Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT)

Background

Article 5 of the University Act states that:

“Universities shall regularly carry out self-evaluation of their teaching, research, services, counselling and guidance, academic affairs, administration, and student participation; regulations governing the evaluation shall be formulated by each university.

To promote the development of every university, the Ministry of Education shall organize an Assessment Committee or commission academic organizations or professional accreditation bodies to carry out regular assessments of the universities, and it shall make the results public. The assessment results shall be referred to for making changes to and developing universities. The assessment shall be undertaken in accord with the principles of incorporating diversity and professionalism, and the associated regulations governing assessment shall be formulated by the Ministry of Education.”

Article 5 established the Ministry of Education (MOE) as the competent authority for accrediting institutions of higher education, and the results have since become widely recognized as a measure of institutional performance and guarantee of quality education.

HEEACT was established jointly by the MOE and all higher education institutions in Taiwan on December 26, 2005. Since 2006, HEEACT has conducted higher education accreditations that assist the universities to contribute to society through the pursuit of quality education and research. Furthermore, under HEEACT’s umbrella, the Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council (TMAC) operates as an independent and professional accreditor in the field of medical education.

As a third-party and professional organization specializing in higher education accreditation and review, HEEACT's tasks encompass two major areas: 1) conducting institutional and program accreditations for all higher education institutions in Taiwan, and 2) conducting quality assurance, and enhancement research and development projects for higher education.

With the aims for facilitating the internationalization of Taiwan's higher education and continually adopting the latest developments in higher education quality assurance and enhancement, HEEACT has been actively networking with numerous international organizations in various activities. By doing so, HEEACT has not merely reported on higher education accreditation experiences but also increased the international visibility of Taiwan's higher education.