CNA - Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

National Accreditation Council Republic of Colombia

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions.

Approved by the CESU at its meeting held on March 23, 2021.COUNCIL MEMBERS

Iván Enrique Ramos Calderón Council Coordinator Technical and Technological Department

José William Cornejo Ochoa Council Member Health Sciences Department

Álvaro Acevedo Tarazona Council Member Social and Human Sciences Department

Jaime Ernesto Díaz Ortiz Council Member Agronomy, Veterinary and Related Programs Department Fernando Cantor Rincón Council Member Basic and Natural Sciences Department

Helmuth Trefftz Gómez Council Member Engineering Department

Carmen Amalia Camacho Sanabria Council Member Education Department

Carlos Hernán González Campo Council Member Economics and Administration Department Accounting and related

FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS

Guillermo Murillo Vargas

Álvaro Andrés Motta Navas

Jhoniers Guerrero Erazo

Álvaro Campo Cabal

Martha Vitalia Corredor Montagut

Fernando Chaparro Osorio

Edgar Díaz Puentes

José Uriel Giraldo Gallón

Pedro Pastor Polo Verano

Harold José Rizo Otero

Jaime Restrepo Cuartas

Bernardo Restrepo Gómez

Alberto Enrique Roa Valero

Guillermo Londoño Restrepo

Diana Elvira Lago de Vergara

Jaime Eduardo Bernal Villegas

Pedro Prieto Pulido

Álvaro Zapata Domínguez

María Lorena Gartner Isaza

Guillermo Londoño Restrepo

Diana Elvira Lago de Vergara

Jaime Eduardo Bernal Villegas

Pedro Prieto Pulido

Álvaro Zapata Domínguez

María Lorena Gartner Isaza Franco Alirio Vallejo Cabrera

Carlos Augusto Hernández Rodríguez

Luis Enrique Orozco Silva

Diana María Ramírez Carvajal

Carl Henrik Langebaek Rueda

Emilio Armando Zapata

Jairo Alfonso Téllez Mosquera

Cecilia Dolores Correa de Molina

Guillermo Paramo Rocha

Emilio Aljure Nasser (+)

Darío Abad Arango (+)

Ramsés Hakim Murad (+)

Guillermo Hoyos Vásquez (+)

Jesús Virgilio Niño Cruz (+)

José Neftalí Revelo Revelo (+)

Rafael Serrano Sarmiento (+)

EDUCATION TEMPORARY

CHAMBER

Claudia Patricia Salazar Blanco

Gilma Mestre de Mogollón

Jorge Oswaldo Sánchez BuitragoTECHNICAL SECRETARIAT TEAM - CNA

Luis Enrique Silva Segura Technical and Academic Secretary

Patricia del Pilar Amórtegui Perilla Planning and International Certification Advisor

Jenny Patricia Martín Buitrago Legal Counsel

Judith Alexandra Rodríguez Meza Internationalization Advisor

Gina Marcela Parra Marín Communications Advisor

Yenny Paola Cadena Medina Accreditation Process Management

Carlos Campo Rodríguez SACES - CNA Application Manager

Catalina Jiménez Díaz Specialized Professional - Administrative and Financial Management

Communications Advisor

Yenny Paola Cadena Medina Accreditation Process Management

Carlos Campo Rodríguez SACES - CNA Application Manager

Catalina Jiménez Díaz Specialized Professional - Administrative and Financial Management

Joshua Gutiérrez Peer Management Support Professional

Diana Carolina Wilches Pérez Technical Assistance Professional

Nydia Constanza Romero Technical Assistance Professional

Ludy Martínez Technical Assistance Professional

Marlly Estefanía González Peña Support Professional

Amparo Peñaloza Archive and Documentation Center Professional

Tatiana Guzmán General ServicesTABLE OF CONTENTS

Presentation ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

2. Higher education institutions [1] in the 21st century .............................................................................................................. 8

3. Regulatory framework ............................................................................................................................................................... 11

4. High quality accreditation model ............................................................................................................................................. 15

5. Higher education institutions ................................................................................................................................................... 19

6. National policies in higher education ...................................................................................................................................... 21

7. Recognition of the diversity of institutions ............................................................................................................................. 25

8. High quality in higher education .............................................................................................................................................. 28

9. High quality of higher education institutions ......................................................................................................................... 30

10. Assessing the high quality of institutions ................................................................................................................................ 33

11. Factors, characteristics and aspects to be assessed for the assessment of institutions ................................................. 365

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

PRESENTATION

In the second half of 2018, the Ministry of National Education initiated a reflection exercise in relation to quality assurance in higher education through a series of workshops called "Calidad ES de Todos" [Quality IS for Everyone], in order to collectively develop a new public policy on the Higher Education Quality Assurance System whose premises include building on what is already in place. These workshops highlighted the need to strengthen

assurance in higher education through a series of workshops called "Calidad ES de Todos" [Quality IS for Everyone], in order to collectively develop a new public policy on the Higher Education Quality Assurance System whose premises include building on what is already in place. These workshops highlighted the need to strengthen the Higher Education Quality Assurance System and to achieve gre ater standardization with the National Accreditation System, both of which aim to improve the quality of education in the local, regional and global contexts.

In July 2019, Decree 1330 was issued, which updates the regulations for qualification certification, establishes the modalities of academic offerings (classroom, distance, virtual, dual or other developments that combine and integrate these modalities) and recognizes the diversity of levels of education, professional technical, technological, university, specialization, master's and doctorate programs. It also adopts a concept of quality as a basis for the recognition of quality conditions for both institutions and programs.

At the same time, the National Accreditation Council carried out a reflection exercise on the updating of the high quality accreditation model, considering contributions derived from international assessments, national and international trends, advances in the national reflection exercises on quality assurance and the reflection exercise that has characterized the Council since its inception in 1995.

As a result of this effort, in the second half of 2019 a proposal for updating the high quality accreditation model was submitted to the National Council of Higher Education (CESU) from which, and based on the provisions of Decree 1075/2015 as amended by Decree 843/2020, after several revisions and dissemination throughout the country, Agreement 02 was issued by the National Council of Higher Education (CESU) on July 1, 2020, containing components that update the model and adhere to the tradition of the Council, university autonomy, including the recognition of the diversity of institutions and academic programs and the assessment of achievements and results as core components, particularly those of learning, in addition to recognizing the capacities and processes that had traditionally been considered to be part of the comprehensive assessment.

recognition of the diversity of institutions and academic programs and the assessment of achievements and results as core components, particularly those of learning, in addition to recognizing the capacities and processes that had traditionally been considered to be part of the comprehensive assessment.

This document contains the guidelines (factors, characteristics and aspects to be assessed) for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions in accordance with their character and nature and aims to make contributions to raise the quality levels of institutions, with the high quality assessment system as a benchmark in accordance with their realities, challenges and possibilities; and ultimately, to plan the strengthening of the capacities to have a transformation and impact on society.6

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

1. INTRODUCTION

These guidelines correspond to the model for assessing the high quality of higher education institutions at the professional technical, technological and university levels or technological schools and universities that make up the Colombian higher education system. This model aims to be holistic in the sense of including inputs, processes, capacities, activities and results of an institution; function as a management tool that supports continuous improvement with forecasts for the future, and to serve as an assessment instrument.

The updating of the high quality accredi tation model established in Agreement 02/2020 of the National Council of Higher Education (CESU) defines a dynamic model which establishes the factors and characteristics, while the aspects to be assessed are specific and also dynamic, insofar as they respond to changes in the social, cultural and environmental context, and have been developed in consultation with the academic community and will be periodically updated.

Based on a working document of its own authorship and in keeping with the Council's tradition of developing guidelines with the participation and input of the academic community, the National Accreditation Council consulted the associations of institutions which, as they have done on other occasions, received the document, analyzed it and made their contributions, observations and recommendations. The academic organizations consulted were the Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN); the Colombian Association of Higher Education Institutions with

the associations of institutions which, as they have done on other occasions, received the document, analyzed it and made their contributions, observations and recommendations. The academic organizations consulted were the Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN); the Colombian Association of Higher Education Institutions with Technological Education (ACIET); the Colombian Association of Institutions with Distance and Virtual Programs (Acesad); the Association of Higher Education Institutions of the Colombian Caribbean (Asiesca) and the Colombian Postgraduate Network (RCP).

The contributions received were analyzed by the General Accreditation Board of the National Accreditation Council and are considered in this document for the implementation of the high quality accreditation process defined in Agreement 02/2020 of the National Council of Higher Education (CESU). However, it is important to note that the aspects to be assessed are expected to be updated and, consequently, the National Accreditation Council leaves them open to discussion and reaffirms the invitation to the academic community to help contribute to their enrichment and updating and highlight the achievements attained in higher education institutions.

Additionally, and to contribute to the work of the institutions, the Ministry of National Education has developed a Glossary of terms included by Decree 1330/2019 and Agreement 02/2020 in the regulations developed for the qualification certification and high quality accreditation. It is clear that the terms can have many definitions from different epistemological standpoints; therefore, the glossary serves a guideline in the framework of the National Accreditation System and the Higher Education Quality Assurance System.

These guidelines also include a reflection on higher education institutions in the 21st century; the regulatory framework of the high quality accreditation model; national policies in higher education; recognition of the diversity of institutions; high quality in higher education; high quality of institutions; assessment of the high quality of institutions; and finally, the factors, characteris tics and aspects to be assessed for the accreditation of higher education institutions.7

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

education institutions.7

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

HIGHER EDUCATION

INSTITUTIONS IN

THE 21ST CENTURY8

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

2. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS[1]1

IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Since their medieval origins, higher education institutions have been centers for reflection, artistic production and generation of knowledge about the broadest spectrum of human experiences. Their development has concurred with the maturity with which societies face the most pressing problems of their times, from the standpoint of reflection, artistic creation and research. It is for good reason that it is one of the longest running institutions in contemporary societies, as well as one of the most widespread human experiences in the world in recent centuries, regardless of cultural traditions. Of course, one of the characteristics that has ensured the success of higher education institutions lies in their ability to adapt.2

Since the 19th century, in particular and without losing their original meaning, higher education institutions have been characterized by the production of knowledge in the various fields of science, as the main stakeholder of the scientific and technological revolution over the last hundred years. In add ition to promoting science, higher education institutions also produce knowledge relevant to their environment, which is fundamental in the rapid technological progress that is transforming the global context in which we live. Especially in recent years, an economy is emerging based on the capacity to generate and use knowledge, on the quality of its human resources and on the demanding requirements of entrepreneurial capacity, which requires an agile and flexible institutional framework to respond to the profound changes taking place in the environment. In this context, the capacity for innovation has become an essential link in ensuring that advances in science and technology give rise to effective socioeconomic development and wellbeing for the population. 3

framework to respond to the profound changes taking place in the environment. In this context, the capacity for innovation has become an essential link in ensuring that advances in science and technology give rise to effective socioeconomic development and wellbeing for the population. 3

It was previously thought that the world of science, and therefore higher education institutions, were only concerned with the process of generating knowledge using the scientific method, restricting the topic of its use and application to other areas and other social stakeholders. In the Knowledge Society, this dichotomy is no longer valid. In fact, higher education institutions have been recovering the plural meaning of their practices. The generation of knowledge, even in the so-called hard sciences, is increasingly based on specific contexts and the requirements or needs of specific groups, organizations or communities, which require this knowledge to improve their wellbeing, increase their competitiveness or ensure their sustainability and therefore, their future.

In this context, there has been a significant change in the role of higher education institutions in the Knowledge Society. Indeed, higher education institutions have undergone a remarkable evolution from their establishment in the Middle Ages to the present day. We are not referring to the advances in knowledge and the scientific and technological revolution that has dominated the last hundred years, but to changes in the roles that higher education institutions play in their society and, therefore, in the way they relate to their environment. Higher education institutions have evolved from the initial conception of a "community of professors and students dedicated to knowledge", to the model of a higher education institution that, while playing the previous role, must relate closely with various social stakeholders in their environment (e.g. businesses, government, communities), aiming to advance the process of social appropriation of knowledge, as well as its application in the revitalization of the productive sectors and to increase community wellbeing.

[1] In the broad sense, a university is understood to be an institution of higher education and in the Colombian context, it refers to higher education institutions that include professional technical, technological and university institutions or technological schools and universities. [2] Max Weber: The Politician and the Scientist; Madrid, Alianza, 1998.

context, it refers to higher education institutions that include professional technical, technological and university institutions or technological schools and universities. [2] Max Weber: The Politician and the Scientist; Madrid, Alianza, 1998. [3] Orlando Fals Borda (ed.): Participación Popular: Retos del Futuro [Participation of the People: Challenges for the Future]; Bogotá, COLCIENCIAS/IEPRI/ ICFES, 1998. These reports on the Second World Meeting on Participatory Action Research (PAR), held in Cartagena in 1997, analyze the performance history of this school since the First Meeting on this topic, also held in Cartagena in 1977. See also Orlando Fals Borda and Mahammad Anisar Rahman: Acción y Conocimiento: Cómo Romper el Monopolio con Investigación-Acción Participativa [Action and Knowledge: Breaking the Monopoly with Research]; Bogotá, CINEP, 1991.9

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

Historically, this projection of higher education institutions in their environment arises first in the social and human sciences, due to the role played in this field of knowledge by sci entists or intellectuals in their society, brilliantly analyzed by Max Weber at the end of the 21st century [2]. From this perspective arises the socalled "actionresearch", through which the researcher aims to insert themselves in a community or social s pace, not only to understand it better but also to improve it [3]. Knowledge is placed at the service of the community, which is aimed at generating value.

The projection of higher education institutions in their environment has accelerated in the last fo ur to five decades as a result of three complementary and mutually reinforcing factors. Firstly, the spectacular progress that has been made in some fields of knowledge (e.g. molecular biology, new materials, informatics, etc.) has dramatically shortened the distance between laboratory and production line. There used to be a "knowledge application gestation

as a result of three complementary and mutually reinforcing factors. Firstly, the spectacular progress that has been made in some fields of knowledge (e.g. molecular biology, new materials, informatics, etc.) has dramatically shortened the distance between laboratory and production line. There used to be a "knowledge application gestation cycle" of 15 to 50 years that separated basic research conducted in laboratories from its possible applications in the productive sector or in the commu nity, either as a new (final or intermediate) product, production process or service. Now, these cycles have been shortened to two or three years in some cases, due to the fact that the results and products of research in scientific laboratories very quick ly find applications of various kinds in the productive sector, or in solving social or environmental problems in their environment. The classic distinction between basic research, applied research and technological development is blurring and evolving tow ards interactive processes or virtuous spirals of generation and use of knowledge that enrich the latter.

Secondly, the impact of scientific progress has been enhanced by another important feature of the Knowledge Society or Knowledge Economy. We are moving from the era of production systems based eminently on physical and energy resources, to production systems based on knowledge, or whose efficiency and productivity depend on their capacity to generate and use knowledge. The latter has become a productio n factor that plays a fundamental role in solving social and environmental problems.

Thirdly, the problems of social development and sustainability of our society and its environment have increased, despite the remarkable progress of science and technology and the growing capacity to solve the problems generated thereby. The challenges faced today in terms of economic sustainability (creating jobs), social sustainability (ensuring development with social inclusion) and environmental sustainability (sustainable management of biodiversity and the environment) entail the unavoidable need to produce knowledge that is relevant to solving such problems, aiming to apply it to solve them in an innovative manner. In the context of these challenges, in 2015 UNESCO defined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serve as an important guide for the definition of the major goals of higher education in the world. The 2019 International Mission of the

to solving such problems, aiming to apply it to solve them in an innovative manner. In the context of these challenges, in 2015 UNESCO defined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serve as an important guide for the definition of the major goals of higher education in the world. The 2019 International Mission of the Wise identified three major challenges for the country's develop ment: Biodiverse Colombia, productive and sustainable Colombia, and equitable Colombia. Hence, higher education institutions, as places of confluence of different ways of getting to know and reflecting on society, preserve a close relationship with the productive systems, in addition to their place as centers of critical, open and essentially democratic thought, regardless of the processes of change in contemporary society, in which they themselves participate as direct stakeholders. Moreover, they preserve their character as a place where production and creativity are generated in the broadest of senses: that of sociological criticism, historical and philosophical research, artistic and cultural creativity and many others in which the relationship with the factors of production is not immediate.

This highlights the strategic role that knowledge plays in the contemporary world, and therefore the social responsibility of scientists and higher education institutions as institutions that play a leading role in the construction of a Knowledge Society with the capacity to address these challenges. But knowledge alone does not generate economic and social development if it does not give rise to innovation. Hence the importance of the latter. Innovation is understood as the application of knowledge to improve the living conditions or wellbeing of a community, to strengthen the productivity and competitiveness of a company or production chain, or to increase the effectiveness of public policies and the consolidation of civil society. In this perspective, innovation can be seen as the process by which society generates value from knowledge, by extracting economic and social benefits therefrom.10

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

REGULATORY

FRAMEWORK11

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality

accreditation of higher education institutions

REGULATORY

FRAMEWORK11

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

3. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

The 1991 Political Constitution of Colombia establishes that education is a personal right and a public service with a social role, and includes the freedoms of teaching, learning, research and the academia. It also ensures university autonomy, orders the State to strengthen scientific research in public and private higher education institutions, and to offer special conditions for their development; and, likewise, it assigns it with the obligation to provide financial mechanisms that enable the access of all eligible individuals to higher education.

Law 30/1992, in developing the duties and rights contained in the Constitution, defines the interest in promoting the quality of educational service as a guiding principle of the State's action; it defines the autonomy of the institutions according to their academic nature and the fields of action in which they are engaged; it reaffirms the nature of the public service of education and, therefore, the need for the State to promote, inspect and oversee it, in order t o ensure society that such service is provided in the necessary quantity and quality. It also places state or public higher education institutions in a special regime, defines their modes of organization and the election of their directors and establishes the teaching, administrative, financial, contracting and fiscal control regimes.

This law orders the organization of official institutions as a system; defines the regulations applicable to private higher education institutions; creates the National Accreditation System to ensure that the institutions that voluntarily become part of it meet the highest quality requirements and achieve its purposes and objectives; establishes the National Council of Higher Education (CESU) as the higher education planning and coordination body responsible for, among other roles, the implementation of the National Accreditation System and the definition of the functions and form of integration of the National Accreditation Council, a body also provided for in this law.

National Council of Higher Education (CESU) as the higher education planning and coordination body responsible for, among other roles, the implementation of the National Accreditation System and the definition of the functions and form of integration of the National Accreditation Council, a body also provided for in this law.

Article 7 of the aforementioned law establishes that the fields of action of higher education are: technical, scientific, technological, humanities, arts and philosophy. Articles 16 to 19 define professional technical institutions, university institutions or technological schools and universities. The programs they offer and the degrees they award will be in accordance with their nature, and the university institutions and universities were authorized to offer professional technical and technological programs.

Article 213 of Law 115/1994 defined technological institutions as those authorized to offer job training programs, academic training programs in disciplines and specialization programs in their respective fields of action.

Law 749/2002 organizes public hi gher education service at the technical, professional and technological levels, defines technical and technological higher education institutions and authorizes them to offer and provide academic programs up to the undergraduate level through preparatory cycles. This law enables students to switch between programs and institutions and establishes the requirements or assessment criteria for technical, professional and technological institutions to redefine or change their academic nature.

The same law establishes that "Professional technical and technological institutions, by their nature, are the higher education institutions called on to lead technical professional and technological training in the country, and to respond to the demand for this type of training with quality.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the professional technical and technological institutions may offer professional programs only through preparatory cycles, when they are based on the professional technical and technological training programs. To do so, they must have the qualification certification for each of the cycles that make up the program.

The certification granted to a program structured in preparatory cycles will be considered as a unit, where it is necessary for its operation to maintain the cycles as they were registered in the National System of Higher Education Information, SNIES [4]4.

program.

The certification granted to a program structured in preparatory cycles will be considered as a unit, where it is necessary for its operation to maintain the cycles as they were registered in the National System of Higher Education Information, SNIES [4]4.

[4] Article 11 of Law 749/2002, amended by Article 62 of Law 962/2005.12

Guidelines and aspects to be assessed for the high quality accreditation of higher education institutions

In 2008, Law 1188/April 25 was issued "By which the quali