§ Sir William van Straubenzeeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the work of the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education.
§ Mr. WaldenFollowing the abolition in 1982 of the Department's voluntary system of "recognition as efficient" of private sector further education colleges, discussions were held between parties interested in setting up an alternative system. These discussions resulted in the establishment of the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education as a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status. The BAC became operational in 1984. A number of bodies interested in maintaining academic standards in the United Kingdom have nominated members of the BAC's board. The BAC's role is to accredit institutions by inspection; it does not validate awards.
The Government welcome endeavours of this sort to establish standards within the independent sector.