As the initial step of accreditation process, self-assessment requires significant attention. Self-assessment is the process of controlling the implementation of an indicator pre-defined by the accreditation body in an organization. In this process the organization tries to find out its weaknesses, strengths and promote its quality with suggesting and implementing improvement plans for the indicators that are not observed.
In the forms that were designed and distributed in 2013 three key questions about the documentation, implementing an indicator and reviewing it were asked. The Secretariat of International Quality Assurance and Accreditation Network (IQAAN) has recently designed new self-assessment forms according to the feedback it received from the participating units of the university in accreditation process in order to facilitate the related process. In the new forms, the weaknesses and the strengths of the units in implementing the indicators have been asked in addition to necessitating an improvement plan for those indicators that are not observed.
The advantages of the new forms compared to the previous ones are significant. The very first advantage is that the main indicators are the ones that are taken into consideration and the sub-indicators are considered as the supporting documents that should be attached in order to prove the implementation of an indicator. In addition to facilitating the data collection, new self-assessment forms also emphasize on improvement plans for the indicators that are not observed and assure quality in the long run.
Reported by: M.Davoodifar