The United Kingdom Accreditation System

The main government recognised bodies that are responsible for the accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions in the United Kingdom are explained below.

1. Accreditation of Universities and other publicly funded Higher Educational Institutions

University Accreditation

Bona fide universities in the UK are created in the following ways:-

By Royal Charter – on the Recommendation of the Privy Council
By an Act of Parliament – on the recommendation of the Privy Council
By Registration as a Company Limited by Guarantee (a non profit organisation without share capital) – which is approved by the Privy Council as meeting the requirements of a bona fide UK university
By Registration as a Private or Public Limited Company with Share Capital (a profit making organisation) – which is approved by the Privy Council as meeting the requirements of a bona fide private UK university.

Whichever way that a university is created, the overall regulatory and accreditation function is the responsibility of the Privy Council.

Under the Education Reforms Act 1988, an institution cannot award a degree unless it is authorised to do so by the appropriate body. Those institutions which have degree awarding powers are known as RECOGNISED BODIES.

Other Publicly Funded Educational Institutions and Listed Bodies

There are many other publicly funded higher educational colleges and institutions that are regulated by the Privy Council. They may not have degree awarding powers, but they can establish a partnership arrangement with a UK university to deliver courses that will lead to degree(s) awarded by the partner UK university. These institutions that have partnership arrangements with university degree awards are known as LISTED BODIES.

It is worth noting that the Listed Bodies status is not restricted to publicly funded institutions. Private colleges that have degree awarding arrangements with UK degree awarding institutions are also classified as a LISTED BODIES.

Schools for Students under 18 years

Generally, for such schools to function, they have to be approved and registered by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (formally Department for Education and Skills)

2. Accreditation of Private Sector Colleges

The main Government Recognised Private Sector Accreditation bodies in the United Kingdom are:-

British Accreditation Council (BAC)
Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC)
British Council (for English Language Courses)

Though these are private sector accrediting bodies, nothing prevents a university or other public sector institutions from seeking accreditation from them. Both private and publicly funded colleges and universities may decide to apply to the British Council to accredit all or some of their English language courses.

A private college may partner with a UK university so as to deliver courses that lead to the award of degrees from that university. Such private colleges are known as LISTED BODIES.

It is also acceptable for private colleges to partner with OVERSEAS UNIVERSITIES to deliver courses that lead to the award of degrees by that university, as long as the overseas university is accredited by a recognised accrediting body in the country where it is established.

Private colleges that are registered by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (formally Department for Education and Skills) on its Register of Education and Training Providers www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister can continue to recruit overseas (foreign/international) students up until early 2009, when these colleges should have gained accreditation from either:-

The Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC); or
The British Accreditation Council (BAC); or
The British Council (in the case of English Language courses)

If these private colleges fail to gain accreditation from either of the bodies mentioned above by early 2009, they will have to stop recruiting international students. This is because the UK Border Agency will not grant visas to students who enrol with unaccredited colleges.

3. Accreditation and the Immigration Rules

The new UK Border Agency rules (formally Border and Immigration Agency) states that from early 2009, overseas students who want to study in United Kingdom will only be granted student visas for their studies if they are enrolled at one of the following:-

A university accredited by the Privy Council (i.e. a Recognised Body);
A Listed Body (see above);
A college accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC);
A college accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC); and
A college accredited by the British Council (for English Language courses)

4. Accreditation of Distance Learning Colleges

The Government Recognised Distance Learning Accreditation body in the United Kingdom is:-

The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC)

It is not necessary for UK universities to be accredited be accredited by the ODLQC before they offer distance learning courses. They can simply apply to the Privy Council to seek a variation of their status to be able to deliver distance learning programmes. Once approved (after meeting quality assurance requirements), they are able to conduct courses by distance learning.

Nevertheless, some UK universities and colleges that do not require ODLQC accreditation may still decide to be accredited by it.

5. Professional Institutions and Associations

There are very many professional institutes and associations in the United Kingdom. For many centuries, the UK has been a centre of knowledge. Professional institutes have played a major role in the dissemination of this knowledge. There are different ways that professional institutes can be created, namely:-

By Royal Charter
Being Granted Royal Charter
By registration as a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee (without share capital)

Depending on the powers they are granted by the Charter or on incorporation, some professional institutes can award recognised qualifications up to postgraduate diploma level. Professional institutions have played an invaluable role in shaping UK education.

Professional institutes could act as accrediting bodies in their own right. In some cases, they can accredit courses that are delivered by colleges or universities in the United Kingdom.

6. Other Training Providers

There are thousands of other training providers in the UK, ranging from companies, local governments, employers and other educational institutions, who run courses that are recognised in the industry in which they operate.

However, such courses (though recognised) would not qualify that organisation to recruit overseas students to study in the UK. The organisation would have to gain formal accreditation from the accreditation bodies discussed above to be able to do so.

Nevertheless, nothing prevents such organisations from running short courses where participants from overseas may be granted visitors visas to attend. Such participants will not, however, be regarded as overseas/foreign students where foreign students visas would be required.