What is Accreditation?

Accreditation (quality assurance) is both a process and a status. It evaluates and ascertains the presence/level of quality within an educational institution or programme. GNAB performs three different types of accreditation: Institutional, Programme and Short Course.

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Institutional Accreditation

To be eligible for Institutional Accreditation, institutions must first be registered by the Grenada National Accreditation Board (GNAB). Registration is intended to safeguard learners and members of the public and prevent poor quality providers from operating in the local tertiary education sector. It also encourages institutions to continuously improve their quality. Registration establishes a formal relationship between GNAB and the institution. It is the first step towards Institutional Accreditation. In Grenada, institutions must become accredited or lose their legal authority to operate. Institutional Accreditation is the status awarded to an institution that successfully undergoes GNAB’s evaluation process against the stated criteria of educational quality. Institutional Accreditation considers the holistic characteristics of the institution and evaluates the organisational capacity to deliver quality educational programmes at the tertiary level. While specific programmes are not analysed individually, programmes are reviewed as a part of the consideration of the entire institution. Instead, Institutional Accreditation examines institutional characteristics such as governance, administrative strength, academic policies and procedures, quality of faculty, physical facilities and financial stability

Short-Course Accreditation

Institutional Accreditation is the status awarded to an institution that successfully undergoes GNAB’s evaluation process against the stated criteria of educational quality. The process is intended to assure the public of the educational quality provided by the institution and to assist the institution in strengthening its internal systems and processes which support continuous quality improvement. Institutional accreditation considers the holistic characteristics of the institution and evaluates the organisational capacity to deliver quality educational programmes at the tertiary level. Institutional accreditation does not analyse any specific programme individually. However, programmes are reviewed as a part of the consideration of the entire institution. Instead, it examines institutional characteristics such as governance, administrative strength, academic policies and procedures, quality of faculty, physical facilities and financial stability.

Programme Accreditation

A programme is regarded as an integrated package of courses and activities in an academic or professional field leading to a qualification. However, organizational arrangements in institutions differ and there are sometimes questions about what should be considered as a programme.

A programme includes all of the courses a student is required to take for a qualification, including courses that are required by an institution or a college, as well as those required by a department. This often includes general education courses as well as those in a professional or academic field. It may also include courses that may be offered as service courses.

A programme may have an early exit point, for example, it may be possible for students to complete two years of study and receive a diploma or to continue for several more years and complete a bachelor’s degree. If this is done, it is essential that the diploma be planned so that it provides a complete and useful qualification in its own right. For example, it might include significantly more practical and applied work in the field than students would normally undertake in the first two years of a bachelor’s degree programme. It is not acceptable for such an award to be granted simply because students fail or drop out after the early parts of a longer programme.

Institution Status Research

Use this service to determine the status of an institution and by extension a programme that it offers. This is important as there are several ‘rogue’ institutions who operate outside of the education system of their home country or region. They promise cheaper deals aimed at enticing unsuspecting students. Guard yourself against being scammed.

GNAB is aware of and applauds the desire of students to upgrade their educational status. We encourage individuals to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to study and attain their degrees and other qualifications. GNAB advises however, that great caution be taken when selecting Institutions. Be aware of those institutions that are neither recognized nor accredited. Contact Us first.

Grenada and most countries have signed on to GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) making education a tradable good. It therefore means that like all tradable goods, quality is varied, but persons have the right to advertise their product. Education is a product, and many of these institutions have the legal right to operate a business. Many of these institutions illegally acquire course outlines from legitimate universities and operate out of barns and homes claiming to be online Institutions. Many will post fake pictures, rent buildings and pass it off as theirs. Others give all A grades, providing little or no feedback to students. In essence, they sell degrees and are known as Degree Mills. Even others give the ruse of providing scholarships, however their programmes are not accredited and the recipient of a degree from these ‘institutions’ will be hard pressed to find a respectable job or upgrade at their current job, even after spending all their hard-earned monies.

Although this is a known fact, it is extremely difficult to stop these bogus institutions as they have their Apostille, which legitimizes their ‘businesses’. It is up to the consumer (student) therefore to educate themselves and not purchase the ‘tainted’ goods.

Equivalence Assessments

Equivalence Assessments compare a qualification’s descriptors against relevant frameworks in order to determine the level of the qualification. This is a useful tool for individuals who have studied in countries/regions with markedly different education systems as well as clients with certificates in non-traditional disciplines.

Another service provided by GNAB. It is another form of Credential Evaluation, however in this case GNAB evaluates and compares the qualification’s descriptors to descriptors on a number of Qualification Frameworks, especially the CARICOM Qualification Framework to ascertain the level of the qualification. Clients with certificates in non-traditional disciplines (often assessed by levels), as well as clients who have studied in educational systems that are differently structured to ours, are the main applicants for Equivalence Assessments. These assessments may serve to gain job promotions, salary increases, or entry into another educational level.

Credential Evaluation

Credential Evaluation is the analysis of an academic qualification in order to verify its authenticity. It is premised on direct communication between GNAB and the institution attended.

Credential Evaluation and Verification is a service offered by GNAB. This presents to our esteemed clients the opportunity of using our verification certificates instead of their original documents. After receipt of this certificate, persons can present these to employers or institutions where they are seeking further education.

The process of verification involves much research on the part of GNAB. Essentially GNAB uses access to international Databases to establish

CSME Certificate & Registration

Registration seeks to determine whether an institution or programme has the minimal requirements for effective operation. It is generally accepted as the first step in the accreditation process.