Academic Accreditation

Formal qualifications and academic courses can be Accredited by CIWM for any or all of the following purposes:

• To formally recognise programmes that help to facilitate the professional development of members of the Chartered Institution through the promotion of knowledge and experience of the principles and practices of wastes management.
  
• To promote wastes management as a recognised profession and as an academic discipline.
  
• To promote research into topics of interest to the wastes management industry.
  
• To clearly identify programmes that offer opportunities for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Corporate Members, or Structured Learning and Development (SLD) activities for graduate members of CIWM.

Accreditation of academic programmes by CIWM should be seen as representing official endorsement of the philosophy, structure and content of approved programmes in wastes management by the professional body for the industry.

CIWM accreditation may be sought for complete programmes such as a HNC, honours degree, and postgraduate diploma or degree. In addition, CIWM may accredit individual modules in wastes management that form part of a more general course.

Procedure
Accreditation of academic programmes will be conducted via a desk based exercise and a visit to the university. All material submitted via the application form (available on the right) will be examined by a panel including a waste academic, a industry specialist, a member of Education, Training and Membership committee, and a member of CIWM Education and Training Department.

The desk based study will examine aims, objectives and learning outcomes of the programme, content (including all lecture and session plans), tutor details and background, level, APEL/APL, training methods, exercises and case studies, industry involvement in course design, and the review, revision, and student feedback process. Additional information may be required by the panel.

The visit by two representatives from the panel may be scheduled for a day when course tutors and students are available for discussion. Questions from the panel will be presented to the course tutors and students will be asked about their experiences. If appropriate, the panel representatives may sit in on an appropriate lecture. They may also wish to look at examples of marked assignments and exam scripts as well as any material provided to the students (course handbook etc). The panel may also ask to look at further examples of lectures.

Following the desk based exercise, programmes that are not able to provide the material required during the visit (for example programmes in their first year) will be granted 'Provisionally Accredited' status, and a visit arranged for a future date, as soon as the material becomes available. This visit will then confirm upgrading of the courses' status to full Accreditation. A time limit will be placed on Provisionally Approved status to ensure upgrading is confirmed as soon as possible.

Full Accreditation may be Granted, Granted with Recommendations, Granted with Conditions, or Denied. Conditions will have to be met within a specified time period, and a further visit may be required.

The programme will be Accredited for a set period of time (dependent upon material and topic). Once the accreditation period has expired, or if substantial changes are being made, courses are able to apply for re-accreditation. This will involve completion of an accreditation form, detailing the changes that have occurred (i.e. structure, format, deliverers, major course content changes, etc.). It is expected that minor updates will occur each time a course is run, and these therefore do not warrant a re-accreditation application.

Cost
For each Accreditation of academic courses the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management charges £500+VAT per course. This cost will cover remuneration of the panel members time, as well as expenses relating to the visit. If an additional visit is required expenses will be claimed direct from the university. Reaccreditations will be usually be charged at £500+VAT per course.

Publicity
Accredited academic programmes will be provided with a dated 'CIWM Accredited Course' logo and form of words that they will be able to use on any material related to the programme. CIWM will list the course in our Qualifications area, accessible by all visitors to the website, and provide a link to the course website. When requests for information on Academic programmes are received by members of the CIWM Education and Training Department, those courses that have been accredited will be made known to the inquirer, and their accredited status highlighted.