Leaders from several nations of the African Union recently met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to establish guidelines for a continental accrediting agency for higher educational institutions in Africa. In a communique issued at the conclusion of the conference, participants stated that “National and regional regulatory bodies are essential to successful continental quality assurance harmonization in Africa.”
The participants called for the establishment of the African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council for Higher Education. The agency would be backed by member states and would answer to the Conference of Ministers of the African Union. The new continental body would serve to accredit national and regional accreditation boards and to establish such entities where they do not presently exist.
