Annual Review

An accreditation is not a certificate that is framed and forgotten. It is a commitment that is checked each year, so that the registry stays true.

The annual report

Each year an accredited body sends HCDE a short report, on a form HCDE provides. It covers:

• Changes in ownership, governance, leadership, programs, delivery methods and partners
• Progress on every recommendation and condition from the last review or decision
• Key information on learners and results that the body already collects, such as completion, progression and satisfaction
• Complaints and appeals received and how they were resolved
• Confirmation that the body's public statements about its accreditation are accurate

How HCDE reviews it

1. The Secretariat checks that the report is complete and on time.
2. A reviewer examines it against the standards and the last decision.
3. HCDE may ask questions, request evidence, or arrange a focused review where something needs a closer look.
4. HCDE confirms that the accreditation continues, adds or updates conditions, or, where the position has changed seriously, begins the process in the Suspension and Withdrawal Policy.

Significant changes between reports

Some changes cannot wait for the annual report. An accredited body must tell HCDE promptly about:

• A change of ownership or control
• A new program, a new delivery model or a change that affects the scope of the accreditation
• A new partner that provides teaching, assessment or awards
• A loss or restriction of its authority to operate
• A decision to close a program or the institution

HCDE decides whether the change needs a review (a substantive change review) and tells the body what is required.

If a report is not sent

A body that does not send its report, or does not respond to HCDE's follow-up, may be asked to explain. Continued failure is a ground for suspension.

Renewal

Accreditation is granted for a stated period, shown on the certificate and in the registry. Before the period ends, the body applies for renewal. Renewal follows the same stages as a first application, building on the evidence gathered through annual monitoring, so that a well-run institution does not have to start from the beginning.