Accreditation for distance education universities

Mumbai: All institutes of distance learning in the country will have to undergo accreditation, on the lines of conventional universities. The Distance Education Council (DEC), New Delhi, the statutory body responsible for the promotion and coordination of the open university and distance education system, has set up the National Accreditation Committee for Open and Distance Learning to carry out the process. "Like conventional universities are accredited by NAAC, institutes of distance education will be accredited by NACODL," said, chairman of DEC, VN Rajasekharan Pillai.

Post accreditation, assessment reports will be published on DEC's website. "Remarks and ratings given in reports will help parents and students compare the quality of education at various institutes of distance learning," said Pillai. DEC's call for accreditation is an also attempt to reinstate the parity between distance and conventional degrees. "Many students, academicians and employers are of the opinion that distance learning is inferior to class room learning. Quality assessment and the improvements made thereafter will lend credibility to distance learning," said Pillai.

Six parameters will be assessed by NACODL during accreditation--infrastructure and human resources, student support system, relevance of programmes, employment opportunities, research and consultancy and governance will be considered. Institutions are required to submit self-assessment and peer assessment reports as a part of the process. NACODL constitutes academicians and administrators from various distance and open learning institutes and government officials.

for details visit

http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_accreditation-for-distance-education-universities_1272355

posted by srikanth....july24