Programme accreditation is a quality assurance process that ensures that the programmes that are offered at MUT, undergo a rigorous process of evaluation to ensure that they meet the minimum quality requirements of the regulatory bodies, where applicable, the statutory professional bodies, and comply with university policies and procedures. At MUT, the process of programme accreditation is underpinned by the Quality Assurance Policy, Programme Development Policy and related University policies. The accreditation of new programmes at MUT is informed by the University’s own internal quality assurance process for programme development. MUT’s internal quality assurance processes incorporate the prescripts of the DHET, CHE and SAQA, a form of quality assurance which leads to the improvement in the quality of programmes.
In common with higher education systems in many parts of the world, South African higher education faces multiple stakeholder demands for greater responsiveness to societal needs. This is accomplished through enhancing student access and success, research and innovation that address social and community engagement and economic development at local, regional, and international level. Stakeholders also require that higher education institutions be able to provide the public with comprehensive information on the way they maintain the quality and standards of their core academic activities, and to demonstrate sustained improvement in this regard.
The HEQC’s approach to programme accreditation is informed by the complex challenges facing higher education institutions in an era of radical restructuring within South African higher education. In line with the vision of the White Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education, 1997, the programme accreditation system seeks to be responsive to the objectives of higher education transformation as reflected in various policy and legislative documents that have been published since 1994.
The Quality Management Directorate (QMD) supports internal approval for new and amendments to existing programmes. In addition, QMD facilitates accreditation with regulatory bodies like the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Council on Higher Education (CHE) and South African Qualification Association (SAQA). The supportive and facilitative role of the Directorate extends to external accreditation and endorsement of programmes by statutory professional bodies. QMD ensures that MUT programmes consistently meet the quality criteria of the University and the external accrediting bodies.
To access the policies, procedures and supporting documents that govern programme accreditation at MUT, click on the link below.