Educational Accredited Courses Requiring Special Measures
Programmes which are Accredited, Recognised or Endorsed* undergo regular professional body visits and the Universities/Institutions are required to provide regular updates on their programmes prior to securing re-Accreditation, re-Recognition and re-Endorsement.
However, if at any time whilst a course is Accredited, the Accreditation Sub-Committee (ASC) understands that there may be serious issues with the quality of the course concerned, then the ASC may introduce Special Measures. The purpose of which is to support the university/institute offering that course to maintain its Accreditation by ensuring that it continues to meet the quality requirements of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSFS).
Generally, the ASC will approve the implementation of Special Measures. However, if there are serious issues that need to be addressed quickly, the Chair of ASC may instigate Special Measures at an earlier stage.
Examples which merit Special Measures include:
- significant loss of staff affecting forensic delivery;
- significant loss of specialist or core resources;
- poor performance in Pre-Employment Assessment of Competence (PEAC) by candidates from the accredited course;
- continual unresolved issues at an accreditation or surveillance visit;
- potential problems identified within surveillance reports.
- poor student examination performance as highlighted by e.g. an External Examiner Report
If Special Measures are considered necessary then a visit will generally be required to discuss the various issues with senior representatives from the course delivery team, and the Faculty or equivalent.
When the issues are discussed with the institute offering the course in question then, if appropriate, Special Measures will be agreed, with timescales, by the CSFS. These measures may involve additional visits or changes to the overall surveillance schedule and/or suspension of Accreditation pending the outcome of the special measures process.
The Special Measures information relating to specific programmes would be kept confidential within the Society.
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*for the purpose of Special Measures, all references to Accreditation include Accreditation, Recognition and Endorsement