Acreditamento

Acreditamento is a formal recognition granted to an organization, program or service by an independent body that it meets predefined standards of quality and competence. It is used across sectors such as education, health care, industry, public administration and professional services. The aim is to promote quality assurance, accountability, transparency and continuous improvement, as well as to facilitate comparability and, in some cases, international recognition.

In education, accreditation usually applies to institutions and to specific programs. The process typically includes a self-evaluation, collection of evidence, an external review by qualified peers, a site visit, and a formal accreditation decision. The result can be full accreditation, accreditation with conditions, probation, or withdrawal, with a defined period of validity after which a new review is required. Accreditation may be voluntary or mandatory to access public funding, student support or credential recognition.

In health care, accreditation assesses hospitals, clinics or programs focusing on patient safety, clinical effectiveness, governance, facilities, information management and infection control. Achieving accreditation may influence licensure, funding, contracting with insurers and patient trust.

Standards are established by national or international accrediting bodies and are periodically updated. They typically cover governance and resources, program design and delivery, faculty or staff qualifications, student or patient outcomes, and processes for monitoring and improvement. The accreditation process often involves ongoing compliance demonstrations and periodic re-evaluation.

Acreditamento is distinct from licensing or certification: licensing may be legally required, while accreditation is commonly voluntary and aimed at external validation of quality. Some sectors also use “reacreditamento” to denote renewal of accreditation.