HEA Goes Digital: Online Accreditation System Now in Pilot Phase
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has launched the pilot phase of its Online Accreditation Module, moving Zambia’s higher education accreditation process off email inboxes and onto a dedicated digital platform for the first time.
The system, called the Quality Assurance Management Information System (QAMIS), is accessible at https://qamis.hea.org.zm and will allow Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to submit accreditation applications electronically, track their submissions and manage the process in one place.
This shift will cut processing times, reduce paperwork and bring much-needed transparency to how accreditation is handled across the sector.
The pilot follows a five (5)-day training workshop HEA held from 23rd to 27th March, 2026, at Sandy’s Creation Resort in Chilanga, where 50 HEIs sent two (2) participants each, who were drawn specifically from their Quality Assurance and Information Technology units, to get hands-on with the platform, create user accounts and work through its functions before it went live.
HEA Director-General, Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, announced the start of the pilot in a communiqué to HEIs, describing it as a meaningful step forward in how the Authority delivers its services.
“The Higher Education Authority wishes to inform all Higher Education Institutions that the Online Accreditation Module is now ready for piloting,” Professor Chinsembu said, adding that the Authority appreciates the cooperation of institutions in getting the system off the ground.
Importantly, the transition is being managed carefully as during the pilot phase, the online platform will run in parallel with the existing email-based submission process through accreditation@hea.org.zm.
This is to emphasise that no institution will be cut off mid-process as the full switchover date will be communicated separately once the Authority is satisfied the system is ready to carry the full load.
Institutions whose staff attended the March training can log in immediately using the credentials created during the sessions, whilst those who missed the workshop or need account support have been advised to contact the Senior IT Officer, Mr. Francis Kawesha, on francis.kawesha@hea.org.zm or mobile number +260 979 264 810.
The Online Accreditation Module is part of a broader digital transformation agenda HEA has been building out, aimed at making its regulatory processes more efficient and more responsive to the institutions it serves. For a sector that spans Colleges, University Colleges, Technical University Colleges, Universities, Technical University, Institution for Specialised Training of Professionals in a Specified Field, and Institutes across the country, having a centralised, trackable system for accreditation is long overdue, and the strong turnout at the training suggests HEIs are ready for it.
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