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The above reminder from the Indian Vedic literature is very apt when many institutes of higher education, in their quest for getting accreditation, ignore the process of performing their duties efficiently. While performing one’s duty efficiently for the sake of its performance is intrinsic motivation, hankering for results/accreditations is extrinsic motivation. Additionally, in this article, I argue that for an effective and thriving higher educational institute, accreditations should not form a means to achieve the results of a higher educational institute but should at best serve as pointers to improve academic processes.  

Accreditations are a process to assure quality in education. Some progressive accreditation agencies like the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB International) additionally provide business education intelligence and learning and development services to its members. The purpose of national-level accreditation such as the  National Board of Accreditation in India, Engineers Council in the United Kingdom, and the Accreditation Board for Engineers and Technology in the USA are no different—each aims to assure quality in higher education. Ironically and sadly, often the purpose of an educational institute is at variance from the accrediting bodies when the educational institutes trivialize accreditation as a gateway for seeking student admissions.

Broadly, the motivation of human beings is either intrinsic or extrinsic; intrinsic motivation is considered better than extrinsic as the former fuses activities and goals, resulting in increased interest, enjoyment, and performance. Similarly, pursuing accreditations motivated extrinsically to improve admissions of students results in the superficial design of academic processes, including the absence of rigor in researching and executing a robust, market-oriented course curriculum. Institutes obsessed with the extrinsic motivation of accreditations go through a variety of motions and the faculty/staff remain busy doing several superficial and incoherent activities. Not surprisingly, educational institutes fail to achieve what they desire so ardently!

A major paradigm shift in approaching accreditations intrinsically will result in joyfully improving academic processes, resulting in improved placements, higher average salaries, better admissions, and increased revenues for the institute. Yes, additionally, if the institute applies for accreditation, they easily get it as the core purpose of the institute has been thoughtfully nurtured. Ironically, when an institute of higher education is intrinsically motivated, accreditation does not form part of its core processes for creating value. It may at best serve as pointers for improving processes. How can educational institutes be intrinsically motivated to joyfully create value for stakeholders, while incidentally, also get accredited? Below I share three strategies for achieving it.

LEAD BY MISSION: Most higher educational institutes have ritualistic mission statements that are not deployed. The mission of an educational institute is like the potential energy that will only and eventually get kinetic. Hence, a thoughtfully designed mission is fundamental for leading the institute intrinsically. Next, there has to be awareness of the mission to all the faculty, staff, and students. Unless each connects with the mission and feels pride in it, they will not be intrinsically motivated. Each element of the mission has to be creatively translated into processes, with measures and a plan for achieving them. The involvement of faculty in designing the processes develops their ownership and results in joyful execution. No amount of disconnected activities can replace the coherence and focus provided by a well-articulated, emotionally owned, and deftly executed mission.

MANAGE BY VALUES: While one effectively and intrinsically leads by a mission, one intrinsically manages by values—the behaviors that have made an institute successful in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Merely articulating the values is insufficient for creating impact. The values have to be internalized by employees and deployed in the institute’s processes. There are many ways by which the values are deployed and the key is to design multiple ways to enable continuous awareness and reinforcement of values.

DEPLOY STRENGTHS:  Each person has unique strengths. Some are good at designing while others have excellent execution skills. People get intrinsically motivated and deliver superior performance when they employ their strengths at work. Progressive institutes encourage their employees to craft their roles that achieve the dual purpose of high impact and personal enrichment. When the faculty and staff understand the mission and have internalized the values, the crafting of their roles, anchored to the strengths, is aligned with the mission. Crafting of roles will require greater trust between the management and faculty and effective deployment of values goes a long way in creating trusting relationships.

Just as a person is intrinsically motivated, so can an institute for achieving superior performance joyfully. For sustainably creating value for stakeholders, accreditations should not form part of the value chain. Using the terminology of research, accreditations should at best be a moderator and not a mediator—certainly never an outcome as many institutes of higher education mistakenly consider accreditations as the result.