Brief History

The ACDE Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (ACDE-QAAA) is an independent Unit within ACDE that is responsible for promoting and developing an African framework, criteria and standards for guiding member institutions towards quality assurance in ODL.  Formally established in May, 2009 by the Executive Board of ACDE following the acceptance of the recommendation of the planning and project group set up to examine the need for the establishment of an ODL Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency for Africa.

The QAAA monitors, audits, accredits and advises on programmes with a view to playing an effective role in institutional quality assurance mechanism and processes.  In line with its mandate, the Agency successfully developed a Quality Assurance Toolkit. The aim is to ensure that ODL institutions in Africa engage in acceptable quality assurance practices through consultation, partnership and collaboration. The ACDE-QAAA provides a continental platform for assuring quality, accreditation, articulation, and credit transfer within African ODL institutions.  Presently, the toolkit is been considered for review in order to align its provisions with current global trend in ODL.

The ACDE-QAAA was established as a continental independent body for the African Open Distance Learning (ODL) higher education institutions. It was mandated to develop an indigenous model of quality assurance and accreditation that will serve to position continental ODL practices and programmes in the global community. The aim is to ensure that ODL institutions in Africa engage in acceptable quality assurance practices through consultation, partnership and collaboration. The ACDE-QAAA provides a continental platform for assuring quality, accreditation, articulation, and credit transfer within African ODL institutions. 

The agency has been led by four (4) presidents since 2010, beginning with Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede (2010-2011) as the inaugural president. He was succeeded by Professor Isreal F. Adu (2011-2017), followed by Professor Nebath Taniang (2017-2021), and currently by Professor Christine I. Ofulue (2021-present).

The ACDE-QAAA secretariat is domiciled at the Headquarters of National Open University of Nigeria, Plot 91, University Village, Cadastral Zone, Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria.