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The Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) has granted full accreditation to the University of the Free State’s (UFS) LLB programme. The full accreditation comes after the qualification was placed on notice of withdrawal of accreditation during 2016, and later on accreditation with conditions.
“This is very good news indeed. Intensive work and planning have gone into realising the faculty’s vision of ensuring full accreditation for the programme. I wish to congratulate and thank those involved in the process of preparing the submission for the HEQC. Particular thanks to the Vice-Dean, Dr Manie Moolman, for his leadership in this project,” says Prof John Mubangizi, Dean of the Faculty of Law.
“The university’s executive management welcomes the full accreditation and is immensely pleased that the process has been successfully concluded. I commend the faculty for the meticulous way in which the accreditation process was dealt with,” says Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.
According to Prof Mubangizi, the planning for the implementation and phasing in of the newly accredited programme will begin soon.
Background to the accreditation process
During 2016, a national review of all LLB programmes was conducted to strengthen the quality of legal education at all South African universities. On 30 March 2017, the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) in the Council for Higher Education (CHE) approved the findings of the National Reviews Committee (NRC) regarding the LLB programme at the UFS and placed the qualification on notice of withdrawal of accreditation.
The university’s Faculty of Law submitted an Improvement Plan during October 2017, setting out the changes to the CHE that would be implemented in the LLB programme for 2018 and 2019, as well as an outline of the new LLB curriculum to be introduced in 2020. The LLB degree was subsequently conditionally accredited by the CHE in November 2017, pending the submission of a new and innovative curriculum to the CHE by March 2018. The accreditation of this programme has now been approved by the HEQC.
Related articles:
CHE lifts notice of withdrawal of UFS LLB degree’s accreditation status
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Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Marketing)
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