The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) presented its fi rst “Recognition of Awarding Body” Certifi cate to the

Certifi ed Management Accountants (Nova Scotia, Bermuda and the Caribbean) on November 26, 2010.

Ms Yvonne Walkes, Chairman of BAC presented the Certifi cate to Ms. Nancy Foran, CEO of the Certifi ed Management Accountants (CMA) who expressed gratitude and appreciation during her brief acceptance speech.Ms Walkes, in her Remarks, focussed on the importance of the recognition an awarding body and the qualifi cations that it awards. The Chairman provided reassurance to the public and prospective students that because of the recognition status of the CMA as an awarding body, “learners can be assured that they have access to a qualifi cation from

“Your Gateway to Global Recognition”

Awarding Body Recognized BY BARBADOS ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (BAC)

Pictured from left to right: Mrs Sharon Thomas-Alleyne, Executive Director (Ag), BAC; Mr Andre Bellefeuille, Director of Marketing and Business Development , CMA; Ms Yvonne Walkes, Chairman, BAC; Ms Nancy Foran, CEO, CMA and Mr Kenneth Walters, Deputy Chairman, BAC

Chai

DECEMBER 2010, Vol.4 No. 1

Chairman’s Word 2

From the Desk of the Executive Director 3

Off-shore Medical Schools in B’dos 4

BAC News 5

CBET Curriculum Workshop 9

Around the World 11

Crystal Clear 12

WHAT’S INSIDE:

vem

WHAT’S IN

CHAIRMAN’S WORD

responsibility for assuring the quality and integrity of post-secondary/tertiary education and training in Barbados. Our mandate includes:

advising on the recognition • of foreign based institutions and their awards;enhancing the quality of • post-secondary and tertiary education and training in Barbados; andproviding to the public, • information on the quality and recognition of programmes of study and institutions.

The BAC does not take this responsibility lightly. We have therefore undertaken a number of activities to ensure that this mandate is achieved. The recognition of awarding bodies is one such activity geared towards achieving this goal.

The term “recognition” is defi ned as the formal acknowledgement by a competent authority of the appropriateness of a foreign qualifi cation, which enables the qualifi cation holder to access educational and/or employment activities in the receiving country.1 Recognition by an

1 Criteria and Guidelines: Evaluation of For-eign Qualifi cations-South Africa, http://www.logos-net.net/ilo/195_base/en/init/sa_19.htm

authorised agency such as the BAC, will give learners and the wider national community greater confi dence in the validity of the qualifi cation they intend to or are currently pursuing. It also signals to the international post-secondary or tertiary education and training community our commitment as a nation, to the provision of the highest quality post-secondary or tertiary education and training programmes, which will provide value for money.

The recognition of the CMA signifi es that this organisation has met the standards of quality established by the Barbados Accreditation Council for awarding bodies. Learners can be assured that they have access to a qualifi cation from an organisation that is recognised nationally, regionally, and extra-regionally. They can also be assured that they are acquiring the same skills, expertise and competencies as learners pursuing the same programme in the awarding body’s home country of Canada. Recognition status signifi es that the BAC will recognise CMA’s accredited qualifi cations which are delivered by registerededucation and training providers in Barbados. Therefore, as an awarding body recognised by the BAC, the CMA is now eligible to submit its qualifi cations to the

Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman

Continued on page 8

It was indeed a great pleasure and milestone in our history in this region and in the life of the

Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) when the BAC granted recognition status as an awarding body to the Certifi ed Management Accountants (Nova Scotia, Bermuda and the Caribbean).

I will focus on the importance of the recognition, particularly as it relates to the recognition of an awarding body and the qualifi cations it awards. The BAC is the sole government agency with qqisis t

2

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

QUALITY MATTERS!

government agencies - that beforeinvesting time and money that they should seek the services of the Council where advice can be given on the recognition of foreign-based institutions and their programmes of study. The Council has sought to take additional measures by providing some links to competent recognition agencies on its website at www.bac.gov.bb. Notwithstanding the challenges of cross border education, the World Conference on Higher Education in July, 2009 agreed that that this mode of delivery in higher education can make a signifi cant contribution provided “(UNESCO, 2009). Local tertiary educational providers that are in the process of or/are currently offering programmes of study/courses via virtual/distance education are also advised that they should::

Choose appropriate media and offer balance in their use;Carefully time the provision of guidance to students, the level of skills development and amount and positioning of interactivity in a course;Manage the quality of interactive learning;Plan student and staff work- loads carefully;Provide a high level of support; Allocate more time for research and development and for innovation in teaching because of the complexity and expense of virtual education; andDevelop effective quality assurance mechanisms that will

Continued on page 9

Assuring the quality of tertiary educational provision in

Barbados continues to be the primary focus of the Barbados Accreditation Council. At the end of December, the Council had registered twenty-six (26) tertiary educational providers; commenced its accreditation programme; recognized one awarding body and the qualifi cations which it offers, namely the Certifi ed Management Accountants (CMA) of Nova Scotia, Bermuda and the Caribbean and provided support and assistance to tertiary providers through mechanisms such as developmental workshops and site visits.Like the rest of the world, the Barbados Accreditation Council is seeking to address the challenges posed by cross border education1

such as fraudulent providers and degree mills. We are urging members of the public - prospective students, employers, professional bodies,

1 “Cross border education includes higher education that takes placed in situa-tions where the teacher, student, programme, institution/provider or course materials cross national jurisdictional borders. Cross border higher education may include higher educa-tion by public/private and not-for-profi t/for profi t providers. It encompasses a wide range of modalities, in a continuum from face-to-face (taking various forms such as students travelling abroad and campuses abroad) to distance”(UNESCO/OECD, 2006)

ality tt wiwiwiilllll

99993

pvisits.Like the rest Barbados Accseeking to adposed by crossuch as frauddegree mills. Wof the public -employers, p

1 “Cross higher education ttions where the teainstitution/providenational jurisdictiohigher education mtion by public/privprofi t providers. Itof modalities, in aface (taking variotravelling abroad distance”(UNESC

an organisation that is recognised nationally, regionally, and extra-regionally” and that learners “can also be assured that they are acquiring the same skills, expertise and competencies as learners pursuing the same programme in the awarding body’s home country of Canada.”In closing, Ms Walkes challenged the CMA “to continue striving towards excellence in the provision of the CMA Professional Programme qualifi cation, which have brought the CMA to this point” of recognition by the BAC. The “Recognition of Awarding Body” service by the BAC examines the awarding body’s quality assurance systems against specifi c criteria, which must be met in order to be granted the Certifi cate of Recognition. The three (3) broad criteria statements under which the standards fall are as follows:

Governance: • The awarding body’s corporate governance, strategic aims, objectives and policies are appropriate and are understood by all who refer to them,Quality Enhancement: • The awarding body has developed and implemented a robust quality framework that ensures a quality product is delivered to the candidates. The awarding body and its staff are committed to a quality culture of continuous improvement through review and evaluation, andAdministration and Support: • The awarding body’s administrative and support arrangements have been designed to reduce bureaucracy, are responsive to stakeholders needs, and are cost effective. The awarding body continually reviews its qualifi cation provision to ensure it has, and deploys, suffi cient resources to administer and support its qualifi cation provision.

Continued from Front page (cont’d)ued from Front page (cont’d)

COVER STORY

Interchange Language Institute founded in 1972, is the oldest, smallest, private, language school in

Barbados, registered with the Ministry of Education and the Barbados Accreditation Council. English and Spanish are taught exclusively as foreign languages. Interpreting and translating are offered in these two languages only.

ENGLISH ~ Foreign students have come from as far afi eld as: China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium and from this hemisphere: Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Over the years, it has been proved that there is no better advertisement than ‘word of mouth’.

VISION STATEMENT ~ “The ultimate aim of the school is for the students to experience a true INTERCHANGE of ideas, a sharing of knowledge and an understanding of the language and culture.” In addition to their English language tuition, the students enjoy cultural / tourist activities: visits to the museum, the Concorde Experience, Island Safari, Segway, catamaran outings, etc.

SPANISH ~ These courses are specifi cally designed towards promoting a better understanding of the language and communicating with our Latin American neighbours.

FOCUS ON REGISTERED EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS FOCUS ON REGISTEREFOCUS ON REGISTERE

4

The Barbados Association of Offi ce Professionals (BAOP) is very conscious of the need for ongoing

professional training for its members and the wider administrative community. To this end, a standing Education Committee is chosen every year to oversee the education arm of the Association. This year, at each of our meetings this committee under the chairmanship of Mrs Sandra Griffi th-Carrington presented topical and enlightening subject matters to cater to the internal training needs of our members. We were pleased to host Attorney-at-Law, Ms Shaunita Jordan giving some tips on Debating Techniques and Guidance Counselor, Mrs Margaret Grant sharing insights from her book A Survival Kit For Students.

The BAOP’s annual conference held from 25-26 February 2010 catered to Administrative Professionals across Barbados and we were privileged to hear from many distinguished persons like Rev McAthin Hinds, Mrs Rosalind Jackson and Dr. Hensley Sobers, who engaged participants in thought provoking and meaningful discussions.

International Certifi cation is one of our goals and we continue to offer the Certifi ed Professional Secretary (CPS) Certifi cate to persons who have had at least 5 years experience in the administrative fi eld. This course is sponsored by the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) and the program is in the process of being upgraded to the Certifi ed Administrative Professional (CAP) status. Effective November 2011, all persons who presently

The staff consists of a mother and daughter duo: Jocelyn Hunte, RIT (founder/director/tutor/interpreter/translator) with 40 years bilingual experience; and Deborah Marshall, EFL Dip (deputy director/tutor/translator) with 20 years experience. There is also seasonal part-time staff.All teachers are dedicated professionals who enthusiastically co-ordinate teaching

strategies, students’ projects and assignments.

The contact details for Interchange Language Institute are:

Telephone / Fax: (246) 435–7481Website: www.interchangebds.orgEmail: interchange_bdos@hotmail.com

hold the CPS designation and have been recertifi ed with the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) will be rebranded and will automatically be allowed to use the CAP designation.

FOCUS ON REGISTERED EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS ERED EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS ERED EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS

BAOP’s Chairman of Programmes Planning Veronica King expressed thanks to Mrs. Grant for her presentation to the BAOP members 5

ENLIGHTENING

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

During the past 6 months, the BAC participated in a number of educational

fairs geared towards providing information for prospective students wishing to pursue tertiary education.

On August 13 and 14, staff of the BAC mounted the booth at Norman’s Centre’s Career Fair.

The two day event saw a steady fl ow of weekend traffi c, comprising mostly of adults seeking general information for pursuing education and training at local educational providers, some of whom were also present at the Career Fair. In the picture at left, Ms Valda Alleyne provides empowering information to safe guard prospective students from

enrolling in institutions that are not recognized by the BAC.

In the month of November, the BAC attended the other three fairs.

On November 2 and 3, the International College Fair was held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC). Over 30 local and international colleges and universities were present exhibiting their offerings to dozens of secondary school students, their parents and the general public.

The A-Neesh College Advising and Academic Planning Expo was held on Saturday, November 6 also at the LESC. The free event was packaged as a ‘one-stop shop for college advising’ for fi nding the right programme/university

and online/distance p r o g r a m m e s , v e r i f y i n g accreditation and fi nancial planning. Following on the heels of the International College Fair from during the week, one would have expected a larger turn out. However, the small crowd was offered a number of services

ranging from insurance to advising and counselling for those persons interested in pursuing tertiary education/training.

Ms Valda Alleyne delivered a powerpoint presentation on the dangers of fraudulent qualifi cations, which was readily received by the audience. Ms Sheena Alleyne, the host of the event said that the presentation “was really great and the information provided left alot of persons with more food for thought.”

The St Michael School hosted its annual Motivational Seminar geared at the fi fth formers on November 11.

The whole-day event, held at Mpower Conference Centre saw a number of presentations and exhibitions from various tertiary educational providers, businesses and the Barbados Guidance Counselors Association offering their services/products and advising the students on their intended study/career pursuits.

Executive Director, Ms Valda Alleyne provides empowering information to safe guard prospective students from enrolling in institutions that are not recognized by the BAC 6

Each presenter was given the task of delivering a 5-minute power presentation in which they would inform, motivate and/or persuade the students regarding the services/educational programmes offered. The students were treated to interludes of inspirational, up-beat music between each presentation, which helped to build the ‘hype’ and charge the atmosphere.

Information Offi cer, Ms Katrina Ifi ll of the BAC making her 5-minute power-presentation on the dangers of fraudulent qualifi cations at the Motivational Seminar of the St Michael School

Students gathered around the BAC exhibition table

The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) hosted its fi rst Open Day on November 12, 2010.

The event attracted members of the public who were treated to manicures by Sab-Shan-Sadie School of Beauty and Salon, blood and sugar tests by the Diabetes Association of Barbados and were offered information for pursuing tertiary education. The Barbados Cancer Society’s Mobile Breast Unit was also on location offering their valued service and counseling.

A number of registered/recognized educational

providers exhibited their courses and offered one-on-one advice to the public. These providers included REA Envirohealth

International, Personal Body Health Care Clinic & School of Holistic Therapies, Insurance Institute of Barbados, Sab-Shan-Sadie School of Beauty and Salon, Pinnacle Safety Solutions and University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

The BAC is looking forward to next year’s event which promises to offer more for the public and exhibitioners.

The event was sponsored by Purity Bakeries, Pine Hill Dairy and WIBISCO, and had excellent media coverage.

BAC OPEN DAY & EXHIBITION

7

These two workshops were designed institutions to examine their operations with a view to improvement.

Each day of the Conference and Meeting introduced participants to innovative ideas for bringing about positive changes in the management of Tertiary Education Institutions and Programmes. Many were confi dent that such ideas could be adapted an improved upon at their organisations.

Also during the Conference the ‘new’ CANQATE website funded by GIQAC was launched.

The Conference ended with the much anticipated Student Forum which was attended by both secondary and tertiary students across Trinidad and Tobago. This was conducted as two concurrent panel discussions on ‘What Role Should the State Play in Determining the Direction of Education?’ and The Role of students in Decision Making in Higher Education Institutions?’ Panellists included practitioners in the fi eld as well as student body representatives.

At the end presenters and participants agreed that the Caribbean region has the capability and capacity to develop a competitive education system. All look forward to the 8th Annual CANQATE International Conference and Meeting to be held in the Bahamas in 2011.

Extracted from INQAAHE Bulletin, December 2010

BAC for accreditation.

To produce a globally competitive post-secondary or tertiary educational system in Barbados, the provision of high quality educational programmes of study and courses that can effectively compete based on international standards, remains a focal point for the Barbados Accreditation Council. It saddens my heart when I hear about graduates who have been unable to get a job or access higher levels of education because the qualifi cation they possess was not issued by a recognised awarding body neither is it accredited. Therefore, the Barbados Accreditation Council continues to work assiduously to ensure that learners have access to recognised and accredited qualifi cations. We therefore take this opportunity to encourage other awarding bodies to step forward for recognition by the Barbados Accreditation Council.

Continued from page 2

CHAIRMAN’S WORDCHAIRMAN’S WORD

The Caribbean was at its best during November 23rd - 26th when the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) hosted the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education (CANQATE) 7th Annual International Conference Meeting at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Trinidad and Tobago. The theme of this year’s conference “Continuously Enhancing the Quality of Higher Education for Global Competitiveness”; generated lively discussions as presenters shared valuable information on best practice in quality assurance and tertiary education, while creating a nexus with academic trends globally.

“Anxious”, “Excited”, and “Eager” were some of the adjectives that can be used to describe the feelings of participants during the Pre-Conference Workshop facilitated by Dr. David A. Wissman. Participants were thrilled to hear from an expert on “Effective Governance and Administration at Higher Education Institutions.”

The Conference also feature Institutional workshops entitled “After Self Study, What Next?” and “Big Quality for Small Institution”, which were led by Dr. Sandra Gift, Senior Programme Offi cer of the University of the West Indies, and Dr. Ruby Alleyne, Vice President Quality Assurance and

Institutional Advancement of the University of Trinidad

and Tobago, respectively.

CANQATE’SCANQATE’S

THE 7TH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN AREA NETWORK FOR

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN TERTIARY EDUCATION

CONFERENCE

InPres

II

8

Continued from page 3

regularly provide feedback, and take action on the results of evaluation studies. (UNESCO/IAU, 2002)

As we come to the close of another year, on behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Barbados Accreditation Council, I wish to extend best wishes for a healthy, prosperous and productive 2010.

Valda V. Alleyne

ReferencesUnited Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)/International Association of Universities (IAU) (2002), “Globalization and the Market in Higher Education: Quality, Accreditation and Qualifi cations”, UNESCO Publishing, ParisUNESCO/OECD (2006), “Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border Higher Education”, Paris, UNESCO

d f

QUALITY

MATTERS!

Mission Statement

“To be a high quality

provider of registration,

accreditation and related

services in post-secondary

and tertiary education and

training in Barbados and

beyond.”

The Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Ter-tiary Education (CANQATE) launched its new website dur-ing the Annual CANQATE Conference 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The website was designed to meet best practice standards as stipulated by the Interna-tional Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in High-er Education (INQAAHE) of which CANQATE is a mem-ber. The website promises

One day website training in Trinidad for the CANQATE website

{Webs i t e T ra in ing }

CANQATE

to be more user-friendly, interactive (with discussion boards) and current.

Selected representatives from the regional Quality Assurance Agencies were trained in November in Trinidad in preparation for the launch and maintenance of the website.

The website was built by Espirit Consultants Ltd in Trinidad and Tobago, and the address is www.canqate.org

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10

AROUND THE WORLD

14 December 2010

Three people were jailed yesterday for a total of 18.5 years for setting up

bogus colleges to help illegal immigrants remain in the UK, following an investigation by our London immigration crime team.

Husband and wife Tiamiyu and Christiana Bello, aged 75 and 67, were arrested following a raid on a property on New Cross Road in south London in July 2007.

Registered to the address were the ‘Academic College of Education’ and the ‘Academic College of Training and Recruitment’, institutions for which the Bellos were the principals.

Offi cers soon discovered that the building was a collection

of bedsits and there was no evidence of lessons being taught there.During a search a large number of documents were seized, including letters purporting to be from the ‘Academic College of Education’ and counterfeit qualifi cation certifi cates.

39-year-old solicitor Adeyinka Adeniran was later arrested following a search of his offi ce on Old Kent Road. Many of the fi les seized from that address contained documentation from the Bellos’ college.

Their scam, which continued for several years prior to their arrest, involved the supply of fake qualifi cation documents which were then used to support visa applications to the Home Offi ce. Many applicants were then represented by Adeniran through his legal practice.

Following an 11 week trial at Croydon Crown Court, Tiamiyu and Christiana Bello were found guilty of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration and conspiracy to possess articles for use in fraud. They were both sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Adeniran was found guilty of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. Described by the judge as a ‘disgrace to his profession’, he was sentenced to 8.5 years behind bars.

Extracted from News from Accredibase, January 2011 issue

Source: http://www.ukba.homeoffi ce.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2010/dec/38jailed-over-bogus-college-scam

JAILED OVER BOGUS

COLLEGE SCAM

11

CERTIFICATION

The process by which an agency or an association acknowledges the achievement of established quality standards and usually grants certain privileges to the target individual (student or teacher)Competencies

A specifi c and measurable pattern of behaviours and knowledge that generates or predicts a high performance level in a given position or context of responsibilities. They account for the identifi cation and application of ideas and solutions in order to solve problems with maximum effi ciency and minimum use of resources.

COGNITIVE COMPETENCIES

Skills that contribute to the objectives of individual knowledge development, also serving as individual protective factors contributing to successful adaptation. These may include competencies like: reasoning, information-gathering, information analysis, systems-thinking and pattern recognition, theory building, problem-solving, decision-making, planning and goal-setting.

CRITERIA

Checkpoints or benchmarks determining the attainment of certain objectives and/or standards. Criteria describe to a certain degree of detail the characteristics of the requirements and conditions to be met (in order to meet a standard) and therefore provide the (quantitative and qualitative) basis on which an evaluative conclusion is drawn.

Source: UNESCO’s 2007 Quality Assurance and Accreditation: A Glossary of Basic Terms and Defi nitions; Bucharest, Romania.

CRYSTALCLEAR

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