BCIT is committed to developing and maintaining high quality educational programs. In addition to BCIT’s program review process, some programs at BCIT are also assessed by external accrediting bodies.
Accreditation is an objective third-party peer review of program strengths, vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement. For many programs accreditation is required, for others it is optional. Programs that pursue accreditation are able to demonstrate that they are dedicated to offering students the best academic experience possible.
The benefits of accreditation are:
- Accreditation ensures that all students, staff, and curricula are held to the same high standards.
- Accreditation highlights strengths and areas for improvement in your program, policies, and processes.
- Accreditation encourages communication with key stakeholders and faculty engagement.
- Accreditation promotes a culture of continuous improvement and quality assurance.
- Accreditation increases program recognition nationally and internationally.
The accreditation process varies by program and is guided by criteria set out by each accrediting body. The overall accreditation process for each program is the responsibility of the School, but is supported by the Academic Planning and Quality Assurance (APQA) Office. As a first step in your process, connect with the APQA Manager (Oleg Lungu) who oversees accreditation.
Accredited programs are still required to complete the internal BCIT program review, albeit through a modified path depending on the accreditation process and requirements. Programs are encouraged to coordinate both program review and accreditation processes to minimize duplication of work. Documentation submitted for accreditation is used, whenever possible, for the program review. Areas requiring review by BCIT that are not covered by the accrediting body, are completed incrementally to supplement the accreditation review. If the accreditation review incorporates a site visit, that is usually considered adequate for the BCIT program review, and no further site visit is required. Consult the APQA Manager (Oleg Lungu) if you have questions about the modified program review process for accredited programs.
Below are guiding documents, templates, and relevant resources to support you through your accreditation process.