Independent (private) colleges are not required by law even to be registered, let alone inspected! Many thousands of students, however, study in independent colleges. How then should a student go about choosing an independent college?
Since its establishment in 1984, the British Accreditation Council
for Independent Further and Higher Education – the BAC for short – has
set and monitored standards in independent colleges in Britain. By the beginning of the 2003 academic year, BAC had accredited 120 independent colleges, enrolling more than 40,000 students.
A student, whether from Britain or overseas, deciding to study at a
BAC-accredited institution can be assured that it has been inspected by
a team of experienced and qualified inspectors. The criteria used by
them are laid down by the BAC Council which includes representatives of
the chief bodies responsible for the maintenance of educational
standards in the UK - universities, colleges, national validating
bodies, and public and professional examining boards and also those,
such as the British Council, with a particular concern for overseas
students.
Institutions seeking BAC accreditation must satisfy the BAC under all the following headings:
- Premises and Health and Safety;
- Administration and Staffing;
- Quality Management;
- Student Welfare arrangements; and
- Teaching and Learning: Delivery and Resources.
The BAC also requests information concerning the financial affairs
and legal status of institutions seeking accreditation. Once
accredited, each institution is required to submit to the BAC an annual
report on developments at the institution and is fully re-inspected
every five years.
Scrutiny of applications for, and decisions on, accreditation are
the responsibility of the Accreditation and Recognition Committee
(ARC), which meets four times a year. The ARC consists of council
members and others with experience in further and higher education
institutions or inspection experience. The committee is also
responsible for the initial appointment of inspectors and their
deployment on individual inspections. More than 60 inspectors have so
far been used on inspection work.
The decision to establish the BAC stemmed from the announcement of
the Department of Education and Science that it was withdrawing from
the inspection and recognition of independent establishments of further
education from April 1982. Discussions between responsible parties led
to the formation in 1984 of the BAC, a company limited by guarantee and
registered as a charity. The need to ensure that the BAC should provide
an independent and objective assessment of standards in the independent
sector is recognised by the requirement that council members be
nominated by recognised educational and other relevant bodies with no
direct involvement or financial interest in the independent sector of
education.
Over the years, the BAC has cooperated closely with the British
Council’s Recognition Scheme for English Language Schools and with the
Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. In 1990, the three
organisations produced the first Directory of Accredited Independent
Colleges in Britain. It contained the names of almost 350 colleges. In
his introduction to the brochure, the Secretary of State for Education
and Science welcomed the work of the three accrediting bodies. “The
voluntary system of accreditation they have established,” he noted, “is
the only public guarantee of standards in independent institutions of
further and higher education in the UK.”
An essential service is being provided by the BAC. More and more
individuals and organisations, including government departments, need
to establish in an objective way the bona fides of an independent
college. The BAC is able to provide an objective and independent
assessment of an institution and to do so on a continuing basis.
Significant changes are currently underway in Further and Higher
Education in Britain. It is vital that appropriate educational
standards are maintained and are seen to be maintained. Anyone thinking
of studying at an independent college should look for the BAC logo and
make sure that the college chosen is accredited.
Further details of the work of the BAC and a current list of accredited institutions may be obtained from:
Robin Laidlaw,
Chief Executive, BAC,
42 Manchester Street
London W1U 7LW
Tel: 020 7224 5474
Fax: 020 7224 5475
E-mail: info@the-bac.org
Website: www.the-bac.org
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