Seminaries in the United States have for more than two centuries sought to equip ministerial leaders for service within the community of faith. And yet these institutions have traditionally been the focus of very little quantitative research. This lack of data is particularly noteworthy given the existential crises many seminaries currently face, especially regarding their flagship Master of Divinity (MDiv) programs. Among seminary leadership, a common response to declining MDiv enrollment has been to decrease the length of the program, which historically required at least 90 credit hours. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore change at the Association of Theological Schools member institutions (AMIs) between 2000–2019 through the lens of these credit-hour reductions. Longitudinal data from 113 AMIs were analyzed to examine the relationship between a variety of financial, enrollment, and institutional characteristics and the likelihood that an AMI would reduce its required MDiv credit hours. Results from an event history analysis revealed that, all else being equal, experiencing an increase in total revenues reduced an AMI's likelihood of making a reduction, while being a middle-age institution (founded 1870–1959) and having a higher percentage of peer institutions that made a change increased the likelihood of making a reduction. These findings, which well fit with existing theory on resource dependence and institutionalization, provide seminary leaders with objective data by which they can better understand the financial and cultural pressures impacting change at their institutions.

Dans son programme Qmentum, Agrément Canada utilise la méthodologie des traceurs pour procéder à l’évaluation des établissements de santé au Canada. Adaptée à partir du modèle du Joint Commission aux États-Unis, cette méthode est utilisée depuis 2008. En se basant sur le Modèle synergique des qualités évolutives de Plante et Bouchard (2002), cette enquête a permis d’interroger les visiteurs d’Agrément Canada afin de déterminer quelle est, selon leur perception, la qualité de la méthodologie des traceurs sous l’angle de cinq qualités transversales et de déterminer quelles sont ses forces et ses faiblesses. La cohérence ainsi que la synergie s’avèrent être les deux qualités transversales dont les indicateurs ont un effet significatif sur la qualité de l’information obtenue. La contrainte du temps quant à elle est la plus grande faiblesse dans l’application de la méthodologie des traceurs et ce, à plusieurs niveaux. / As part of the Qmentum program, Accreditation Canada uses the tracer methodology to evaluate the quality of services in Canada’s health care institutions. Based on the model used by the Joint Commission in the United States of America, the tracer methodology is in place since 2008. Based on the MSQE from Plante et Bouchard (2002), this study allowed to question Accreditation Canada’s surveyors to determine, according to their perception, the tracer methodology’s quality in terms of five transversal qualities and to determine what are its strengths and weaknesses. Consistency and synergy are the two transversal qualities that significantly affect the tracer methodology’s effectiveness. Meanwhile, the time constraint is its biggest weakness, affecting various aspects of it.

This research is an attempt to determine the extent to which the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in higher education promotes social transformation. Through analysing the case study of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) RPL programme, some conclusions on this matter were drawn. This research, a qualitative study, analyses key official documents, institutional reports, learning portfolios - produced by RPL candidates wherin they narrated their autobiographical learning histories - extensively. In addition, qualitative data were incorporated into this study to assist in the construction of the context within which RPL is being offered ...

Cette thèse vise à comprendre comment et dans quelle mesure l’agrément des établissements de santé est-il efficace pour développer les capacités des acteurs, nécessaires pour améliorer la qualité des soins et des services. Au cours des dix dernières années, il y a eu une croissance rapide, à l'échelle mondiale de la mise en œuvre de programmes d'agrément en santé pour l’amélioration de la qualité. L'expérience de la dernière décennie prouve que l'agrément est une technique valable pour l'amélioration de la qualité dans beaucoup d’organismes de santé. Il est également utilisé pour soutenir les réformes en santé. Malgré cela, les outils de gestion comme l’agrément sont souvent critiqués, car elles sont adoptées avec enthousiasme négligeant fréquemment une implantation favorisant la mise en place de comportements durables et la démonstration de meilleurs résultats. Le développement des capacités (DC) est un processus délibéré, multidimensionnel, dynamique dont le but est d’améliorer la performance des individus, des équipes, de l’organisation et d’un système. Le DC constitue une des trois assises de l’implantation d’une démarche institutionnalisée de la qualité, au même niveau que la communication et la reconnaissance. Cette recherche c’est déroulée dans un organisme d’Arabie Saoudite dans le cadre de leur première démarche avec le Conseil canadien d’agrément (CCASS) des services de santé. Une étude de cas unique d’implantation de l’agrément a été menée utilisant une approche mixte. Quatre niveaux d’analyse ont été étudiés en détail (individu, équipe, organisation et système) afin de mesurer 28 effets escomptés du DC puisés dans la littérature. Des entretiens semi-structurés, des groupes de discussion, une revue de la documentation ont été réalisés. Dans le but de mesurer trois des effets escomptés, un questionnaire sur le niveau d’implantation de la qualité (NIQ) a été administré pour la première fois en Arabie Saoudite dans cinq organismes. La performance du cas a été évaluée en relation avec les autres et en fonction de son positionnement dans le cycle d’agrément. Des analyses qualitatives et quantitatives utilisant la technique de polissage par la médiane ont été exécutées. Au niveau des individus, l’agrément a motivé la participation à de nouvelles formations. L’auto-évaluation est l’étape qui encourage l’apprentissage par l’autocritique. Le sentiment de fierté est le changement affectif le plus souvent répertorié. Les équipes ont amélioré leur communication par l’implantation d’une « chaîne de commandement ». Elle a introduit des notions de respect et de clarté des rôles telles qu’exigées par les normes. Au moyen de la mesure du NIQ, nous avons constaté que la majorité des organismes saoudiens se positionnent au niveau minimal d’implantation (assurance qualité). Le plus expérimenté avec l’agrément démontre les meilleurs résultats tout près du second niveau. Enfin, plus les organismes progressent dans la démarche d’agrément, plus les écarts de perception entre les 8 domaines mesurés par le questionnaire du NIQ et entre les différentes catégories d’emploi s’amincissent. En conclusion, l’agrément a démontré de l’efficacité à développer de nouvelles capacités par l’intégration des transformations des individus et par l’impact de l’acquisition des nouvelles capacités sur le changement des pratiques, majoritairement au niveau des individus, des équipes et de l’organisation. Le processus d’agrément a également fait preuve d’importants pouvoirs de convergence au niveau de l’adoption des pratiques édictées par les normes d’agrément qui contribuent positivement à l’amélioration de la qualité. / The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether accreditation is effective for developing individual’s necessary capacities that improve quality. In the last decade, accreditation shows that is a valuable tool. Accreditation program implementation has also demonstrated a world wide increased. It is as well used to support health reform. Managerial practices of this type are often criticized. They are adopted with enthusiasm but their implementation is often neglected because there is some difficulties to demonstrate sustainable behaviour changes and better outcomes.. Capacity Building (CB) is a comprehensive process, multidimensional and dynamic that seeks to improve the performance of individuals, teams, the organization and a system. CB is one of the three foundational elements of institutionalise quality improvement practices a the same level of communication and recognition. This study happens in Saudi Arabia. The hospital had participated in his first initiative with the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA). A single case study to evaluate the implementation of accreditation has been carried using a mix methodology. For unit of analysis has been studded (individual, team, organization and system) to measure 28 anticipated effects of capacity Building culled from the literature. Semi-structure interviews, focus groups and a documentation review were conducted. A questionnaire on the quality implementation scale (QIS) was administered in five organizations. The performance of the case was measured in relation to the others and based on its positioning in the cycle. Qualitative and quantitative analyses using median polish technique were conducted. At the individual level, the accreditation motivated participation in new training. Self-assessment is the stage that encourages learning through self-criticism. The feeling of pride is the emotional change that was reported the most. The teams improved their communication by establishing a chain of command, which introduced the concept of respect and of clearly defined roles as required by the standards. Through the QIS measurement, we noted that all those involved position themselves at the minimal level of implementation (Quality Assurance). The most experienced with accreditation produce the best results very close to the second level. Finally, the further organizations progress in the cycle, the more the differences in perception between the eight QI domains studied narrowed. The same phenomenon was observed among different job categories. In conclusion, accreditation has demonstrated effectiveness to develop new capacities most specifically at the individual, team and organizational level. The accreditation process has also demonstrated significant convergence power to pushes the adoption of new practices dictated by the accreditation standards. Those practices were successful to demonstrated positive quality improvement outcome.

Ecole de Santé Publique <p>Université Libre de Bruxelles <p>Academic Year 2010-2011<p><p>Al-Awa, Bahjat<p><p>Impact of Hospital Accreditation on Patients' Safety and Quality Indicators<p><p>Dissertation Summary <p><p>I.\ / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Cette thèse vise à comprendre comment et dans quelle mesure l’agrément des établissements de santé est-il efficace pour développer les capacités des acteurs, nécessaires pour améliorer la qualité des soins et des services. Au cours des dix dernières années, il y a eu une croissance rapide, à l'échelle mondiale de la mise en œuvre de programmes d'agrément en santé pour l’amélioration de la qualité. L'expérience de la dernière décennie prouve que l'agrément est une technique valable pour l'amélioration de la qualité dans beaucoup d’organismes de santé. Il est également utilisé pour soutenir les réformes en santé. Malgré cela, les outils de gestion comme l’agrément sont souvent critiqués, car elles sont adoptées avec enthousiasme négligeant fréquemment une implantation favorisant la mise en place de comportements durables et la démonstration de meilleurs résultats. Le développement des capacités (DC) est un processus délibéré, multidimensionnel, dynamique dont le but est d’améliorer la performance des individus, des équipes, de l’organisation et d’un système. Le DC constitue une des trois assises de l’implantation d’une démarche institutionnalisée de la qualité, au même niveau que la communication et la reconnaissance. Cette recherche c’est déroulée dans un organisme d’Arabie Saoudite dans le cadre de leur première démarche avec le Conseil canadien d’agrément (CCASS) des services de santé. Une étude de cas unique d’implantation de l’agrément a été menée utilisant une approche mixte. Quatre niveaux d’analyse ont été étudiés en détail (individu, équipe, organisation et système) afin de mesurer 28 effets escomptés du DC puisés dans la littérature. Des entretiens semi-structurés, des groupes de discussion, une revue de la documentation ont été réalisés. Dans le but de mesurer trois des effets escomptés, un questionnaire sur le niveau d’implantation de la qualité (NIQ) a été administré pour la première fois en Arabie Saoudite dans cinq organismes. La performance du cas a été évaluée en relation avec les autres et en fonction de son positionnement dans le cycle d’agrément. Des analyses qualitatives et quantitatives utilisant la technique de polissage par la médiane ont été exécutées. Au niveau des individus, l’agrément a motivé la participation à de nouvelles formations. L’auto-évaluation est l’étape qui encourage l’apprentissage par l’autocritique. Le sentiment de fierté est le changement affectif le plus souvent répertorié. Les équipes ont amélioré leur communication par l’implantation d’une « chaîne de commandement ». Elle a introduit des notions de respect et de clarté des rôles telles qu’exigées par les normes. Au moyen de la mesure du NIQ, nous avons constaté que la majorité des organismes saoudiens se positionnent au niveau minimal d’implantation (assurance qualité). Le plus expérimenté avec l’agrément démontre les meilleurs résultats tout près du second niveau. Enfin, plus les organismes progressent dans la démarche d’agrément, plus les écarts de perception entre les 8 domaines mesurés par le questionnaire du NIQ et entre les différentes catégories d’emploi s’amincissent. En conclusion, l’agrément a démontré de l’efficacité à développer de nouvelles capacités par l’intégration des transformations des individus et par l’impact de l’acquisition des nouvelles capacités sur le changement des pratiques, majoritairement au niveau des individus, des équipes et de l’organisation. Le processus d’agrément a également fait preuve d’importants pouvoirs de convergence au niveau de l’adoption des pratiques édictées par les normes d’agrément qui contribuent positivement à l’amélioration de la qualité. / The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether accreditation is effective for developing individual’s necessary capacities that improve quality. In the last decade, accreditation shows that is a valuable tool. Accreditation program implementation has also demonstrated a world wide increased. It is as well used to support health reform. Managerial practices of this type are often criticized. They are adopted with enthusiasm but their implementation is often neglected because there is some difficulties to demonstrate sustainable behaviour changes and better outcomes.. Capacity Building (CB) is a comprehensive process, multidimensional and dynamic that seeks to improve the performance of individuals, teams, the organization and a system. CB is one of the three foundational elements of institutionalise quality improvement practices a the same level of communication and recognition. This study happens in Saudi Arabia. The hospital had participated in his first initiative with the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA). A single case study to evaluate the implementation of accreditation has been carried using a mix methodology. For unit of analysis has been studded (individual, team, organization and system) to measure 28 anticipated effects of capacity Building culled from the literature. Semi-structure interviews, focus groups and a documentation review were conducted. A questionnaire on the quality implementation scale (QIS) was administered in five organizations. The performance of the case was measured in relation to the others and based on its positioning in the cycle. Qualitative and quantitative analyses using median polish technique were conducted. At the individual level, the accreditation motivated participation in new training. Self-assessment is the stage that encourages learning through self-criticism. The feeling of pride is the emotional change that was reported the most. The teams improved their communication by establishing a chain of command, which introduced the concept of respect and of clearly defined roles as required by the standards. Through the QIS measurement, we noted that all those involved position themselves at the minimal level of implementation (Quality Assurance). The most experienced with accreditation produce the best results very close to the second level. Finally, the further organizations progress in the cycle, the more the differences in perception between the eight QI domains studied narrowed. The same phenomenon was observed among different job categories. In conclusion, accreditation has demonstrated effectiveness to develop new capacities most specifically at the individual, team and organizational level. The accreditation process has also demonstrated significant convergence power to pushes the adoption of new practices dictated by the accreditation standards. Those practices were successful to demonstrated positive quality improvement outcome.

This research is an attempt to determine the extent to which the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in higher education promotes social transformation. Through analysing the case study of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) RPL programme, some conclusions on this matter were drawn. This research, a qualitative study, analyses key official documents, institutional reports, learning portfolios - produced by RPL candidates wherin they narrated their autobiographical learning histories - extensively. In addition, qualitative data were incorporated into this study to assist in the construction of the context within which RPL is being offered ...

This thesis is dealing with analyzing risks in an accredited testing labotarory. In this thesis will be made a search of available manuals and literature issued for accredited testing laboratory. In this thesis will be conducted selected analyzes for selected processes. The aim of this thesis is to analyze and asses the risks in chosen processes of testing laboratory and make a a simple tools for the management and elimination.

Currently the entire South African industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is unregulated, yet ECOs have the important task of checking and verifying compliance to environmental regulatory and performance requirements. According to international best practice principles for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the process should be made credible through independent checks and verification (IAIA, 1999:3). According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Management Strategy Subtheme 5, quality assurance can only be attained when practitioners fulfil competence and ethical practice criteria. In this document the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (SADEA) also noted that there is currently no home for ECOs, yet this is where effective monitoring and enforcement could significantly improve environmental outcomes. The central objective of this dissertation was to investigate the need for regulation of the South African ECO industry. Data obtained from the questionnaires indicated that 100% of respondents were in agreement that there is a need for regulation of the South African ECO industry. One of the key motivational factors identified by respondents was quality assurance, which is important, as the environmental legislative regime changes constantly. Various other factors were identified other than quality assurance and were labelled “drivers”. These include establishment of minimum standards in respect of qualifications and/or experience (core competencies), establishment of a professional code of conduct and ethics that enhances accountability and professionalism, skills improvement through continual professional development (CPD), enhancement of credibility, independence of practitioners, enhancement of skills for capacity building, protection of clients against substandard work and overall lack of professionalism, and finally creation of a source of information support and interaction. It was important to determine what drives the regulation of an industry, in order to establish whether the South African ECO industry has similar drivers justifying regulation. The establishment of qualification and competency requirements was an important objective of this research, as a set of these requirements is an essential toolkit for operating ECOs and key stakeholders of the industry. Various registration and competence requirements for ECOs were identified from the literature review and responses to the questionnaires and interviews. With this research the author also intended to establish which current accreditation bodies could be considered for registration of ECOs and regulation of the South African ECO industry. The dissertation concludes by emphasising the importance of regulating the South African ECO industry, as this will ensure that compliance monitoring takes place effectively. / M Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Currently the entire South African industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is unregulated, yet ECOs have the important task of checking and verifying compliance to environmental regulatory and performance requirements. According to international best practice principles for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the process should be made credible through independent checks and verification (IAIA, 1999:3). According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Management Strategy Subtheme 5, quality assurance can only be attained when practitioners fulfil competence and ethical practice criteria. In this document the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (SADEA) also noted that there is currently no home for ECOs, yet this is where effective monitoring and enforcement could significantly improve environmental outcomes. The central objective of this dissertation was to investigate the need for regulation of the South African ECO industry. Data obtained from the questionnaires indicated that 100% of respondents were in agreement that there is a need for regulation of the South African ECO industry. One of the key motivational factors identified by respondents was quality assurance, which is important, as the environmental legislative regime changes constantly. Various other factors were identified other than quality assurance and were labelled “drivers”. These include establishment of minimum standards in respect of qualifications and/or experience (core competencies), establishment of a professional code of conduct and ethics that enhances accountability and professionalism, skills improvement through continual professional development (CPD), enhancement of credibility, independence of practitioners, enhancement of skills for capacity building, protection of clients against substandard work and overall lack of professionalism, and finally creation of a source of information support and interaction. It was important to determine what drives the regulation of an industry, in order to establish whether the South African ECO industry has similar drivers justifying regulation. The establishment of qualification and competency requirements was an important objective of this research, as a set of these requirements is an essential toolkit for operating ECOs and key stakeholders of the industry. Various registration and competence requirements for ECOs were identified from the literature review and responses to the questionnaires and interviews. With this research the author also intended to establish which current accreditation bodies could be considered for registration of ECOs and regulation of the South African ECO industry. The dissertation concludes by emphasising the importance of regulating the South African ECO industry, as this will ensure that compliance monitoring takes place effectively. / M Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014