<p dir="ltr">This qualitative dataset consists of the lived programme accreditation experiences collected from three colleges and the external quality assurance agency in Lesotho. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, capturing institutional perspectives on programme accreditation, contextual successes and challenges. The insights obtained from this dataset informed the redesign of the existing Lesotho accreditation instrument, so that it could be responsive to college realities. </p>