Separate from the mentoring process, accreditors are appointed who advise the PDF Committee on the validity of your claim. The accreditation event most frequently includes some form of institutional visit. The accreditors will advise the PDF Committee about the outcomes of the event and when appropriate indicate recommendations and conditions which need to be satisfied.
In all of the PDF documentation the term ‘Institution’ is used. While the core group currently using the PDF framework are institutions of higher education we aspire to other bodies and organisations joining. SEDA continues its tradition of working constructively with overseas bodies and institutions.
In order to offer PDF named awards your institution has to gain recognition as a PDF provider. Institutional recognition is built into the normal accreditation process and completed simultaneously with the first programme accreditation. SEDA-PDF is a supportive developmental framework and the institutional aspects are reviewed and refreshed when further programmes are added to your provision.
The mapping document provides a structured approach to achieving institutional recognition and programme accreditation. The mentor will work with you in completing the document in an appropriate fashion. Evidence will be required to support the accreditation and we encourage you to draw, as far as possible, upon existing institutional documentation. Here too the mentor will provide support and guidance.
A mentor will be appointed to guide you through the process of developing your accreditation documents. The mentor is an independent expert in the named award area and has experience of what is required to complete the accreditation process.
Each named award area has a designated lead person who will discuss with you your professional development provision and accreditation requirements.
The PDF Committee has oversight of the framework and ratifies accreditations. The Committee mainly consists of named award co-ordinators but additionally includes other appropriate experts. The Committee is charged with maintaining the quality assurance processes and establishing further named awards congruent with the framework.
Here we have used the term programme for the course or award which the institution offers for accreditation. SEDA holds the view that those designing development activities for staff should feel free to think as widely and creatively as possible about what a Programme, Course or Pathway might mean. The only thing that should concern designers of an award scheme is how best participants might demonstrate their development and how they might formally be assessed on their achievement of the SEDA Outcomes and Values. SEDA does not impose unnecessary conditions on an institution and so there is no requirement for the programme to be either credit rated or at a specific level.
The term programme leader is used in the documentation and refers to the designated person within the institution who will be presenting the programme for accreditation. Support events are run throughout the year for programme leaders who aspire to gain accreditation.
Each named award area conforms to a common framework of core development outcomes and underpinning values. In addition each named award has a set of specialist outcomes. Through the accreditation process you will demonstrate how these are delivered to and achieved by the participants.
This involves the updating and confirmation of the institutional and programme mapping documents.
Most probably your first point of contact. The office administers the scheme including invoicing and issuing certificates.
A member of the International Consortium for Educational Development