NAAC Collaborates with US Body to Share Best Practices in Assessment & Accreditation

National Assessment and Accreditation Council or NAAC has signed a Memorandum of Affiliation with CHEA or Council for Higher Education Accreditation and CIQG or International Quality Group.

US-based organisation of colleges and universities, i.e., CHEA serves as the national advocate for discretionary self-regulation through accreditation. CIGQ is regarded as a forum for universities, colleges, accrediting and quality assurance organisations. The main objective of CIGQ is to address the challenges and issues focused on quality assurance in an international setting.

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Through this agreement, both the bodies will share and exchange best practices in accreditation and assessment. These two bodies will also take up joint activities that include peer visits of experts to institutions from one nation to other. The group has the experts from around 40 countries that will play a significant role in sharing assessment tools and practices.

Director of NAAC, Prof. D.P. Singh indicated that it is a significant step in bringing Indian accreditation and assessment practices at par with international standards. Currently, the Council has taken charge of working with various accreditation agencies from around the world and the objective is to achieve global standards.

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He further indicated that this kind of an initiative would encourage more Indian institutes to apply for NAAC accreditation. Recently, UGC made NAAC accreditation mandatory in order to be able to achieve an autonomous status, which will further provoke Indian institutes to opt for NAAC accreditation and thereby maintain quality standards.

The agreement also indicated that both CHEA and NAAC would work on the lines of core principles of the CHEA International Quality Group. As a member of CIGQ, NAAC has played a key role in participating and formulating new ideas with the members of CIGQ in terms of quality assurance internationally. The Memorandum of Affiliation will promote fundamental principles for higher education quality.