Accreditation and the Role of the Academic Library in Undergraduate, Graduate, and Other Teaching Programs (Adult, Community, Distance Education)

Accreditation and the Role of the Academic Library in Undergraduate, Graduate, and Other Teaching Programs (Adult, Community, Distance Education)

Abstract of Accreditation and the Role of the Academic Library in Undergraduate, Graduate, and Other Teaching Programs (Adult, Community, Distance Education)

This paper examines the process of accreditation exercise at Fountain University, indicating the role of library in the exercise, in compliance with the National Universities Commission’s definition of accreditation. Emphasis was on the library holdings, quantity and quality of materials and their currency.

The accreditation exercise indicates that the institution maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are, consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees it offers. Based upon reasoned judgment, the process stimulates evaluation and improvement, while providing a means of continuing accountability to the public. This study seeks to provide an insight in to the accreditation exercise at fountain university, Osogbo, with a view to sharing experiences of the library as the integral part of the institution. The paper thus concluded that the statement of Fountain University accreditation status with the NUC is also an affirmation that the institution ispersistently committed to the Commission’s principles and philosophy of accreditation.

Keywords: Accreditation,

Academic library, National Universities Commission,Fountain University Introduction Accreditation is a process of self-study and external quality review used in higher education toscrutinize an institution and/or its programs for quality standards and need for quality improvement. ditation, and whether it is achieving its mission and stated objectives The process usually includes a self evaluation, peer review and a site visit. Accreditation standards and guidelines in Nigeria educational system is aimed at strengthening programs for quality assurance and quality improvement. It is a process that aids institutions in developing and sustaining effective educational programs and assures the educational community, the general public, and other organizations that the accredited institution has met high standards of quality and effectiveness. Accreditation of the university programmes and subsequent standardization across the tertiary institutions nationwide by the N.U.C remain substantively superficial especially in the absence of a mechanism to ascertain or ensure that the prescribed programmes are implemented by competent and qualified personnel both in the administrative and academic sectors of the university, according to l aid down criteria. Institutional accreditation has to incorporate both internal self assessment and external judgments . While it is very necessary that there should be certain minimum standards agreed upon and which guide the operations of institutions of similar status nationwide , it is equally desirable that recognition is given to the internal peculiarities of each (Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and School, 2001) Therefore, the process of accreditation should provide a means of recognizing some levels of performance, quality and integrity which engenders confidence from the public and the broad educational community. A perceived belief is that accreditation is purported to provide quality assessment which is

monitored by bodies assessing quality in post secondary education, including governmental agencies and professional associations. (Enser, 2002) It is also believed that the process of accreditation is undertaken in order to evaluate an institution or programs against some (usually not clearly articulated) minimally acceptable standards which protect the institutions themselves, their students and the public.

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Brief History Of Fountain UniversityFountain University is owned by Nasrul-Lahi-Il-Fatih Society of Nigeria (

NASFAT); a leading Islamic Society in Nigeria. Fountain University is committed to the total development of men and women imbued with high academic, Islamic moral and ethical values in an enabling environment, through appropriate teaching,