The results of the organizational accreditation processes in Chilean Universities were analyzed for the period 1997 -2015 (management and undergraduate teaching compulsory areas and optional for research, post-graduate teaching and link with the environment). The average accreditation times were compared (0 to 7 years) and the accreditation time for consecutive processes, for the total universities as well as for the groups of universities. Likewise, changes in organizational accreditation time for university, between consecutive events, was assessed through the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The average accreditation time among types of universities was compared through the Student’s “t”-test. It was not observed organizational learning product of the organizational accreditation in the total of Chilean Universities, since there were not significant statistical differences between consecutive accreditations, however there were in the state universities and, as consequence, in the total of universities of the Council of Rectors. The average accreditation time between the first and the last process was statistically significant only for State universities and for the ones of the Council of Rectors. The highest variation was observed in the private universities not affiliated to the Council of Rectors. In the optional areas increases were observed just in the accreditation time in the post graduate area. The use of regulatory processes in Chilean universities through organizational accreditation has produced diverse changes in management and academic tasks. The conclusion is that the organizational accreditation effects varies between the types of universities and accreditation areas.
Key words:
Institutional accreditation; Quality assurance; Higher education