Institutional accreditation or permitting of institutions to exist and deliver higher education is a key tool of quality assurance. It is a process through which institutions are assessed at various stages before they are licensed. It covers all aspects of institutions, including land, staffing, educational facilities, governance, financial resources and physical facilities.

In processing the applications for accreditation, the National Council for Higher Education follows the provisions of the University and other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001, which empowers the Council to make regulations to ensure the provision of quality higher education. Accordingly, the Council has so far issued three statutory instruments. These are statutory Instruments 2005 No.80 [The Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Establishment and Operation of Private Universities and Private Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions (Institutional Standards) Regulations, 2005]. The regulations under this statutory instrument form the basis of licensing universities to operate in Uganda. Statutory Instruments 2005 No. 84 (Equating of Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates) Regulations 2005 deals with the equating of qualifications. Statutory Instruments 2005 No. 85 deals with institutional standards of universities and other tertiary institutions.

Merit-based admission into higher education institutions: The quality of inputs (students) invariably affects the quality of outputs (graduates) of the institutions. That is why the Council urges higher education institutions to strive to admit only qualified students based on merit. This is in accordance with the law of the land.

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