Guidelines for the Recognition of Institution and/or Programme

Introduction
The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) was established under the authority of the Barbados Accreditation Council Act 200411.
Under the Act, the Council has been mandated to advise on the recognition of foreign based institutions and their awards and to “ determine the equivalency of programmes and qualifications”.

It is recommended that persons seeking to undertake a programme of study ensure that the provider of the programme and/or the programme itself is recognised and/or accredited. This facilitates acceptance of the qualification by employers and other postsecondary/tertiary educational providers.
This document sets out the requirements that individuals and/or organisations must comply with when requesting recognition of institutions and/or programmes by the Barbados Accreditation Council.
 

Making an application

 
A complete application includes the following:
  • an application form, fully completed and legible
  • a complete set of required documentation in hard copy (see overleaf)
  • Identification (ID) – valid national ID, passport or driver’s licence
  • Payment or proof of payment
If any of the above does not comply with the requirements outlined in this document, as well as the application form, the evaluation process will not be commenced and the application will be returned to the applicant. The BAC will not be held responsible for the delay.
The BAC recommends that before pursuing any programme of study that the applicant checks with the relevant professional agency/regulating body for its licensing/registration requirements to be able to practise in Barbados. For example, an applicant seeking to pursue studies in the field of engineering should review the licensing or registration requirements established by the Engineers Registration Board.
 

Statement on Recognition

 
Once the recognition of qualification process has been completed, the applicant is issued with a Statement on Recognition which is valid for one (1) year. The Statement on Recognition is a basic statement which certifies certain specific information related to the institution and/or programme. It clearly outlines the recognition status of the institution and/or programme depending on the applicant’s request at application. Information is also provided regarding the recognition status of the provider and/or programme by the BAC.
The Statement on Recognition issued by the Barbados Accreditation Council is for guidance purposes only and is nonbinding. Postsecondary/tertiary education and training providers in Barbados, professional bodies, and employers retain the right to make their own decisions on admission, having regard to a variety of factors, of which qualifications are only one.

Fees and Other Charges

  1. A non-refundable application processing fee of BDS$10.00 is payable upon application for a Request for Recognition of Institution and/or Programme.
  2. The correct amounts should be paid for the service required.
  3. Refer to Fees for Services booklet for fees for the recognition of institution and/or programme service.
  4. The BAC reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee of $75.00 in all cases where the cancellation of service was not as a result of an oversight by the BAC.

Processing

Processing time starts on the date that all information is received by the BAC from the applicant. There may be occasions where the results may be made available before the stipulated deadline for each priority category. Applicants should be aware that timely service delivery is only possible when all the required information is readily available.

The BAC will make every effort to make results available within the shortest possible time. Processing time can, however, be impacted upon by various factors outside the control of the BAC. Applicants should therefore be mindful of the possibility of delay.

The processing time for applications is a minimum of 40 working days.

In the event of an extraordinary circumstance causing undue delay, applicants will be informed by the BAC by telephone, email, or letter.

Factors Causing Delay

  • Considerably more research and/or consultation than usually required for determining the recognition status for the institution or programme.
  • Lack of information needed to complete the evaluation resulting in the need to contact the country of origin of the institution or programme. Completion of an evaluation will be dependent upon a reply from the source as well as the quality from the source in these instances. Processing will commence immediately upon receipt of a reply.
  • A marked imbalance between available human and other resources in the BAC and service demand.
  • Service demand/volume of applications exceeds available human resource capacity.
  • Factors related to the applicant which applicants can avoid by
    1. making the necessary enquiries before making the application
    2. following carefully the guidelines and procedures set out in this document when preparing applications
    3. making sure the application form is completed in its entirety and legible, and all necessary information are included
    4. making ample provision for meeting personal deadlines e.g. commencement of studies or employment
    5. giving clear instruction on the handling of recognition results, whether they are to be posted and to whom or whether they will be collected
    6. ensuring that all addresses are correct
    7. hand-delivering applications – do not fax or email applications
    8. allowing time for postage after the expected date of completion as this is not included in the timelines of the BAC
    9. waiting to be contacted for collection of results, if results are to be prepared for collection.
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