TEAM LEADER

It is the Team Leader's responsibility to create an atmosphere in which critical professional discussion can take place, where opinions can be freely and courteously exchanged, and in which justice and clarity prevail. The tone of the audit, and much of its success, depend on the Team Leader's enabling the team to do its work as a team rather than as a set of individuals, and also to bring out the best in those whom the team meets.

During the On-Site Visit:

1. At the start of each group meeting, the Team Leader should welcome the group and may introduce the team members. The Team Leader may mention the major items which the team wishes to cover during the discussion.
   
   
2. The Team Leader should keep the flow of discussion to the agreed time, without unnecessarily curtailing or excluding contributions. However, the Team Leader must be prepared to intervene if the discussion is being diverted, trivialized, monopolized, or stuck on mere differences of opinion.
   
   
3. The Team Leader and the APACC staff member must balance adherence to the agreed program with flexibility in admitting unanticipated issues. Any revisions should be clearly understood by the team, the accreditee and the group(s) involved.
   
   
4. If, for any meeting, the team splits into sub-groups, Team Leader chaired by other members of the team, the sub-Team Leader must have an agreed agenda and accurately report the results of the sub-group for inclusion in subsequent sessions (and, as necessary, the audit report).
   
   
5. In the private team meetings between interviews, the Team Leader (or the APACC staff member) should lead the team in summarizing the discussions. This maintains an accurate record and helps the team to keep a collective position.
   
   
6. At the end of the Accreditation Visit, the Team Leader (and the APACC staff member) should guide the team towards decisions or conclusions which are appropriate, carefully thought through and clearly expressed.
   
   
7. In a final session, the Team Leader outlines the team's conclusions to the CEO and possibly other senior staff of the accreditee. Although the group may seek clarification of some points, substantive discussion should not occur at this meeting. The Team Leader may on occasion need to be firm about this.
   

The main responsibility of the Team Leader after the event is to liaise with the APACC staff member to ensure that the final audit report is accurate and fair in all respects. The Team Leader may also be asked to assist if further interaction is required with the accreditee or the APACC Board.

Functions of the Team Leader

1. Closely supervise and coordinate all activities related to the visit
   
   
2. Prepare and submit final report to APACC
   
   
3. Preside all  meetings of the visiting team
   
   
4. Distribute accreditation materials and collect the same for APACC
   
   
5. Ensure observance of proper decorum and punctuality in the conduct of all activities
   
   
6. Remind team members to keep oral report simple and concise
   
   
7. Inform team members of changes of schedule and venues
   
   
8. Encourage participation from all team members in deliberation  of conflicting issues
   
   
9. Review each team member's report
   
   
10. As much as possible, edit team member's report to correct grammatical/rhetorical errors.

STAFF MEMBER

The APACC staff member provides executive and secretarial support to the team. The staff member is thoroughly familiar with APACC's terms of reference, functions and processes, and advises the other team members on these, whenever relevant. It is the staff member's task to provide the technical accrediting expertise, to understand what accreditation is and is not, and to ensure that the whole accreditation process is conducted appropriately in these terms.

During the On-Site Visit

1. The staff member assists the Team Leader in maintaining or amending the planned program
   
   
2. The staff member records issues for clarification, re-consideration and reporting
   
   
3. The staff member advises as necessary on appropriate actions and conclusions for the team to take or reach
   
   
4. The staff member ensures that administrative arrangements for the visit proceed smoothly

The staff member may need to be firm in reminding the team what decisions have already been made, and of the importance of keeping to the Accreditation Visit schedule, recording findings from previous work and reviewing the plans for future work. The staff member must be able to produce, to short deadlines, succinct summaries of group discussions and decisions taken.

The team is assisted during the visit by a 'minutes secretary' to record a fairly full transcript of the interviews and discussions. Administrative arrangements are handled by the APACC staff member or the minutes secretary.

TEAM MEMBERS

Team members are selected so that the team as a whole possesses the expertise and experience to enable the accreditation to be carried out effectively. Members may translate their different perspectives into different emphases in their attention to the process, and a concentration on certain aspects of the accreditation. Nonetheless, members should not attempt to apply pre-conceived templates to their consideration of the accreditee, nor appear to address enquiries from entirely within the perspective of their own specialty or the practices of their own organization.

Team members need to read thoroughly the documentation provided and so familiarize themselves with the accreditee's policies, procedures and criteria for quality and the purpose and possible outcomes of the audit. This should result in a firm grasp of the range of issues to be addressed, the main issues to be explored in more detail, and the scope of decisions or conclusions which are indicated. Team members provide brief written comments on the performance portfolio, participate in the Portfolio Meeting, and follow up areas of specific responsibility they have accepted. If an institution’s activities have a large overseas component, some team members may visit some of the overseas sites or campuses. Team members must ensure that they are fully aware of the purpose of the visit and understand their roles. It is essential that the members work together as a team.

Before the On-Site Visit, the Team Member 

1. should read the APACC Standards
   
   
2. should review the Self Survey Report and supporting documents submitted by the institution
   
   
3. should read the materials about the institution

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

At the team's initial private meeting of the Accreditation Visit, team members usually share out the responsibility for leading on particular topics. Without being excessively formal, team members should work with and through the Team Leader in the group discussions. Members should respect the agenda agreed by the team for the various meetings, and support the Team Leader as s/he matches the pace of the meeting to the size of its agenda.

In its interviews, the team is trying to clarify issues, and glean explanations, justifications and further information. In particular, team members need to:

1. explore discrepancies between what is written and what is said
   
   
2. seek clarification and confirmation when required
   
   
3. listen as well as ask
   
   
4. concentrate on major rather than minor issues
   
   
5. participate in a collaborative manner
   
   
6. distinguish between those interviewee opinions that fairly represent the constituency as a whole, and those which may be views of the one individual
   
   
7. be aware that the dynamics of the team and of its relation to the accreditee change and develop during the audit process. This is particularly the case in respect of the relation with the staff of an institution during the Accreditation Visit

Team members are not expected to offer suggestions to interviewees, except as a way of elucidating further information. Suggestions for improvement and examples of good practice elsewhere can be included in the audit report.

The team must come to clear and well-founded conclusions in the context of

1. the terms of reference of APACC
2. the scope of the audit
3. the nature of the accreditee, and
4. good practice both within and without academia

The team should attempt to assure itself that it has obtained and considered all information relevant to its conclusions. After the Accreditation Visit, team members read, comment on and, as desired, contribute to the draft or drafts of the audit report. All team members should be satisfied that the report is accurate and balanced.