Accreditation Council launches new website

The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) has revamped its online presence with an all-new website.

The BAC, the sole external quality assurance agency in Barbados, is responsible for the maintaining of quality assurance and quality enhancement in post-secondary institutions and providers, as well as issuing and verifying CARICOM Skills Certificates for CARICOM nationals.

According to the information officer, Marcus Myers, these responsibilities require a more
user-friendly, dynamic, modern and especially mobile-compliant page.

“We have many individuals of all ages who will require our services as they pursue higher education or hope to pursue job opportunities in other territories.

This means that information must be accessible to them in any medium they desire, whether they are using a desktop or mobile phone.”

Myers, who assisted web developers, Sunisle Technologies, explained the need for this update.

“In the world of education, COVID-19 has behaved as a catalyst for us to become more acquainted with the online space.

One of the main focuses of the updating of this website is to ensure that all of our services, including all primary and auxiliary services, are properly displayed for students and prospective enrollees to see,” he said.

Although the BAC is most known for granting CARICOM Skills Certificates as well as registering and accrediting institutions, the Council also allows for persons with foreign qualifications to see where their qualifications compare locally, as well as facilitate capacity building workshops for post-secondary providers to improve their programmes.

Another main objective of the website is to increase awareness of the registered and accredited providers across the island that have been vetted and recognised by the Council to meet international standards.

The Executive Director Lisa Gale outlined the decision for the new website.

“We wanted to communicate using a more user-friendly interface with enhanced content, and it is hoped that applications for various services can be done entirely online in the near future as an added feature.

COVID-19 has taught us that e-commerce and online transactions are no longer optional when interfacing with the public,” Gale said.

Gale added: “The BAC remains committed to maintaining quality assurance in this transforming educational landscape, despite the vagaries of exogenous shocks.

Barbadians and CARICOM nationals can rest assured that as they utilise our services, accessibility and ease-of-use will be prioritised as we make strides in the online space.” (PR)