General Registration Criteria

Any provider seeking registration by the Barbados Accreditation Council (Council) must comply with the Council’s registration requirements. The provider must demonstrate its ability to provide students with proper academic supervision, adequate physical and learning resources, appropriate support services and should therefore have the following in place:

1. Governance and Mission
   1. There should be a structure of governance which formulates general policies and exercises authority over the implementation of programmes of study.
   2. The composition of the governing body should be broad-based and should allow for objective input into the management of the institution.
   3. There should be a Mission Statement or Statement of Purpose which should be clearly defined and
      published.
   4. Goals, aims and objectives of the provider should relate to the target population and should be relevant to the needs of the society.
   5. There should be a plan, as well as a planning and evaluation process, which addresses the institution’s human, educational, physical and financial development.

1. Administration and Admission Policies
   1. The provider should have clearly defined administration systems in place that are compatible with its stated mission.
   2. The provider should have a written plan for various stages of its development.
   3. The provider should have clearly defined admission policies compatible with its stated purpose. These should be published and should be strictly adhered to.
   4. The provider should have clearly defined procedures and policies for the selection of students with alternative qualifications.
   5. The provider should have clearly defined procedures and policies for courses.

1. Educational Programmes
   1. The programmes or curricula should be consistent with the provider’s mission.
   2. The programme structure should be well formulated and should facilitate adequate supervision of the provider’s education and/or training activities.
   3. Responsibility for the development of programmes and the monitoring of education and training matters should be clearly stated.
   4. The provider should have well-developed procedures for modifications to curricula that are based on current education and training philosophy and practices as evidenced by its commitment to quality.
   5. The provider should have current, up-to-date information on all its programmes of study with information on the related awards and associated credit hours.
   6. There should be a coherent mechanism for developing programmes and for monitoring education and training standards.

1. Staffing
   1. The teaching, administrative, technical support, library and other professional staff should be adequate in terms of quality and quantity in order to efficiently deliver the provider’s programmes of study.
   2. The provider should have in place an ongoing programme for staff development.
   3. The provider should have an effective system of communication between staff and management.
   4. Periodic staff appraisal should be conducted, the result of which is used for improvement of the faculty and of educational programmes.
   5. The provider should have a mechanism for the assignment of faculty workload to prevent staff overload.

1. Resources Management

The provider should clearly identify the resources essential to its operations and ensure that these are available. These include the following:

1. 1. Physical Resources
      These should be adequate to serve the needs of the programme and should contribute to an atmosphere for effective learning. Classroom, laboratory and internet access and utilisation should facilitate the proper supervision and monitoring of classes in session and the attendance of lectures. Classroom, laboratory and internet access and use should have sufficient physical space to adequately accommodate all class sizes and differently-abled students/faculty. Facilities should meet health, fire and other appropriate safety code regulations.
   2. Learning and Media Resources
      There should be ownership of, or provision of access to adequate learning resources and services required to support the courses and programmes offered which should include: a. A library which provides primary and secondary materials, current journals and up-to-date equipment conveniently located and easily accessible
   3. Laboratories and computer facilities adequate in range, quantity, quality and modernity to support the programme.
   4. Financial Resources
      The financial structure should be able to support the programmes offered and to effectively discharge the provider’s obligations to students. This should also include annual audited financial statements, where applicable.