This study aims to explore how the national quality assurance system pushes the obtainment of international accreditation and investigates the dual pursuit of international and national accreditations by higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on the urgency, challenges and success factors involved in leading and managing the accreditation process of both accreditations.
A systematic literature review (SLR) of empirical studies published between 2015 and 2024 was conducted using the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). The analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six steps of thematic analysis. A total of 16 articles were analyzed.
This study found that national quality assurance systems played a pivotal role in promoting dual accreditation through internationalization by establishing standards, providing guidance and incentivizing institutions to meet national and global benchmarks. HEIs have been motivated to pursue dual accreditation by various factors, including enhanced reputation, internationalization, financial stability, quality assurance, policy compliance, benchmarking and graduate employability. However, the dual accreditation process has often been characterized by administrative burdens, differences in standards, language barriers, lack of transparency and institutional misalignment. While these challenges have persisted, HEIs have developed strategies to address them, such as effective planning, resource management, communication, collaboration, knowledge sharing and a tailored approach.
This systematic scoping review of the ERIC database offers a comprehensive overview of the research on higher education dual accreditation.
