(1) Without prejudice to the generality of section 11(2), when an application for licensing is submitted to the Board in accordance with this Act, the Board shall appoint a committee to be known as an Evaluation Committee comprising —
(a) at least one member of the Board; and
(b) such persons having knowledge and expertise in the programmes of study offered by the offshore higher education institution whose application is under consideration.
(2) The Chairperson of an Evaluation Committee shall be a member of the Board.
(3) An Evaluation Committee appointed under subsection (1) shall —
(a) be responsible for evaluation of any programme of study proposal accompanying an application submitted to the Board by any offshore higher education institution with reference to established regional and international academic guidelines, models of best practice and standards for accreditation of programmes of study;
(b) request from the relevant applicant, certified evidence from an accrediting body to the effect that the programmes of study offered by the offshore higher education institution have obtained initial provisional accreditation, provisional accreditation or accredited status;
(c) evaluate such proposal within a period specified by the Board, but, in any event, not exceeding 90 days or such further period as the Board may in writing direct and during such evaluation deal mainly with the academic and professional aspects of the proposal; and
(d) upon completion of the evaluation, submit a report to the Board.
(4) The Board shall take the report of the Evaluation Committee into account when considering the application for licensing.
(5) Sections 8(3), 8(4), 9 and 10 apply to every Evaluation Committee, with the necessary amendments, mutatis mutandis.