ABSTRACT
Open and distance education has faced an ongoing struggle to establish its credibility and legitimacy, even when its quality is good. Its success in achieving these has varied among countries and institutions. Much doubt has been cast on its quality, especially in contexts where it is new or it faces a history of poor-quality provision. A new dimension of concern is raised by current global trends in electronic delivery, cross-border provision and international partnerships and franchises. For these reasons, attention to its governance, accreditation and quality assurance is essential in establishing good practice, standards and reputation. Success in establishing the status and value of open and distance learning programmes depends on the policy and actions of governments, national or regional bodies and individual institutions, together with effective articulation among them. Aligning policies, regulations and practices presents considerable challenges, whatever the context. This chapter examines three interlinked and overlapping areas of endeavour: governance, accreditation and quality assurance. It identifies key trends and issues for planners and policy makers faced with the need to assure the quality of open and distance education.
