Developing the Standards of Meta-accreditation System of Educational Accreditation Systems in Iran

Abstract Introduction: Given the wide array of accreditation institutions and programs in Iran, specialized groups and structures have become inevitable. Consequently, it is essential to evaluate the accuracy and adequacy of program and institutional accreditation processes through a meta-accreditation (recognition) process to mitigate potential issues arising from the multiplicity of accreditation groups. In addition, the development of a national meta-accreditation structure can facilitate the recognition of Iranian accreditation bodies by international recognition bodies. This plays an effective role in the globalization of medical education. Methodology: This study employed a mixed method approach. In the first, interviews were conducted with accreditation experts to gather their views on the nature of meta-accreditation standards. In the second, standards from international recognition systems (APQR, ASG-QA, CHEA, EQAR, INQAAHE, and WFME) were reviewed, and an initial draft of standards was prepared. In the third, draft standards were refined through expert group meetings. In the final, a national survey was conducted to reach consensus, with the standards evaluated by national accreditation experts across three dimensions: practicality, necessity, and transparency. The criterion for accepting the examined standards as the final standard was I-CVI >.78 in all three dimensions. Findings: The interviews and literature review yielded 173 meta-accreditation standards, which were refined to 51 standards through multiple expert group meetings by merging similar ones. Analysis of the national survey results showed that the I-CVI index was >0.76 in all three dimensions for all standards. For three standards with indices between 0.76 and 0.78, the text was revised. Given the high I-CVI indices across all dimensions, all standards were accepted as final. Thus, Iran's national meta-accreditation system standards were finalized across three categories —mission and official position, accreditation processes, and accountability and quality improvement— with 51 mandatory standards. Conclusion: This study developed national meta-accreditation standards to ensure the adequacy and accuracy of accreditation institutions. Meta- accreditation not only enhances the quality of accreditations conducted by medical education accrediting bodies but also fosters greater trust among domestic and international stakeholders in their outcomes. These standards can be used for accrediting performance of accreditation systems as a mole by other countries.