ACADEMIC QUALITY FROM THE MODELS AND PROCESSES OF ACCREDITATION IN LATIN AMERICAN

Condezo G.¹, Robayo Torres A.L.²

¹Latin American Center for Development of Physical Therapy and Kinesiología- CLADEFK, South America Region WCPT, Lima, Peru, ²Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia

Background: The fundamental purpose of academic program accreditation processes is to assure the quality of education systems, institutions and academic programs. In Latin America, there are specialized agencies (government, private or mixed nature organizations) to regulate these processes. Accreditation policies have been accepted by institutions of higher education, which is evident in the increasing number of Physical Therapy/Kinesiology programs that have been accredited or entered the accreditation process in recent years, which although not implying the absence of criticism of the process, means that institutions and programs have accepted the administrative and governmental requirements. However, a systematic analysis to identify the impact of the processes of self-assessment, evaluation and accreditation by external peers on academic quality was not found.
The purpose of this study is to inquire about the underlying hegemonies of the processes of accreditation in each country, and how they have really affected academic quality, characterizing in this way, the realities and disagreements, and the effects of these processes on higher education, especially training processes in Physical Therapy/Kinesiology in Latin America.

Purpose: To analyze the models and hegemonies underlying the processes of Accreditation of Physical Therapy/Kinesiology educational programs in the region, in order to set up common guidelines for the quality assurance and accreditation of programs.

Methods: Qualitative research through Discussion Groups. Information was obtained from three sources: A structured Guide (developed by CLADEFK Regional Committee) with the purpose of analyzing academic quality and accreditation processes; 7 Discussion Groups, with the participation of 45 participants/faculty members, representing 10 countries of the region, carried out in the ELA-2016 meeting in Buenos Aires; Plenary of academics in the ELA-2016. The Regional CLADEFK Committee acted as compiler of the information.

Results: The importance of the accreditation process is recognized for Physical Therapy / Kinesiology programs in Latin American countries in order to improve the quality of programs and report the achievements of these processes to society; the importance of peer evaluators to act assertively for quality assurance and respect of the autonomy and context of each program is highlighted.

Conclusion(s): It is recognized that the accreditation process, despite being relevant to academic quality assurance programs, has some drawbacks, such as the absence of specific guidelines for accreditation of programs of Physical Therapy/Kinesiology; it is emphasized that the role of an evaluator pair may not meet personal criteria or interests; assurance elements are desirable to ensure the transparency of the accreditation process; it is required that peer evaluators are trained for process standardization; it is desirable to make overtures to governmental and non-governmental organizations to coordinate the accreditation processes in each country.

Implications: CLADEFK is committed to providing continuity to these discussions, encouraging the creation and sustained work of inter-university networks, and working to achieve consensus on issues that the region has identified as priorities for physical therapy in the region.

Funding acknowledgements: Latin American Center for Development of Physical Therapy and Kinesiología- CLADEFK

Topic: Education: continuing professional development

Ethics approval: Ethics approval was not required

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.