EDUCATION AND TRAINING INITIATIVE
EDUCATION AND TRAINING INITIATIVE
EATI ACCREDITATION
The Association of Professional Recording Services has a scheme for the Industry Accreditation of courses that have a relevance to our industry. This scheme was initiated by APRS, "piloted" in 1998 and is now available nationally. The purpose of the scheme is to create a system whereby our industry can give support and advice to educational and training institutions.
THE FUNCTION OF THE ACCREDITATION BOARD
Accreditation of an academic or training course by an appropriate trade body is primarily an indicator that such a course, when completed successfully, will meet the expectations agreed by the membership of that body. Accreditation will indicate to employers the standard of knowledge and expertise that can be expected from a prospective employee who has completed the course.
Accreditation gives potential students assurance of the course's integrity and worth and enhances the credibility of the educational establishment at which it is conducted. It is also a means by which the industry can support education and training.
For this reason the board sees accreditation as a supportive process and not a judgmental mechanism.
The constituent member bodies of the Accreditation Board have combined their experience and expertise to bring a concerted and rigorous approach to the accreditation process, making it beneficial to academia, students, industry and the music industry professions generally.
Accreditation will apply to courses that have components in either or all of:
Only courses validated by a recognised validation authority will be considered for accreditation. Courses that have not been so validated must apply to such an authority and be granted validation before accreditation can be applied for, although accreditation can be processed concurrently with validation.
Accreditation will be in line with emerging National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications and practical aspects of the course will reflect these standards.
The Accreditation Board, having taken the recommendation of its assessors will accredit courses under various categories, which are outlined below.
These are under three main headings
As representatives of the contributing trade and professional bodies the board recognises that validation and accreditation are distinct operations and that there will be a difference in emphasis between them.
Validation can be looked upon as being concerned mainly with academic standards and keeping of the rules of the validating body. Industrial accreditation is concerned not only with the course content but also with the environment in which the course is delivered and the professional outlook and experience of those who deliver it.
Accreditation will be considered in relation to the employment needs of the associations� members (this includes the needs of self-employed and freelance personnel).
The criteria for accreditation have been set and agreed by the Board of Directors of the institutions, after consultation with the organisations� members, academics and working professionals in the industry.
The assessors trained by the organisation and the accreditation panel members are working professionals with the experience and knowledge to evaluate the industrial relevance of a course and whether a course is delivering and able to deliver on its promises.
Should any institution apply for accreditation and be refused initially or subsequently the Board will accept no responsibility for any outcomes of this refusal.
However, having received recommendations the Board will wish to avoid being prescriptive to educational establishments but will hope to encourage initiatives in course design, provided that a clear educational objective is identified and a related teaching policy is evident. In this way the industry can support educational institutions.
It may be necessary, to indicate where improvements could be made to the course structure or content.
Accreditation may be conditional on the board being assured that these improvements are being implemented.
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