ཤེས་རིག་དང་རིག་རྩལ་གོང་འཕེལ་ལྷན་ཁག།
Ministy of Education and Skills Development
Four Higher Education Institutions Receives Institutional Accreditation
The Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA), through its Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), yesterday awarded Institutional Accreditation Certificates to four higher education institutions, marking an important milestone in strengthening the quality, credibility, and continuous improvement of Bhutan’s higher education system.
Institutional Accreditation serves as a trusted benchmark of quality in higher education. It assures students, parents, employers, and society that institutions are meeting nationally established standards while fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement. It strengthens institutional credibility, enhances public confidence, promotes national and international recognition, and ultimately contributes to the development of a competent, skilled, and future-ready workforce for the nation.
The four institutions awarded Institutional Accreditation are:
• Faculty of Traditional Medicine (FoTM), KGUMS – Grade A+
• Faculty of Nursing and Public Health (FNPH), KGUMS – Grade A+
• Paro College of Education (PCE) – Grade A
• Institute of Science of Mind (ISM) – Grade B
The four institutions recognised also hold special significance for the country.
The Faculty of Nursing and Public Health and the Faculty of Traditional Medicine prepare professionals whose knowledge, skills, and values directly contribute to the health and well-being of our people.
The Paro College of Education prepares teachers who will shape the minds, character, and future of generations of Bhutanese children.
The Institute of Science of Mind contributes to the diversity and development of Bhutan’s higher education landscape through its distinctive focus on knowledge, values, culture, and human development.
Therefore, when we talk about quality in these institutions, we are not talking about quality for its own sake. We are talking about the quality of people who will serve our country.
The accreditation outcomes reflect each institution’s demonstrated compliance with national accreditation standards and its commitment to quality education and positive student outcomes.
The grades represent each institution’s level of achievement against these standards and provide an important foundation for continued institutional development and improvement.
Speaking at the certificate award ceremony, Dr Ugyen Tshewang, Director of BQPCA, stated:
“The successful accreditation of these four higher education institutions represents far more than the award of grades and certificates. It reflects a shared commitment to quality, accountability, institutional excellence, and continuous improvement. Most importantly, it provides assurance to students, parents, employers, and society that our institutions are meeting nationally established standards while preparing graduates who can contribute meaningfully to Bhutan’s development.”
The Director further emphasised that Institutional Accreditation should not be viewed as an end in itself, but as a catalyst for institutional reflection, innovation, continuous improvement, and the pursuit of higher standards.
The HEQC congratulates all four institutions and commends the accreditation assessors, reviewers, institutional leaders, faculty members, administrative staff, and all stakeholders whose dedication and collective efforts contributed to this important achievement.
BQPCA remains committed to strengthening Bhutan’s quality assurance system and working in partnership with higher education institutions to promote continuous improvement, enhance institutional effectiveness, and strengthen the quality, relevance, and of Bhutanese higher education.