate the entry of foreign educational institutions in India. The HRD Ministry, through UGC, sought to make it mandatory for every higher educational institution and every programme to get accredited by an accreditation agency to certify academic quality. Sources said the Ministry has also written to state governments to create accrediting agencies to regulate systematically the technical and management institutions for imparting quality education. The UGC has been tasked for this work as the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010 is still pending in the Parliament. It could not be taken over during the just concluded Winter Session while chances of tabling during the Budget Session of the Parliament are also bleak.
To set technical standards for institutes, the HRD Minister also announced a new accreditation body under the AICTE on the lines of the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) with identical functions. It was argued that the need for the new body was an effort towards capacity building and to follow the best practices of different countries to come out with new methodologies of evaluation as AICTE has 60,000 programmes or institutes awaiting clearances.
Mandatory accreditation for polytechnic institutes mooted
Source: The Times of India via PwC – EdLive
If the HRD Ministry has its way, polytechnic institutions in the country will soon be required to undergo mandatory accreditation and assessment by an industry-sponsored agency recognised by the AICTE. The state boards of technical education will be involved in such rating exercises.
As of now, the National Board of Accreditation assesses the courses offered by polytechnics, but the process is not mandatory. The rating from such assessment is given to individual courses and not to the institutions. The Ministry plans to implement reforms such as textbooks for polytechnic subjects in vernacular languages, information and communication technology-enabled classrooms, mentoring polytechnics by established colleges or universities, dual- track education involving mandatory apprenticeship with the industry and a shift from the examination-based assessment and evaluation system to the continuous competency-based assessment.