On March 26–27, ANQA's specialists conducted a thematic training for staff members of VET institutions undergoing institutional accreditation.
The participants will subsequently be involved in their institutions’ groups responsible for the preparation of self-evaluation, analysing institutional performance against the ten accreditation criteria.
The meeting started with a summary of the third, fifth and seventh accreditation criteria presented during the previous training. The participants raised questions arising from the self-evaluation process and received relevant professional clarifications.
During the two-day training, the first and second accreditation criteria were also presented, with a focus on:
- the formulation of institutions’ mission and purpose;
- the evaluation of the governance system and its effectiveness.
Group work was an important component of the training.
The participants were divided into three groups to discuss:
- the data required to evaluate the governance effectiveness;
- the KPIs that should be used for the evaluation;
- how the findings should be presented in the self-evaluation report.
Following the group discussions, the participants shared their observations, which provided a basis for further discussion and exchange of practices.
ANQA’s specialists highlighted that self-evaluation should focus on analysis grounded in evidence and data rather than description. Particular emphasis was also placed on the content to be presented under each standard of the accreditation criteria.
It was highlighted that institutions undergoing reaccreditation should demonstrate their achievements, enhancements and progress, clearly indicating the stage they reached in each process and substantiating this with relevant examples.
It was also emphasised that the self-evaluation should be grounded in reliable data and clear examples, irrespective of whether the institution is undergoing accreditation for the first time, seeking reaccreditation, or is in the reorganisation process.
It was noted that another meeting is planned to facilitate more effective preparation for the accreditation process. Accreditation is a continuous process that is aimed at the sustainable development of education quality and the effective performance of institutions.