DATE: October 12-16, 2026 |
Venue: Jambayang Resort, Thimphu, Bhutan |
Type: In-Country Program |
ORGANIZERS: Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), Philippines and the Department of Workforce Planning and Skills Development, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Royal Government of Bhutan |
BACKGROUND
Quality assurance has become one of the most important drivers of excellence, competitiveness, innovation, and international recognition in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). As economies transition toward Industry 5.0, digital transformation, green development, artificial intelligence, and lifelong learning, TVET institutions are expected to produce graduates equipped with future-ready competencies while demonstrating high standards of governance, teaching excellence, industry engagement, sustainability, and institutional performance.
Recognizing these global developments, the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC), the accreditation arm of the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), introduced the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025, representing a significant evolution from conventional compliance-based accreditation toward a comprehensive institutional transformation framework. The revised framework emphasizes continuous quality improvement, evidence-based decision-making, digital quality assurance, sustainability, technopreneurship, industry collaboration, learner success and institutional innovation while integrating measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across all accreditation criteria. These priorities also reflect CPSC and APCC’s ongoing drive to transform TVET from an Industry 4.0 paradigm toward a human-centred, sustainable, inclusive and innovation-driven Industry 5.0 model.
Institutional accreditation today is no longer merely an external evaluation exercise. It has become a strategic management tool that enables TVET institutions to strengthen governance, improve organizational performance, benchmark against international standards, and establish a sustainable culture of excellence. Institutions accredited under APACC demonstrate higher institutional credibility, stronger stakeholder confidence, improved graduate employability, greater industry partnerships, and enhanced opportunities for regional and international collaboration.
The proposed five-day In-Country Program on “APACC Institutional Accreditation and Certification in TVET: Implementing the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025” is designed to build the institutional capacity of TVET leaders, quality assurance managers, administrators, and faculty members in understanding, implementing, and institutionalizing the APACC Accreditation Framework. Rather than focusing solely on accreditation procedures, the program adopts a transformation-oriented approach that enables institutions to identify performance gaps, strengthen quality systems, develop evidence-based improvement plans, and prepare effectively for APACC accreditation.
Through an integrated combination of keynote lectures, theme papers, practical workshops, institutional self-assessment exercises, peer learning, simulation activities, and action planning sessions, participants will gain both conceptual understanding and practical experience in applying APACC quality standards within their own institutions.
ANTICIPATED IMPACTS OF THE PROGRAM
The program is expected to contribute to the following institutional impacts in Bhutan:
- Enhanced institutional readiness of Bhutanese TVET institutions for APACC accreditation under the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025.
- Strengthened institutional quality assurance systems aligned with international TVET standards.
- Improved governance, strategic planning, and evidence-based institutional management.
- Enhanced capability to implement KPI-based quality monitoring and continuous improvement mechanisms.
- Increased integration of digital transformation, sustainability, technopreneurship, and Industry 5.0 practices into institutional management.
- Stronger partnerships with industry, employers, communities, and international organizations.
- Development of institutional quality cultures that support innovation, accountability, transparency, and organizational excellence.
- Greater international recognition and competitiveness of participating TVET institutions.
OBJECTIVES
The training program is designed to:
- Develop Bhutanese participants' understanding of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 and its role in strengthening institutional quality assurance and continuous improvement.
- Strengthen institutional capacities in implementing APACC quality standards, performance indicators, and evidence-based quality management systems.
- Enhance participants' competencies in conducting institutional self-assessment, gap analysis, evidence mapping, and accreditation preparation.
- Promote strategic leadership and organizational transformation through quality assurance, digitalization, sustainability, innovation, and stakeholder engagement.
- Equip participants with practical tools for preparing institutional accreditation action plans aligned with APACC quality benchmarks.
- Foster a culture of continuous quality improvement and institutional excellence across participating TVET institutions.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
By the end of the training program, participants are expected to produce:
- Institutional Gap Analysis Matrix for TVET institutions of Bhutan.
- Institutional APACC Self-Assessment Report for the APACC 2025 framework.
- Evidence Mapping Matrix for all APACC Criteria.
- Draft Institutional Quality Improvement Plan.
- Institutional Action Plan for Accreditation under the APACC 2025 framework.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
By the completion of the program, participating institutions are expected to demonstrate:
- Improved institutional understanding of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025.
- Enhanced institutional quality assurance and governance systems.
- Greater institutional preparedness for APACC accreditation.
- Improved documentation and evidence management practices.
- Stronger strategic planning aligned with international quality benchmarks.
- Enhanced stakeholder engagement and industry collaboration.
- Sustainable institutional quality culture based on continuous improvement.
PROGRAM CONTENTS
Special Lecture: Global Trends on Quality Assurance as a Strategic Driver for Institutional Excellence in TVET
Purpose: To establish a common understanding of institutional quality assurance as a strategic management function rather than a compliance exercise in light of global trends.
Focus:
- Future of global TVET quality assurance
- Institutional excellence through accreditation
- Transformation from compliance to continuous improvement
- APACC as a regional benchmark for TVET excellence
THEME PAPERS:
Theme Paper 1: APACC Accreditation Framework 2025: Transforming TVET Institutions from Compliance to Excellence
Focus:
- APACC 2025 framework as an IR 5.0 compliant benchmarking tool for TVET Quality assurance
- Overview of APACC’s seven accreditation criteria
- KPI-based modern evaluation benchmarks
- APACC as a tool of institutional transformation
Theme Paper 2: APACC - Criterion I: Governance and Strategic Framework
Focus:
- Institutional Vision, Mission, Strategic Planning, Leadership, Governance
- Institutional Risk Management
- Institutional alignment with national and regional priorities
Theme Paper 3: APACC Criterion II: Teaching and Learning Management System
Focus:
- Curriculum, assessment, learning resources, faculty development
- Physical infrastructure, Modern Labs, workshops
- Digital learning, AI, AR, VR, MR, and XR usage in blended and modern learning frameworks
Theme Paper 4: APACC Criterion III: Technopreneurship, Innovation, Research, and Training Needs Assessment
Focus:
- Institutional innovation ecosystem, research culture, entrepreneurship, business incubation, industry relevance
- Training Needs Assessment (TNA)—Bridging national demand & supply gap
Theme Paper 5: APACC Criterion IV: Human Resource Management
Focus:
- HR development, staff competency, requisite advanced pedagogy skills
- Dual track for HR (faculty & admin support staff), PCD
Theme Paper 6: APACC Criteria V: Budgetary Allocation of TVET Institutes
Focus:
- Institutional budgetary allocation (CAPEX, OPEX, etc.)
- Fiscal budgetary planning
- Income-generating funds through joint industrial projects, commercialization of technology
Theme paper 7: Criterion VI & VII: Student Support System & Digital Health and Academia, Industry & Community Linkages
Focus:
- Student services, guidance, employability, digital well-being, inclusive learning
- Industry partnership, community engagement, and global networking
WORKSHOPS / ACTIVITIES:
Workshop 1: SWOT Analysis of Bhutan TVET Ecosystem Viz.-A-Viz. APACC’s Modern Benchmarks
Purpose: To evaluate and compare existing TVET institutional practices with modern TVET practices as elaborated in the APACC 2025 framework.
Workshop 2: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criterion I: Governance and Strategic Framework
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criterion I of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing existing policies, systems,
practices, and evidence, identifying institutional strengths and gaps, and developing priority areas and actionable improvement measures to strengthen institutional performance and accreditation readiness.
Workshop 3: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criterion II: Teaching and Learning Management System
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criterion II of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing curriculum development, assessment systems, learning resources, faculty development, digital and blended learning practices, and the application of emerging technologies such as AI, AR, VR, MR, and XR, and identifying institutional strengths, gaps, and priority areas for improvement.
Workshop 4: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criterion III: Technopreneurship, Innovation, Research, and Training Needs Assessment
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criterion III of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing institutional practices related to technopreneurship, innovation, research, industry-responsive initiatives, and training needs assessment, and identifying strengths, gaps, and actionable measures to enhance institutional capacity and responsiveness.
Workshop 5: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criterion IV: Human Resource Management
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criterion IV of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing institutional policies, systems, and practices related to human resource planning, recruitment, deployment, professional development, performance management, staff engagement, and employee welfare, and identifying institutional strengths, gaps, and priority areas for improvement.
Workshop 6: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criterion V: Budgetary Allocation and Resource Management
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criterion V of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing budget planning, financial accountability, resource mobilization, infrastructure and equipment management, procurement, and allocation of resources to institutional priorities, and identifying strengths, gaps, and actionable measures to enhance financial sustainability and effective resource management.
Workshop 7: APACC Criterion-Based Institutional Self-Assessment – Criteria VI & VII: Student Support and Digital Health, Industry–Academic–Community Linkages
Purpose: To enable participants to practically apply Criteria VI and VII of the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025 to their own institutional context by reviewing the relevant indicators and sub-indicators, assessing systems for student support, well-being and holistic development, as well as institutional linkages with industry, employers, government, communities, alumni, and international partners, and identifying institutional strengths, gaps, and priority areas for strengthening stakeholder engagement and learner support systems.
ACTION PLANNING: Bhutan Institutional Roadmap - APACC Accreditation under the 2025 framework
Purpose: To consolidate the learning from the program into a practical institutional roadmap and action plan that will strengthen continuous quality improvement and accelerate readiness for APACC accreditation under the APACC Accreditation Framework 2025.
- Review Institutional Readiness
- Consolidate findings from the seven APACC criteria and identify institutional strengths and improvement areas.
- Set Strategic Priorities
- Identify short, medium, and long-term priorities for institutional quality enhancement.
- Develop Quality Improvement Initiatives
- Formulate strategic projects and interventions for each APACC criterion.
- Prepare the APACC Accreditation Roadmap
- Define objectives, activities, responsibilities, timelines, and expected outputs.
- Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Establish measurable performance indicators and success targets for implementation.
- Prepare the Evidence and Monitoring Plan
- Identify documentary evidence, monitoring mechanisms, and progress tracking tools.
- Present the Institutional Action Plan
- Present the APACC Accreditation Roadmap for peer review, expert feedback, and institutional commitment.
- Prepare a tentative plan (next 2-3 years) for APACC accreditation of participating TVET institutions.
APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
This In-country program will adopt a practice-oriented and output-focused learning approach. Expert inputs will be followed by structured workshops, group work, case analysis, guided planning exercises, peer review, and action planning. The learning design connects the background/rationale, objectives, and expected outcomes with the preparation of practical outputs that participants can apply in Bhutanese TVET institutional quality assurance and planning processes.
The methodology will include:
- Expert-led theme papers and special lecture sessions.
- Hands-on workshops and group work activities.
- Case-based discussion of strategic planning challenges in TVET.
- Peer review, experience sharing and facilitated reflection.
- Preparation and presentation of institutional or regional strategic action plans.
PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE
The program is intended for thirty (30) participants from the TVET system of Bhutan as nominated by the Department of Planning Workforce and Skills Development, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Royal Government of Bhutan. The target group may include TVET leaders, quality assurance personnel, heads of department, and institutional focal officials for the Quality Management System. Professional staff of the Bhutan Qualification and Professional Certification Authority are also eligible to participate in the program.
DATE AND VENUE
Date: October 12-16,
2026
Delivery Mode: Face-to-face, with provision for
online or synchronous delivery if required
Venue: Paro or
Thimphu, Bhutan
FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS
To conduct the program smoothly, the following facilities are required:
- Training hall with flexible seating for group work and presentations.
- Laptop computers for participants and resource persons.
- Stable internet connection.
- Audio and video equipment.
- Multimedia projector, projection screen, and presentation clicker.
- Whiteboards, flip charts, markers, and workshop materials.
- Printing or copying support for templates, worksheets, action plans, and evaluation forms.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
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Program Schedule
