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Maintaining accreditation
Annual return
Colleges are required to submit an annual return which includes:
- a declaration of financial viability by the Principal/Director (the return should be accompanied by the most recent Statutory Accounts);
- details of any significant changes in the ownership, management, location or academic programme. BAC may require a personal reference for a newly appointed Principal;
- details of courses offered in the previous year, including numbers enrolled on each course, cohort progression, numbers completing and pass rates in any examinations taken;
- a list of courses offered in the current academic year, including the level of the course in relation to the National Qualifications Framework and the name of the awarding body;
- an outline of planned developments;
- details of any litigation involving the institution;
- a declaration that the institution meets statutory requirements in respect of students subject to visa requirements. If, at a subsequent stage, the Accreditation Committee considers there to be convincing evidence that this was not the case, BAC may withdraw accreditation immediately.
If a college fails to submit its annual return, BAC may determine to undertake a spotcheck visit at the college’s expense or, after due warning, to suspend or withdraw accreditation.
Interim inspections
Newly accredited colleges will receive an interim inspection within one year of gaining accreditation. Otherwise the inspections are scheduled to take place at the mid-point of the accreditation period. The interim inspections have two main purposes:
- to update BAC on significant changes since the most recent inspection;
- to evaluate the college’s response to any requirements or recommendations made after the last inspection.
The interim inspection will include an examination of the institution’s observance of visa and other statutory requirements where these are relevant. Any areas of concern will be reported to the Accreditation Committee and this may, in extreme cases, lead to a further inspection at the institution’s expense as a condition of continuing accreditation.
Equally importantly, the interim inspection is an opportunity for BAC management to meet college staff and gain feedback on the inspection and accreditation process.
Spotchecks
BAC reserves the right to make unannounced spotcheck inspections to accredited colleges at any time. If either the interim visit or a spotcheck provides reason to believe that the standards observed at the full inspection are no longer being maintained, the Accreditation Committee may require a further inspection to be undertaken at the institution’s expense and may determine to suspend accreditation until the report of the inspection has been received.
Student complaints
BAC regularly receives complaints from students who are (or claim to be) dissatisfied with an accredited college. BAC understands that a student may complain for reasons which do not directly reflect badly on the college – the student may be homesick, unable to cope with the course or simply looking for a means of changing course or college with a refund of fees. However, BAC will investigate such complaints primarily with a view to mediating between the parties, so defusing something which could end up in court or with unwelcome bad publicity for the college.
It is therefore important that colleges should cooperate promptly in responding to a BAC request for information relating to the complaint. Failure to respond to BAC’s request for a response to the complaint may lead BAC to undertake an unannounced spotcheck at the institution’s expense or, in the case of a serious complaint, to suspend accreditation until the issue is resolved.
BAC has no power to enforce a decision upon a college. However, if BAC considers that a serious complaint is justified, BAC may require the institution to take appropriate action to compensate the complainant as a condition of continuing accreditation.
Full details of the Complaints Procedure can be found in Section 9 of the Accreditation Handbook.
Reaccreditation inspections
Accredited colleges are required to undergo reinspection before the end of the period of accreditation. Exceptionally the Accreditation Committee may agree to an extension of the period, normally in the light of recent or impending significant change. If a college fails to agree to a reinspection before its period of accreditation expires, it will be assumed that the college has decided to allow its accreditation to lapse.
