In times when academic excellence and global competence have acquired behemoth importance it behooves to educate the academics about the crucial role assessment and accreditation play in quality assurance in higher education. Also in the pipeline is the move to make accreditation mandatory for all the institutions. Undoubtedly accreditation plays a phenomenal role.

Keeping in sync with the same Welingkar hosted a daylong conference on ‘Assessment and Accreditation: Future Possibilities and Challenges. ’ In its efforts, it was joined by the All India Council for Technical Education and Directorate of Technical Education. The Conference witnessed leading policy makers, academics and corporates discussing the various issues regarding accreditation and how these would be fine tuned further to render the Indian higher educational system one of the best.

Shri Rajesh Tope, Minister for Education (Maharashtra), Shri.S.S.Mantha, Chairman- AICTE, Dr   H.A.Ranganath, Director- NAAC were a few of the policymakers who participated in the conference and shared their thought process and incisive insight into some of the policies afoot. From the academia, those present included eminent speakers like the IT marvel Dr F C Kohli, management guru Dr Y K Bhushan, Dr Bhushan Patwardhan- Vice Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, Dr M.R.Rao, dean emeritus –ISB and many more.

WeSchool, under Dr Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, WeSchool had taken up the initiative, bringing together policymakers, academics and the industry reps on one platform. The three not only brainstormed the various aspects of accreditation but also how the current procedures can be fine-tuned to make quality -adherence a 24/7/365 phenomenon. The conference also sensitized the audience about the mandatory nature of accreditation that it was soon to acquire and the implications of the same.

Dr Uday Salunkhe dwelling on the importance of assessment said it is an effective means of quality assurance in higher education; it provides a common frame of reference and credible information to students and all others including recruiters, faculty and all who have stakes in quality education.  In the times of intense globalization it becomes all the more important that we educate the generation next in a way that ensures their global competence and making accreditation mandatory for all the institutions is a step towards the same.

Dr SS Mantha, elaborating on the importance of vocational education said AICTE will take steps to ensure quality vocational education focusing on skill requirements to ensure sustainable sources of income for marginalized youth. The Council will also support the schools of vocational education. This would also help content building for various sectors based on national vocational education curriculum framework, developing teaching methodologies and pedagogy, training the trainers, methodology for skill assessment and skill accreditation, creation of best practices document in vocational education.

H.A. Ranganath, Director- NAAC in his interactions laid more stress on internal evaluation than external evaluation. Talking of the research carried out in an institution, the criterion will extend to parameters like the number of research papers published in international journals, their citation index in peer journals, impact factor of the journal, h-index and subject index and many more. Also according to him for the extension activities of the universities/institutes, NAAC will look at the social /neighbourhood impact of the institute. Issues like carbon credits, water-harvesting and similar ecological steps will also be taken into account.

The seminar also discussed the role and functions of the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority as mentioned in the recently tabled Bill in the Parliament and how it is bound to throw the door open to private agencies in accreditation. Issues like international accreditation and consequent branding of an institution also were given considerable time and thought. Experts from the respective domains  shared the  expectations of industry with respect to the process and procedures of accreditation.