# Evaluating an internal quality assurance process for achieving national accreditation standards in midwifery education: a study protocol

## TL;DR

This study aims to evaluate how internal quality assurance processes can help midwifery education programs in Bangladesh meet national accreditation standards.

## Contribution

The study introduces implementation science to explore quality assurance processes in midwifery education, a novel approach in this field.

## Key findings

- The study will illustrate a sustainable process for midwifery education transformation in countries lacking internal quality assurance.
- It is anticipated that accreditation alone cannot enhance quality without internal quality assurance processes.

## Abstract

The World Health Organization and the International Confederation of Midwives emphasize the importance of accreditation to enhance quality in midwifery education. In midwifery education programmes, internal self-assessments are used to meet accreditation criteria. However, research on this topic is scarce. Therefore, this paper describes how we plan to conduct an evaluation of an internal quality assurance process in midwifery education aimed at achieving national accreditation standards in Bangladesh. This study has a longitudinal exploratory design and will be guided by the principles of process evaluation of complex interventions. An internal quality assurance self-assessment intervention will be introduced at 31 private and public education institutions in Bangladesh. To ensure a sustainable implementation, the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle will be introduced. Data will be collected using self-administered questionnaires and focus group discussions with midwifery faculty and final-semester students. Descriptive statistics and regression models will be performed for the quantitative data, and the qualitative data will be analysed using content analysis. It is anticipated that, without internal quality assurance of midwifery education programmes, accreditation alone is unlikely to enhance quality. We aspire for this research project to illustrate a process that the midwifery institutes can implement themselves for sustainable transformation towards high-quality midwifery education in countries where such internal quality assurance processes have not yet been integrated into the education system.

Trial registration: The study was registered retrospectively with the ISRCTN registry on 26 August 2024. The registration number is: ISRCTN14492910.

Main findings: We aspire for this research project to illustrate a process for sustainable transformation towards high-quality midwifery education.

Added knowledge: The use of implementation science is a new approach in midwifery education that explores the implementation of a quality assurance process and its mechanism of impact and outcomes.

Global health impact for policy and action: Our research findings can serve as a model to inform policy-makers advancing towards quality midwifery education.