Unisa DETC Accreditation Notice on Unisa's Webpage

Media Release- 13 February 2002

UNISA RECEIVES ACCREDITATION FROM AMERICAN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL

On 12 January 2002 the University of South Africa was accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) in the United States. The accreditation means that a prestigious international Accrediting Commission has concluded that Unisa is a quality distance education institution that sets attainable educational outcomes for its academic programmes, provides materials and services to enable students to reach those objectives and has the capacity to continue to provide these services in future.

Unisa's qualifications are comparable to those of other institutions in the States and elsewhere in the world that have been accredited by DETC. Unisa may use the DETC seal on its material which should enable the institution to attract more students. The accreditation is valid for a five-year period after which the institution is re-evaluated. DETC is aware of the current merger plans and will be kept up to date.


Mr Michael Lambert, the CEO of DETC, and Dr Joseph Gurubatham, who chaired the examining committee, will be presenting the accreditation at a function at Unisa in early February. DETC was founded as the National Home Study Council in 1926 and became an independent Accrediting Commission in 1955, acknowledged by the US Office of Education as the 'nationally recognized accrediting agency' for distance education institutions. It is periodically reviewed by the US Department of Education ensure that it meets the criteria for federal recognition.

The Accrediting Commission was reviewed in 2001 and its official approval extended for a further five-year period. DETC is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, a non-governmental body that recognizes and coordinates the activities of higher education accrediting agencies throughout the US. DETC accreditation is based on a rigorous peer review of the institution and of all programmes and materials based on twelve predetermined standards developed over a number of years.

During 2001 Unisa appointed a team of three people, Mr Jan Munnik, Director of the Collaboration Unit, Mrs Dallas Leibbrandt, head of Despatch, and Professor Wendy Kilfoil, a senior academic, to drive the accreditation process. With the cooperation of the Faculties and administrative and professional departments, a self-evaluation report was drawn up. Materials were sent out to external evaluators at other universities for off-site evaluation. Students were polled for their views of the university's programmes and services. In August an onsite examination team consisting of four US academic and business experts, two South African academic evaluators and an observer from the South African Higher Education Quality Committee inspected the Cape Town and Pretoria campuses, interviewing hundreds of staff and students in the process.

Unisa sought accreditation for a number of reasons including • a desire for national and international benchmarking of the quality of its teaching and services,
• an external source of stimulation to improve services, programmes and staff,
• benefits to its graduates of having a degree from a university accredited in the US and
• the possibility of attracting US students because of the accreditation.

ISSUED BY:

DOREEN GOUGH
HEAD: MEDIA AFFAIRS
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION &
MARKETING
UNISA
TEL 082 4977 938



Personally, it seems that DETC got the better end of the deal, here. I think it is a coup for DETC to be recognized by Unisa. But, the driving motivation behind this whole thing is wanting to be associated with "American academic standards"--supposedly being quite good and all. It is part of the world phenomenon of "americanizing"--as some have noted.

(I don't believe so myself, but people out there want to be connected with America--in the name brand sense). I am thinking this is an act of branding, so to speak.

 

I agree with you. I think it was a coup for DETC.

North

 

Re: Re: Unisa DETC Accreditation Notice on Unisa's Webpage

I said from the beginning that I thought this was a bad idea on the part of UNISA. I think we'd all agree that UNISA has the equivalent of regional accreditation already, so I have no idea how this is going to help them. Maybe it has something to do with financial aid for US students?

I don't want to turn this into a DETC-bashing thread, but it certainly seems to me that this is a step backwards for UNISA.


Bruce

 

UNisa DETC Accreditation Notice

Good Morning, I will send several e-mails to TESC today because the DETC status disturbs me. Why would they have DETC status when they have an alliance with TESC? This is a particular concern for me in regards to the new graduate program they will be starting shortly. This is not a statement of bashing of the DETC or UNISA but will alter potential plans for many, including myself. Hille

 

Another discussion about this: Unisa and IAC (Canada)

 

The DETC accreditation doesn't concern me too much, since I can't see DETC having a significant negative effect on the quality of Unisa's programs. I am more worried about the partnership with TESC, which I think could damage the value and credibility of Unisa degrees in the long term.

 

Gert

At least to some degree I disagree. If UNISA was better known and more widely used by Americans it would have a greater value. It would seem the ideal way to acomplish that would be for UNISA to open at least one office in the US and promote their programs. Barring that the partnership with TESC could work similiarly. Their current US representation is not working at all.

 

I agree with many: This is not DETC bashing. In fact, I think DETC is functional and legitimate. But, I still maintain that Unisa had its own credibility and did not need accreditation from DETC, especially since it has the equivalent of Regional Accreditation in South Africa, and especially since it is a "flagship" university in that region.

However, I still think that the reason behind this move is in the main psychological. That is, it is a part of "branding" move to be associated more closely with US academics somehow. Why? Well, it is a marketting ploy, essentially.

It may not be a draw for such people on this forum, or for denzens of North America or parts of Europe, but, surely, it may be a draw for international students who may wish to come to the US (or other western type of universities) but may be prevented from doing so for some reason (e.g., cost of program and board, or not being given a visa to enter the US, or were not accepted for academic reason).

The latter reason, should not be taken to mean that Unisa has lower standards. (I have come to believe it has very high standards, having research the institution).

Lastly, if Unisa craved this "branding" so much, I am wondering now why they did not go the RA organizations route? May be they did, and the RAs did not want to do it, or, perhaps, more likely, it was a smart move on the part of DETC and got there first?

The other issue is the matter of non-residential doctorates. Does this mean that DETC will now not discriminate against American institution that may wish to offer non-residential doctorates from DETC-Accredited institutions?

Looking forward to hearing from you on this.

 

I think that I am going to disagree with most of you.

I don't think that DETC accreditation looms very large on UNISA's radar scope at all. It is a minor development among many at UNISA that is being overemphasized by this newsgroup because of our tremendous interest in relative ranking of various accreditors.

DETC accreditation does nothing at all to harm UNISA's reputation or academic standing. Presumably UNISA deserves respect because it possesses real strengths. I don't see that it has lost any of them by associating with DETC. So I see this as a non-issue.

I will insert parenthetically that I do think that UNISA faces severe challenges right now, but they derive from the political struggles and institutional instability at its top. That stuff may well do tremendous harm, but DETC is irrelevant to that.

Where DETC accreditation is a positive is in symbolizing UNISA's interest in reaching out beyond SA's borders. UNISA apparently is interested in being an international rather than a purely domestic institution. As someone who lives outside SA's borders, this raises the hope that they may follow up with better and more user-friendly customer service.

DETC may not add a whole lot in terms of traditional academic credibility. But it does have a demonstrated strength in DL customer service. Historically, UNISA's traditional academics have been strong, but their delivery and execution have been weak, losing them many potential students. Hopefully DETC can help UNISA to finally become less impenetrable.

 

This is true. The effort certainly was not central in the thinking of the faculty last year. The one faculty member significantly involved was Wendy Kilfoil.

I think this is an important point. Expect "the other shoe to drop" very soon!

 

What other shoe is to drop?

I don't disagree that Unisa does not need DETC accreditation. I already made that point. However, it seems that going after it was a form of corporate branding to become associated with something American--whatever that may mean in the minds of whom ever thought it up in the first place.

Unisa is as credible as it ever had been.

KKA

 

I wish I knew the answer to this. Some time ago I had speculated here that the DETC accreditation was a prelude to the establishment of a USOU-like institution in the U.S. Privately, I was quite convinced that this was in the works. But this now seems unlikely, given both the failure of USOU and the changes in the Unisa administration over the past year. It's worth watching the DETC Conference (which starts on 14 April and which will be attended by Unisa representatives) closely to see if there are any hints.

 

Very interesting speculation, Gert!

In deed, very interesting. If that ever happens, it would be a great thing in the DL world. In my heart of hearts, I view Unisa as the Oxford/Harvard/Sorbonne/al-Azhar of the DL universities. It would be a great thing if Unisa "comes" to the US in such a way.

We must wait and see.

Kenneth

 

FYI

home/south africa/education

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/education/0,1009,30430,00.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major shake-up looms for Tertiary institutions
February 11, 2002, 08:35 PM

[copyrighted article - link provided below /bg]

KKA

 

Sorry!

This is the correct link:

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/education/0,1009,28173,00.html

The other link was an interesting story though.

KKA

 

Re: Re: Re: Unisa DETC Accreditation Notice on Unisa's Webpage

You are totally right. Previously, I told my American friends that my UNISA qualification was RA equivalent. I would tell the same thing even now (not to mention the DETC accreditation).