5.2.1 DAY 0:  Reception of Accreditors

The three-day accreditation visit actually starts in day-0, i. e., late afternoon, a day before the visit, after gathering the accreditors at various points.

• They are received and billeted at the institution's guest house, or a nearby hotel, and are briefed on simple details, like the program of activities on the next day, opening program, etc.

• The Team holds its first meeting for two (2) very important purposes.  The first item in the Agenda is the organization of the Team for the work ahead, by:
  • defining roles of the Team Leader and the Members;
  • assignments of the members;
  • schedule of meetings, interviews, observations, visit to projects, etc;
  • working procedures.

• The second, and probably the more important purpose of the first meeting, is the evaluation of the SSR.  In this meeting, the Team:
  • surveys its tentative individual rating of the institution based on the Criteria, and register their individual findings on the strengths and weaknesses of the institution; and
  • agrees on what aspects of the SSR need validation and/or what additional data or information to gather.

5.2.2 DAY 1:  Preliminary Activities

Day 1 of the on-site visit holds the following activities:

• Courtesy call to the Head of the institution at 8:00 a.m. lasting for only about 10 minutes.  It is suggested that during this call:
  • the Team Leader introduces the members; and
  • the Accreditors wear appropriate attire, formal or semi-formal.

• A short Opening Program of about 45 minutes which:
  • may be extended by another 45 minutes, if the institution may want to showcase the country's traditional and artistic wealth;
  • shall be attended by the constituents of the institution especially the officials, faculty, and students;
  • the Team Leader will give a brief orientation on the process and activities during the visit.

• A short assembly attended jointly by all the Accreditors and the host institution officials, faculty and members of the SS Team will be held after the opening program preferably to be held at the Accreditation Center if it is spacious enough to accommodate the group.  The occasion will be held to:
  • provide a general orientation about the whole institution;
  • visit the campus, physical facilities, laboratories, library; and
  • agree on schedules.

• Gather additional data/information or validate those already collected by:
  • reviewing the files in the Accreditation Center;
  • conducting interviews with appropriate students, faculty, alumni, officials, and other stakeholders;
  • visiting research, extension and other projects;
  • observing classes and the operation of the library, laboratories and workshops; and observing student activities, faculty meetings, etc.; and
  • holding individual or group conferences.
  • Suggestions in undertaking this phase of activity:
    • The whole afternoon of the first day and the whole day of the second day shall be spent for this phase of the accreditation visit.
    • In data gathering, stay focused, i.e., know exactly what information you want to gather, and limit your questions to these information; manage your time very well.
    • Use the accreditation instrument and criteria.  
    • Your purpose is only to gather and verify information.  Do not argue, or engage in a debate.
    • Only the written recommendations in the final report will be recognized.  Do not make verbal recommendations during interviews or conferences. 

• The 2nd Team meeting will be held in the evening of the first day.  This meeting will:
  • be presided over by the Team Leader;
  • cover in the agenda:
    • comparison of notes related to the individual findings particularly on the strengths and weaknesses of the institution;
    • consensus on the emerging report;
    • identification of lacking details/information;
    • validation of individually gathered data/information;
    • any problems that are spoiling to the flow of  the accreditation process.
  • be swift, systematic and orderly to avoid prolonged and uninteresting discussions; 
  • wrap-up the first-day activities.

The institution is required to properly video document the on-site accreditation process as evidence of the actual on-site accreditation process taken place.

5.2.3 DAY 2: Validation of Data and Information

Day 2 will be devoted to continue the gathering/validation of data/information, analysis, and making the decision.  Specifically, this day will see the following activities:

• Gathering/validating data started during the previous day will be continued.

• Accreditors prepare their individual reports to be presented to the Team during its meeting in the later part of the day.  The individual reports are prepared by undergoing the following process:
  • consolidation and validation of the data/information;
  • analysis of the data/information;
  • rating based on the criteria, indicators and elements;
  • computing the Summary of Points;
  • identifying the findings (strengths and weaknesses) and making   recommendations.

• The most critical activity is the team meeting to make the decisions to compose the Accreditor's report.  Ordinarily, the Accreditor's report is produced through this process:
• The Team Leader presides over the meeting.
• The ratings and other decisions are discussed and decided criterion by criterion.
• The Team adopts a consensus in all ratings, comments, findings and recommendations, and the final decision to award, or not to award accredited status.  In short, the Accreditor's report is owned and produced by the members of the Team; it is not just the report of an individual Accreditor. 
• The individual Accreditor revises his reports on his respective criterion assignments to follow the Team decision.
• The Team Leader consolidates the report and re-writes it. 
• The Team Leader's final report must:
• be complete including the pro-forma report portion, summary of points, findings and recommendations, and the accomplished survey instrument;
• show consistency of findings and ratings;
• make recommendations that are suggestive rather than prescriptive;
• indicate very clearly that the recommendations are for implementation and evaluation in the next on-site visit.
• If additional data are still necessary, or in case there is still need for further validation, additional data gathering/validation may be made in following day.

5.2.4 DAY 3:  Finalization

Day 3 is devoted to the finalization of the Team Leader's report, consultation with the officials and faculty of the applicant institution, and concluding the three-day on-site visit.

• The exit conference may be the first major activity of the day.  It should be guided by the following guidelines:
  • It should be attended by the officials, the faculty, staff, and student representatives of the institution, and the Accreditors.
  • The purposes of the exit conference are to:
  • validate findings;
  • check the accuracy of information/data;
  • secure feedbacks.
  • It must be conducted in a professional manner as in any academic discussion.  There is no need to debate; if there are differences, these can be resolved by presenting evidence.
  • It must be moderated by the Team Leader, who must call on each Accreditor to present his part of the report.
  • The decision of the Team, particularly on the award or not to award accreditation status, must not be presented in the exit conference in as much as it will still be subject for review by a Committee for Final Recommendation and final approval by the APACC President.

• The Team should meet again after the exit conference to affirm, or to make revisions on the report, if necessary.

• At this point, before the closing program, it must be ascertained that all obligations are cleared, including, but not necessarily limited to the following:
  • reimbursement of travel expenses of all Accreditors;
  • payment of honoraria;
  • issuance of certificates of appearance and recognition; and
  • return of all materials particularly those borrowed from the Accreditation Center.

• The closing program will formally end the three-day on-site visit.  These are some guidelines in holding this final activity:
• The closing program shall be attended by the same constituents who were invited in the opening program, plus any other concerned or interested individuals or groups from the community.
• It must be brief, lasting not longer than one hour.
• All the Accreditors must attend the closing program, but there should be only one representative from the Accreditors' group, possibly the Team Leader, who will give a "talk" in the closing program.  He will confine his message to the following:
• general impressions on the institution (strength and areas for further improvement);
• commend all the good works in the preparation and management of the accreditation visit, and the participation of all who contributed to the activity;
• inform that the final decision will be formally communicated to the institution within one (1) month, in as much as the report will still be reviewed by a Committee for Final Recommendation, and approved by the APACC President;
• extend his word-of-thanks to the administration, faculty, officials, students, etc. who have played key roles in the visit; and
• on behalf of APACC, congratulate and thank the Accreditors for their remarkable work, patience and professionalism.