User guide (data fields)
Our user guide outlines the function of each field within the Accreditation tool and explains some common terms.
Genre
Use this drop-down menu to select accreditation for a programme, course or school.
Professional bodies
Accrediting body
This describes the professional body that provides the accreditation. Make your selection from the dynamic list.
Accreditation type
HESA provides this list of codes and their corresponding descriptions, and recording this information is a requirement of the KIS return.
Accreditation type information is only required for undergraduate programmes: leave this field blank for postgraduate programmes.
Many of the listed professional bodies provide a number of accreditations which can differ only very slightly, so take your time and choose carefully.
For example, the Nursing & Midwifery Council might recognise half-a-dozen accreditations that meet academic requirements for registration as a qualified nurse, but you will need to make a selection from a list of nursing specialisms, such as adult, child, mental health or learning disabilities.
Accreditation dependency URL
Record this information only if the accreditation is dependent on course choice.
The required information will most likely be a link to a webpage or document that defines the conditions of a programme’s accreditation.
Accreditation status
Date attained
This describes the date when the accreditation was attained or will be valid from.
Date expires
This describes the date of expiry for the accreditation (typically five years after selection).
Once this date has passed, the accreditation record is considered ‘expired’. If re-accredited, a new accreditation record must be created to replace it.
Date of next review
If there is an external review point during the accreditation period, record the date in this field.
Date reviewed
Once an external review has passed, enter the date in this field.
Notes
Add any comments in this field that you feel would be useful to other colleagues who might view this record, for example notes on how to access supporting information such as correspondence or decisions and approaches pertaining to an accreditation.
Status
Use this field to describe the status of an accreditation in relation to its review processes.
Choose one of the following four values:
In progress: this is a new record’s default value. Select if a record is required and accreditation has not yet been formally achieved.
Under review: select if your accreditation is currently under internal or external review.
Complete: select if accreditation has been achieved and is current, or has passed an initial review.
New being sought: select if the accreditation is about to expire and the record is to be replaced.
Outcome
Use this field to indicate the level of an accreditation: a programme can have ‘full’ or ‘partial’ accreditation or be ‘recognised’.
If you wish to create a record for an undergraduate programme, include this information in the ‘accreditation type’ field (see ‘Accreditation type’, above): recording this information is a requirement of the KIS return.
Although ‘accreditation type’ can be left blank for postgraduate programmes, it is essential that you record an ‘outcome’, as this type of data is used in other external reports and statutory returns.
When you create a new record, the default ‘status’ will be ‘in progress’ and the default ‘outcome’ will be blank. This enables you to create a record in advance of a professional body’s official communication of accreditation. It also maintains a record of the accreditation process which must be included in our annual PSRB report to the Scottish Funding Council.
If you wish to create a new record for an existing accreditation you must immediately edit the record and update the values in the ‘status’ and ‘outcome’ fields.
Request extra fields
If you require additional ‘professional bodies’ or ‘accreditation types’, contact our team.