The benefits
External validation and accreditation:
Enhances the quality to the service
Helps create consistently high standards
Raises expectations among managers and users
Is independent, responsive and fair
Not only does it have all the benefits described above, the processes used by CoLRiC can also be used as evidence by colleges to contribute to both their self assessment exercise for the further education inspectorates, and their 'accreditation portfolio'.
The theory
For those who are interested in the theoretical background to this scheme, click here to see an article by Donald Mitchell. (Opens in a new window).
How does it work?
- Assessors go into colleges and evaluate the quality of the learning resources service, using a constructed standard of an excellent service in the form of a list of criteria against which the service is compared. Your learning resources service will be given a grade (excellent, highly commended, or commended), for which you will get the appropriate certificate.
- The criteria can also be used as the basis of your self assessment of the learning resources service.
If you would like to know how it works from the point of view of an assessed college, contact one of these colleges.
Fees
The fee for registering for assessment and accreditation is £30 for members of CoLRiC and £50 for colleges that are not members of CoLRiC
The fee for the actual assessment and grading of the Learning resources service is based on the service's revenue budget (excluding staff) for the previous year:
| Revenue budget | Member's fee | Non-member's fee |
| up to £4,999 £5,000 to £9,999 £10,000 to £14,999 £15,000 to £19,999 £20,000 to £29,999 £30,000 to £49,999 £50,000 to £74,999 £75,000 to £99,999 £100,000 to £124,999 £125,000 and over |
£350 £400 £425 £450 £475 £500 £525 £550 £600 £650 |
£550 £600 £650 £700 £750 £800 £850 £900 £950 £1000 |
The procedure
By looking at the Accreditation Procedure, you will get insight into how the scheme works in more detail
How to apply
If you would like to register for the peer accreditation scheme, please fill in the form below
Assessors
CoLRiC is always looking for appropriate people to become CoLRiC assessors. If you are interested, please check details of the Training Scheme.