What is Accreditation? A Guide to Its Importance and Impact

As the cost of living has increased over the past few years, so has the cost of higher education. It has forced many students to rely on bursaries or loans to complete their undergraduate studies. When they rely on financial aid, such as loans that need to be repaid, students want to receive a quality education, which will make them employable.

This is one of the main reasons students must research programmes and institutes before applying for a university degree. An accredited programme helps provide credibility and assures employers that students have gained appropriate knowledge and skills.

In this article, we will explain what is accreditation, its importance, and how it affects employment.

What is Accreditation?

When we define accredited, it is primarily a third-party verification process that checks to see if an institute meets the established standard. However, accreditation is not permanent. It needs to be renewed to ensure that the institute of higher education is taking continuous steps to maintain quality.

Institutes must take a step towards accreditation to stay relevant and ensure they impart a high level of education. Accreditation serves as an assurance to various stakeholders that the time and money they are putting into their education will be repaid. It can help build trust and reputation within the educational community, help institutes improve continuously, and remain accountable.

Why is Accreditation Important?

While we have covered what is accreditation, it is also essential to know its importance. Accreditation helps raise the standard of education and provides students with relevant skills and knowledge. It also helps make an institute credible, facilitates access to funding, and promotes continuous improvement within the organisation. Overall, it fosters transparency and accountability in its operations.

These are some of the top reasons why accreditation is important and beneficial:

• Quality Assurance: It helps to assure students that the institute has met all the standard benchmarks established by the third-party verification body.
• Credibility: It helps to provide credibility to the resume when students apply for jobs. It assures the employers that the candidates have met the requirements to work within an industry.
• Student Protection: It helps to insure both parents and students that the time and money that they are putting towards higher education will not go to waste.
• Global Recognition: Accredited institutes and programmes are recognised globally and it helps to foster training and exchange programmes, which can be beneficial for students. 

Who Accredits Educational Institutions in South Africa?

While it is important for students to understand what is accreditation, they must also learn who accredits institutions. This helps them to verify with their university is they are accredited.

Accreditation is a voluntary process, and universities can apply to receive accrediation that will help bring credibility to their programmes. Several accreditation bodies in South Africa help maintain the level and quality of education. To answer, what is an accreditation body, it is an organisation responsible for evaluating and certifying. 

They also help maintain the integrity of the country’s educational system. It is difficult to determine what is the best accreditation since each serves a different purpose. All institutes must be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) before applying for accreditation. This government department falls under the Minister of Education. It is responsible for formulating policies and curriculums and maintaining national standards in education. 

Let us examine some of the most recognised accreditations in South Africa:

• Council on Higher Education (CHE): Established in 2001, CHE is an independent body that accredits public and private universities and advises DHET on bringing equality to the education system.
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA): It helps to register professional bodies such as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) with qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
• Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO): This organisation operates within the NQF and helps design and implement occupational qualifications for certificate programmes.
• Umalusi: It helps to oversee the quality and standard of education in schools and TVET colleges in South Africa. It also regulates the matric exams in South Africa.

What are the Types of Accreditation?

Just like several organisations help to provide accreditation in South Africa, there are also different types of accreditation. What does it mean to be accredited? The simple answer is that accreditation helps to ensure that the educational institute or the higher learning programme meets the criteria set by the organisation.

Sometimes, students who have received professional degrees in engineering or accounting are also required to receive accreditation. This allows them to join the relevant professional body, which allows them to improve and learn continuously.

• Institutional Accreditation: The entire institute is evaluated to determine whether it meets the quality required of higher educational providers. If you are wondering about the accreditation process, it covers administration, operations, programme delivery, curriculums, etc. The CHE usually provides this in South Africa.
• Programmatic Accreditation focuses on a specific degree programme, such as the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and ensures that it meets industry standards. Universities can choose to seek programmatic accreditation in addition to institutional accreditation.
• Professional Accreditation: Certain professions require individuals to apply for professional accreditation even after graduating from an accredited institute and programme. This helps to evaluate if the graduate is prepared to practice professionally. This is common for law, architecture, and accounting. 

How to Check if an Institution or Programme is Accredited?

All educational institutes prominently display their accreditation status, which helps to build trust and credibility among parents and students while they are researching higher education options. We have covered what is accreditation. Therefore, students must always check if their programme is accredited.

Most institutes will prominently display their accreditation status and number on their websites and on individual programme pages to reassure students. Students can also contact the university directly if they are unable to find accreditation-related information.

While we understand what is accreditation and its importance, it is just as essential to verify its status. Students can also visit the SAQA and CHE websites to check if the programme or institute is accredited.

When studying for professional programmes, such as medicine and law, students must check if the relevant professional body accredits them. This information can be found on the specific programme page for each university.

What are the Consequences of Studying at a Non-Accredited Institution?

The main purpose of seeking higher education is to gain additional knowledge and skills that will make individuals employable in a particular industry. If they can not seek employment, it will have wasted their time and resources. Non-accredited institutes usually employ low admission requirements to attract more students. 

While it is possible for students to complete a programme of study at a non-accredited institute, they might have difficulty finding employment. This is because employers have no way of understanding the quality of education that was provided and if it met the requirements determined by CHE.

These are some of the consequences students who choose to study at a non-accredited institute are likely to face.

• Lack of recognition
• Subpar quality of education
• Financial risk
• Limited career opportunities
• Issues with obtaining professional licenses.

How Does Accreditation Impact Employment?

When students wonder what is accreditation and why is it important, it is because it affects employment. The main purpose of higher education is to train individuals in skills that companies require. Whether students attend TVET colleges or private universities, they expect to receive quality education and be awarded a legitimate and recognised qualification. 

Accredited institutes regularly update their programmes and infrastructure to meet the quality requirements of CHE, SAQA, etc. They help provide an education that meets industry standards and prepares students with the necessary skills for the workplace. This is one of the main reasons employers prefer students who graduate from accredited institutes.

Additionally, many roles only hire graduates who have received a professional qualification. These qualifications can only be obtained if the programme of study is accredited by the professional body.

What is the Role of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)?

NQF is a qualification system in South Africa that helps to register nationally recognised educational achievements. The NQF has 10 levels, each representing a different stage of learning.

To be awarded the next level of qualification, students need to complete a set number of credits and meet the assessment requirements. CHE, SAQA, Umalusi, and QCTO work within the framework of NQF to ensure accredited programmes meet the established benchmark standards.

NQF was developed to improve the quality of education and make students within the South African educational system prepared to work and study globally.

Read more about the NQF Levels in South Africa

Accreditation in Online and Distance Learning Programmes

Technological advances have helped make it possible for students to overcome geographical challenges and attend classes online. While earlier only short courses were offered online with no interactive teaching, the sector has made great strides. Today, students can complete undergraduate and postgraduate programmes online with live classes and personalised learning options. 

These courses also provide flexibility for working professionals who wish to increase their knowledge while continuing to be employed. So, what does accredited mean for online and distance learning programmes? Frankly, they undergo the same rigorous evaluation of their curriculum design and content. They must also employ qualified staff and provide learning resources that aid education.

Conclusion

It is important for students to shoes accredited institutes and programmes for tier higher education needs. Non-accredited institutes might employ lowered requirements for admission, but their degrees will not be recognised, and it will be difficult for graduates to find jobs.

What is accreditation, in simple terms, is when an organisation evaluates a university or a programme and certifies that it meets the quality standards. Accreditation offers recognition and credibility and helps to build trust.

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