Accreditation of higher vocational education and continuous improvement of quality

The double effects of globalisation of communication and of the increased autonomy granted to individuals and groups are reshaping sociopolitical control and social integration models in modern society. One of the major evolutions in society is the growth of accreditation systems.

The aim of higher vocational education accreditation is the continuous improvement of the quality. How can the accreditation bodies achieve this aim? What material do they use, what strategies are implemented to attain this objective? What problems do the operators have to deal with in the framework of these practices? All these questions were discussed by representatives of 24 accreditation bodies from 18 different countries around the world during a seminar held in August 2003 at the École nationale de la santé publique in Rennes (France).

The conclusions of the preliminary survey and the points raised during the seminar merited being incorporated into a report that could be made available to a much wider public. This report will be of interest to all those concerned by the need to provide high quality higher vocational education, primarily the students, teachers, instructors and employers. It also forms a particularly broad basis for discussion for the accreditation bodies - the members of the accreditation bodies and the auditors as well as those in charge of the establishments that are, or could be, accredited.

This book is accompanied by a DVD containing many reference documents on the criteria and organisation of the accreditation bodies involved in organising the seminar and a 40 minute documentary presenting the various stages of an accreditation process carried out by the ENSP as part of its mission.