The Council and its Committees

BAC is governed by its Council which is composed of the Board of Trustees. The Terms of Reference for the Council are available here. The Council offers strategic leadership and oversight, ensure BAC is fully compliant with its legal obligations, and receive reports from three Committees which have delegated authority to monitor and Implement BAC’s work:

The Accreditation Committee, which receives the reports of inspections and takes decisions on the award or withdrawal of accreditation. It also regularly reviews the standards against which inspectors assess institutional provision. Read the Terms of Reference here.

The Standing Committee, which considers proposals which require Council/ Board of Trustees approval, considers and scrutinises budget proposals, Annual and Strategic Plans and ‘one off requests’ for funding projects requiring use of BAC reserves. The committee will also deal with any matters requiring urgent consideration and/or decision that may arise between meetings of the Council/Board of Trustees. Read the Terms of Reference here.

The Audit Committee, which scrutinises the annual accounts in preparation for their presentation to the Council/Board of Trustees and monitors financial performance and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements, including ENQA and EQAR. Read the Terms of Reference here.

BAC’s Inspectorate

BAC’s inspectorate consists of experienced and highly qualified, independent inspectors from a rich variety of educational backgrounds. Each inspection team includes at least one Lead Inspector, who is responsible for producing the inspection report which is presented to the Accreditation Committee. The ultimate decision regarding accreditation rests with the Accreditation Committee. The inspectorate is overseen by the Chief Inspector, Ms Diana Morriss.

Quality Assurance

BAC takes measures to ensure that its management and accreditation work meet the highest standards and provide a high quality of service. A range of activities underpin the quality assurance of its work. Read more about our Quality Assurance here.

Strategic Plan

The BAC Strategy 2021-2026  sets out the key priorities for the British Accreditation Council over the forthcoming five years.

You can read the Strategy here

BAC’s Funding

BAC is self-financing through accreditation fees paid by institutions. It receives no public monies. However, BAC is not for profit and any surplus is fed back to improve our systems as part of our mission to raise standards in the sector.

Our annual report, which accompanies our audited accounts, is freely available on the Charity Commission’s website.

BAC's London Office

BAC’s committees and inspectors are supported by the core team of administrative staff at our head office in London. Led by the Chief Executive, the staff are responsible for the day-to-day business of BAC, including management of inspections, oversight of our accredited institutions, and communications with the public and the sector.