INTRODUCTION
A tertiary institution is only as good as the quality of its teaching staff – they are the heart of the institution that produces its graduates, its research products, and its service to the institution, community, and nation. Every nation and its university graduates are competing in an environment shaped by its own local and national needs, as well as international expectations and standards. As a result, the success and competitiveness of graduates in tertiary institutions will be affected by those standards and expectations.
Accreditation is a process of self-study and external quality review used in higher education to scrutinize an institution and/or its programmes for quality standards and need for quality improvement. The process is designed to determine whether or not an institution has met or exceeded the published standards (set by an external body such as a government, national quality assurance agency, or a professional association) for accreditation, and whether it is achieving its mission and stated purpose. The process usually includes a self evaluation, peer review and a site visit. Accreditation is the establishment or of the status, legitimacy or appropriateness of an institution, programme or module of study. Accreditation standards and guidelines in Nigeria educational system is aimed at strengthening programme for quality assurance and quality improvement. It is a process that aids institutions in developing and sustaining effective educational programmes and assures the educational community, the general public, and other organizations that the accredited institution has met high standards of quality and effectiveness.
The commonalities of accreditation process in tertiary institution across the world is that each schools in various countries is being checkmate by a governing body, commission or ministry of education in order to maintain standards, quality and assurance in the institution. The importance of accreditation is that it creates a set of quality standards for all education institutions or programmed.
Also the aim of accreditation is to ensure accountability of schools and degree programs which boost public trust and confidence. The common accreditation process involves the following;
- Peer Review: Once formal paperwork has been submitted to the accrediting agency, administrative and faculty peers conduct an intensive review of the prepared materials, the written report and the general workings of the college, university or institution seeking accreditation status.
- Visit and Examination: After the peer review has been completed, most accreditation organizations also send a team of professionals to visit the college, university or institution seeking accreditation status..
- A Decision Is Reached: After the previous steps are completed, the accreditation organization calls upon their commission to review the collected information and affirm or deny accreditation status for the college, university or institution under scrutiny.
- Continuous Review: Â By accepting accreditation status from a recognized accreditation organization, a college, university or other institution agrees to uphold the quality standards set by the accreditation organization. The accredited college, university or institution also agrees to periodically submit to an accreditation renewal.
