Understanding Programme Accreditation Through Faculty Eyes: Benefits, Variations, and Institutional Dynamics

Abstract

Objective: This study explores faculty members’ perceptions of accreditation benefits in higher education, focusing on differences based on programme accreditation status and demographic variables. Given the increasing prominence of accreditation as a mechanism for promoting educational quality and institutional accountability, it is imperative to understand how faculty members perceive its benefits, particularly across diverse institutional contexts.Methods: The research employed a quantitative survey design, using the Perceptions of Accreditation Benefits Scale, developed and validated by the authors. The scale captures seven dimensions: benefits for students, staff, institutions, inter-institutional relations, disciplines, national frameworks, and internationalization. Data came from 361 faculty members across state and private universities. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the scale’s robust factorial structure, and the authors conducted independent samples t-tests, MANOVA, and three-way ANOVA for statistical analysis.Results: Faculty members from accredited programmes reported significantly higher perceptions of accreditation benefits, particularly in staff development, institutional improvement, and international visibility. Academic title was associated with differences in overall perceptions, whereas gender was significant only for the International Benefits sub-dimension. Among the sub-dimensions, National and Institutional Benefits had the highest item-level means, while Staff Benefits had the lowest.Conclusions and Recommendations: These findings highlight the complex ways faculty experience accreditation across institutional and demographic contexts. The study emphasises the need to involve faculty meaningfully in accreditation processes and to tailor communication strategies to different academic ranks to foster engagement.