Institutional Accreditation
Minimum Standards for Institutional Accreditation
Accreditation in Higher Education in Cambodia is compulsory by law (Royal Decree dated 23 March 2003 on Accreditation in Higher Education. Any HEI, which grants a Bachelor, Master and PhD. Degree is subject to accreditation. The accreditation process aims to build a culture of quality improvement through self-assessment and external assessment. The assessment of higher education quality for granting accreditation aims at certifying that the education quality of any HEI suits in any level and provides helpful information for students, parents and donors to make decisions on selection of any institution for studies and support. It also provides information to employers for their decision on the recruitment of employees to work in their companies or organizations as well as recommendations to HEIs for quality improvement, relevant ministries/agencies and the Royal government on the improvement of the quality of education in their endeavors to prepare policies and reforms of higher education system.
The accreditation is to be granted by ACC through a reliable and transparent process. Institutional accreditation standards, approved by ACC Board in February 2008, focuses on 9 standards namely 1) Mission; 2) Governing Structure, Management and Planning; 3) Academic programs; 4) Teaching staff; 5) Student and student services; 6) Teaching and Learning Resources; 7) Physical Facilities; 8) Financial Management and Planning; and 9) Dissemination of Information.
The institution’s mission defines types of the institution, its classification, its educational activities, and its role within the higher education community of the Kingdom of Cambodia. An assessment of the quality of higher education provided by a HEI shall be conducted to measure how well it is to achieve its defined mission with respect to its resources. The primary purpose of the assessment is to find out and determine the clarity, appropriateness and accuracy of its publicly disseminated mission.
Governing structure, management and planning are some keys to quality improvement. A HEI shall have a governance system that enables the successful accomplishment of its mission. The governing board and its chief executive play a very important role in defining institutional development goals, identifying prioritized issues to be addressed and developing viable plans. The administrative staff has an important role in providing support to the teaching-learning process. To facilitate the effective performance of these roles and to be more productive, it is essential that the HEI clearly defines its governance and administration.
The achievement and maintenance of high quality of academic programs are under the primary responsibility of accredited HEI. The evaluation and development of academic programs are the continued tasks of higher education institutions. As the change of conditions and needs frequently occur, the institution needs to redefine its academic programs to ensure and enhance the quality of education it offers. To this end, planning for the development of academic programs shall be based on regular assessment of its Mission including the employment market and students’ needs, as well as its relevance to national development goals.
Faculty development is one of the keys to promote the efficiency of a higher education institution. The recruitment, hiring and retention of faculties and their continuous professional development are of paramount importance to every higher education institution. The empowerment, academic freedom and the practices of the rights by the faculties will contribute to the maintenance of the quality of the educational programs of the institution.
Students and student services support the achievement of the institution’s mission. They contribute to the development of knowledge, competence and skills of students, who enroll and study and would eventually, earn their diplomas and employment in the labor market.
Learning services such as library, computer lab, laboratory, experimental room, research stations, Internet, textbooks, journals, research papers, and so on are to support teaching and learning process and research to be performed by students and faculties in response to the institution’s mission. The academic services shall be adequate and appropriate for the degree programs offered by the institution and shall support the cultural, technical and intellectual development of students.
HEIs shall have adequate physical plants, facilities and other necessary equipments and they shall effectively manage these for proper use to achieve the institution’s Mission. The HEI shall develop a comprehensive plan to promote the quality and optimum utilization of these physical facilities.
Financial plan and financial management system shall be in place. The institution shall ensure an effective mechanism for financial controls. These shall provide a basis for sound decision-making on the development of the higher education institution. The adequacy of its financial resources is judged based on the Mission of the institution, the scope and diversity of its programs and services, and the number and types of its enrolled students.
Information is a key to informed decision making. It is therefore that HEI shall publicly and widely disseminate, by any means such as newsletters, magazines, handbooks, and website about its achievements and continuing development. This dissemination is an important mean to promote public awareness on the development of the higher education institutions.
