What is the High-Quality Accreditation?
Accreditation is the recognition of high quality granted by the Ministry of National Education to academic programs and institutions that meet the highest quality criteria and fulfill their purposes and objectives, taking into account their legal nature, identity, mission, typology, levels of education, and modalities. High-quality accreditation promotes the strengthening of a culture of high quality in academic programs and institutions, supported by internal quality assurance systems. The evaluation for the purpose of high-quality accreditation is conducted by the institution itself and its academic programs, peer evaluators, and the National Accreditation Council – CNA (Consejo Nacional de Acreditación).
What is the Self-Evaluation Process?
Self-evaluation consists of the ongoing exercise of review, recognition, reflection, and intervention carried out by the institution itself or an academic program, with broad participation from the institutional community and the aim of assessing the development of its substantive functions, in order to achieve high quality in all its processes, following the components of the high-quality accreditation model established in this Agreement. The self-evaluation conducted internally by the institution culminates in a report, which contains the results and an improvement plan.
What are the Requirements for Pursuing High-Quality Accreditation with CNA?
Accreditable Academic Program
It is the academic program authorized to be offered and developed by the institution and has at least eight (8) continuous years of operation, verifiable in the National Information System for Higher Education – SNIES. Accreditable programs include academic programs at the levels of technical professional, technological, university, master's, specialization, medical-surgical, and doctorate.
Who Participates in the Self-Evaluation and Accreditation Process for Academic Programs?
To carry out this process, a self-evaluation and program accreditation committee is formed, composed of the dean of the school, the coordinator of the academic program, representatives of faculty members, students, and graduates of the graduate program. This committee aims to have a holistic view of the program. It is responsible for the self-evaluation of the program, issuing a comprehensive judgment on the program's quality, which must be supported by qualitative and quantitative evidence. Moreover, it is responsible for guiding the development of the process, drafting the final report by the respective program, diagnosing problems, seeking solutions, and coordinating strategies to support and implement the necessary changes to improve quality.