Accreditation Process
The Accreditation processes of the Global Accreditation Council are aimed at:
Accreditation Steps
1
Complete the Global Accreditation Council Impact Assessment. This assesses the extent to which your learning programs contribute to the GAC goals of a regenerative and equitable society and planet.
2
Complete the Global Accreditation Council Quality Assessment. This assessment uses the independent Online Learning Consortium quality scorecards. If you already have accreditation from a recognised accreditation body or you have just ended it within a month, then your GAC Quality Assessment is waived for one year.
3
If you successfully complete the assessments, you become a member of the GAC for a free trial period of 6 months. After that period you and the GAC decide if you are to continue with paid membership. Should you fall short on either or both of the assessments, you may review your offerings and processes and reapply when you are ready. There is no application fee.
1. Email the GAC at info@globalaccreditationcouncil.org to start the GAC Impact Assessment. Or, navigate to the website and select, “Apply.” (Or, find it directly as this link. The GAC Impact assessment is used to determine if GAC Membership is right for you. Upon completion of the GIA, you will be approved to begin the membership assessment process within one week. If you are not approved, a GAC Administrator will provide guidance for what is needed to become eligible for membership.
2. Complete the Impact Assessment google form.
3. GAC will then respond to you by email within one week with the outcome of your eligibility assessment
4. If your Impact Assessment is approved, you will receive email invites from the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) with links to the two main membership assessments. If you are expecting the email and it has not arrived, please check your spam folder.
5. Click here for an instructional video on the use of the OLC assessments
6. The first time you click on the access link in the emails, you will have to set up an account on the OLC platform. Make sure to use the same email to which you received the invitation.
7. The first time, you may be taken to your profile. Click on “Scorecard Portal” on the lefthand menu bar, where you will find the two assessments.
8. For future access, bookmark your scorecard in your web browser, or click on Accept Invitation in the email invitation – it then takes you directly to the assessment.
9. If you ever get directed to your profile, you can find your scorecards at Scorecard Portal on the left. They should be called GAC Assessment 1 or 2 with your organization’s name after it. To see each scorecard, you will need to click on the link in each email and accept the invite on the website:
10. Each assessment has multiple sections. To access & complete a section, click on the blue section title on the left.
11. The section will expand. To edit a section click on the pen symbol on the right:
12. To complete the section, select the Scoring Rubric that is the best reflection of the current state in your organization and type in your answer to the Answer box.
13. Should a section not be relevant to you, then do not select a Rubric and explain in the answer box why it isn’t relevant. Should you wish more people to have access to the assessments so they can complete different sections or answers, please send us their emails and we will add them as co-authors. Note that the purpose of these assessments is primarily to assure a basic level of quality, but also to encourage learning and development of GAC members. Please answer them honestly and in that spirit. This process should serve you as much as it serves us.
14. Make sure to submit any evidence of your statements as links to pages in the text or as screenshots / files. We are looking for examples of the items that you describe in your answer. You can upload at the bottom of the form:
15. When you have completed a section, click on either Save Changes (which will save and leave you in this section) or Save & Continue which will save and move you on to the next section:
16. Remember that if you get directed to your profile, you can find your scorecards at Scorecard Portal on the left. They should be called GAC Assessment 1 or 2 with your organization’s name after it. To see each scorecard, you will need to click on the link in each email and accept the invite on the website:
17. Once both assessments have been completed, please send an email to info@globalaccreditation.org informing us of the completion. We will review the assessments and get back to you within 4 weeks.