Accreditation and educational quality in undergraduate programs: Best practices, challenges, and lessons learned

Abstract

This study examines the accreditation of undergraduate programs from the perspective of those responsible for program coordination, a key role in managing accreditation. The objective is to explore their experiences and identify best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Adopting a qualitative, phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with three program coordinators. The findings indicate that, while accreditation contributes to strengthening academic quality, it also entails a significant administrative and emotional burden. Effective internal communication, institutional support, and active engagement of faculty and students emerged as key best practices. The study underscores the importance of leadership and emotional management skills for navigating accreditation effectively, while documenting a perspective that remains underrepresented in the literature and offering practical recommendations for future accreditation efforts.