AKREDITASI UNTUK PENJAMINAN MUTU EKSTERNAL

Abstract

In an era of globalization and increasingly fierce competition, quality has become a key factor in determining the success of educational institutions or organizations. External quality assurance, particularly through accreditation, is crucial to ensuring that quality standards are met and even exceeded. Accreditation is an evaluation process by an independent body to determine whether an institution or program meets established standards. This process, encompassing data collection, document evaluation, and field visits for verification, serves as a measuring tool and a driver for improvement and innovation. In education, accreditation plays a crucial role in enhancing institutional credibility, facilitating international collaboration, and providing assurance to students and parents regarding educational standards. However, the accreditation process faces various challenges, including human resources, funding, and administrative complexity. A thorough understanding of the accreditation process and benefits is essential. This paper explains the definition of accreditation in external quality assurance, the urgency of accreditation, and its benefits as a quality assurance tool. Accreditation helps standardize educational quality, enhances public trust, encourages quality improvement, creates healthy competition, opens up opportunities for financial support, increases graduate mobility and recognition, and enhances transparency and accountability. Thus, accreditation plays a crucial role in ensuring quality education and widespread recognition.