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In November 2004, the Barbados Accreditation Council was
established by an Act of Parliament, the Barbados Accreditation
Council (BAC) Act 2004-11 with two (2) broad roles:
Firstly, the registration and
re-registration of
institutions offering post-secondary or tertiary education and programmes of study, the
accreditation and re-accreditation of programmes and
institutions in Barbados and related functions, such as
recognition and
equivalency
of local and foreign-based qualifications,
articulation and
conferral of institutional
titles; and
Secondly, the
granting of Certificates of Recognition of CARICOM Skills
Qualification to applicants who satisfy the requirements for
recognition as skilled CARICOM nationals and examining and
verifying of Certificates of Recognition of Caribbean Community
Skills granted to community nationals by Member States.
Mission Statement
To be a high quality provider of registration,
accreditation and related services in post - secondary or
tertiary education and training in Barbados and beyond.
Vision
A coherent system of post-secondary or tertiary education and training which
assures excellence and integrity to all its stakeholders.
Core Values:
Quality
The BAC will have a positive impact on the quality
of post-secondary or tertiary education by its
commitment to high standards that will sustain and
advance excellence, efficiency, reliability and
competence in higher learning. It will be
forward-thinking and proactive, responding to trends and
changes in the national, regional and international
environment.
Integrity
The BAC will place fairness, honesty, objectivity,
accountability and transparency at the forefront both
with regard to its own policies and practices, as well
as in the implementation of registration and
accreditation processes in order to establish integrity
as central to educational quality.
Inclusiveness
The BAC will be an autonomous regulatory advisory
body which will commit to inclusiveness by developing
structures and processes that enable participation by a
wide range of stakeholders. It will recognise and be
responsive to the needs of clients.
Customer Service
The BAC will be a customer friendly and service-oriented organisation. Its staff will be dynamic,
flexible, team oriented, technology-oriented,
communicative and people-centered.
Learning
The BAC will seek continuous feedback and insight
from its members and use the collected information to
improve its operation and support teamwork, and to
provide learning opportunities for its staff and other
stakeholders. At the same time, the Council will work
with its members to foster an environment that promotes
shared learning.
Goals (Long Term Objectives)
In support of the mission, the BAC will pursue the
following goals:
GOAL ONE:
Establishment of relationships with institutions and
providers in the interest of developing and sustaining a Quality Culture in post-secondary or tertiary education
and training.
GOAL TWO:
Identification and satisfaction of Customer Needs and
implementation of public relations and marketing
activities to promote the services offered by the
Council.
GOAL THREE: Achievement of
Financial Sustainability to reduce the
burden on the Government coffers.
GOAL FOUR:
Ensuring optimal Job Satisfaction among all
employees in order to enhance productivity.
Quality
Statements
Quality for the BAC
is the provision of effective and efficient services
that are:
* geared towards the enhancement of
post-secondary/tertiary education and training;
* fit for purpose, add value and exceed stakeholders’
expectations; and
* benchmarked against regional and international
standards.
Quality for the BAC
is guided by:
* a developmental approach;
* accountability to stakeholders;
* integrity of practise;
* excellence in service; and
* a commitment to national and regional development.
Quality for the BAC
is demonstrated by:
* demand for non-mandatory services by its clients;
* respect of peers through mutual recognition;
* positive feedback from internal and external
stakeholders; and
* efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness.
The BAC perceives quality
in institutions as:
* effective governance;
* clearly stated and appropriate mission;
* efficient and effective administration;
* qualified, competent and engaged faculty and staff;
* timely and customer-friendly services;
* relevant, current, well-documented and appropriately
assessed programmes;
* established, documented, functional and well-managed
quality assurance system;
* responsiveness to change;
* system for formative and summative evaluation and
reform;
* a culture which embraces integrity and ethical
conduct;
* prudent financial management;
* effective and diversified learning and teaching
experiences;
* adequate and appropriate student services and support;
and
* committed and motivated students.
Functions and Powers of the BAC
The main functions of the BAC
include:
a. register local, regional and
foreign based institutions that offer educational
courses in Barbados;
b. maintain a record of all institutions that are
registered and accredited by the Council pursuant to
paragraph (a) and the
c. accredit and re-accredit programmes of study and
institutions operating in Barbados;
d. provide for the validation of new educational courses
and programmes of study being offered by institutions
operating in Barbados;
e. promote a programme of accreditation and
registration;
f. advise on the recognition of foreign based
institutions and their awards;
g. enhance the quality of post-secondary and tertiary
education and training in Barbados;
h. provide to the public, information on the quality and
recognition of programmes of study and institutions,
including the annual publication of a list of accredited
programmes and institutions in order to protect the
interests of the public;
To exercise its functions, the BAC's powers include:
a. undertake assessments and evaluations of programmes
of study and educational institutions on their own
initiative or in co-operation with other bodies as may
from time to time be considered necessary for the
discharge of its functions;
b. establish the requirements that institutions must
satisfy in order to be registered with the Council, or
have their programmes accredited, re-accredited by the
Council.
Board Members 2008 - 2010
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