Mauritius Qualifications Authority

1. Transnational Qualifications Framework forThe Virtual University of Small States of the Commonwealth Presented by Kaylash Allgoo, O.S.K.Director MQA Mauritius Qualifications Authority

2. IntroductionThe Virtual University of the Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) VUSSC is an initiative of Education Ministers of 32 small countries that account for two-third of Commonwealth member states. Not a tertiary institution but a world-spanning collaborative network for strengthening and developing existing institutions. Ministers asked Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to facilitate the project.

3. PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

4. BACKGROUND • Request from participating VUSSC countries in March 2007 to “create mechanisms to support the accreditation of qualifications and transfer of credits between countries” • The development of a qualifications framework for VUSSC qualifications across member countries – a TQF.

5. VUSSC TQF CONCEPT DOCUMENT • TQF concept document developed based on review of existing qualifications systems in small states of Commonwealth in 2007. • The concept document was presented to senior officials in February 2008; updated draft was endorsed by VUSSC interlocutors in July 2008.

6. VUSSC TQF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Management committee was nominated by Senior Officials, 2 from each region. Africa and the Mediterranean KaylashAllgoo (Mauritius): Chair Frantz Gertze (Namibia) The Caribbean Michael Bradshaw (T&T): Vice Chair Yvonnette Marshall (Jamaica) Asia and the Pacific Richard Wah (Fiji) :Vice Chair Abdul Waheed (Maldives)

7. Section 1 Qualifications Frameworks as a global phenomenon

8. Qualifications Frameworks as a global phenomenon What is a qualifications framework? A qualifications framework sets boundaries Qualifications Framework Higher Education A qualifications framework is a national resource, representing a national effort at integrating education and training into a unified structure ABET A qualifications framework is a set of principles and guidelines which provide a vision, a philosophical base and an organisational structure for construction of a qualifications system Schooling TVET Etc.

9. Diagrammatic representation of the global distribution of qualifications frameworks

10. Qualifications Frameworks as a global phenomenon Global distribution of qualifications frameworks GREENLAND ALASKA (USA) SWEDEN ICELAND RUSSIA FINLAND NORWAY CANADA ESTONIA LATVIA DENMARK LITHUANIA BELARUS REPULIC OFIRELAND UNITEDKINGDOM NETHERLANDS GERMANY POLAND BELGIUM CZECHREPUBLIC UKRAINE KAZAKHSTAN SLOVAKIA AUSTRIA MONGOLIA HUNGARY SWITZ. FRANCE ROMANIA ITALY UZBEKISTAN BULGARIA GEORGIA KYRGYZSTAN SPAIN NORTHKOREA PORTUGAL UNITED STATES of AMERICA GREECE TURKEY TURKMENISTAN TAHKISTAN CHINA SOUTHKOREA JAPAN SYRIA AFGHANISTAN IRAN IRAQ TUNISIA MOROCCO PAKISTAN ALGERIA NEPAL LIBYA EGYPT WESTERN SAHARA SAUDIARABIA MEXICO TAIWAN UAE INDIA OMAN VIETNAM MYANMAR CUBA MAURITANIA LAOS MALI NIGER CHAD THAILAND SUDAN YEMEN GUATEMALA HONDURAS SENEGAL PHILIPPINES NICARAGUA CAMBODIA BURKINA GUINEA NIGERIA COSTA RICA ETHIOPIA VENEZUELA GHANA PANAMA SRILANKA COTED’IVOIRE CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC LIBERIA GUYANA CAMEROON FRENCHGUIANA MALAYSIA COLOMBIA SURINAME SOMALIA UGANDA KENYA CONGO GABON ECUADOR DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC OFCONGO TANZANIA PAPUANEW GUINEA INDONESIA BRAZIL PERU ANGOLA ZAMBIA BOLIVIA MOZAMBIQUE MADAGASCAR ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA BOTSWANA PARAGUAY AUSTRALIA REPUBLICOF SOUTHAFRICA URUGUAY CHILE ARGENTINA NEWZEALAND

11. Section 2 Recommendations of senior officials

12. Recommendations of Senior Officials Singapore 29 February 2008, London July 2008 • Establishment of a TQF for the VUSSC • Which may have wider application • TQF as a mapping instrument • Improve credit transfer and articulation • between countries • Promote common quality assurance • mechanisms • Does not replace existing qualifications • frameworks • Unified, credit-based with 10 levels • Sectoral and incremental implementation • Focus on qualifications below Level 6 • Transnational qualifications guidelines to be developed • Based on national/regional criteria • Applicable to qualifications developed through VUSSC • Transnational quality assurance guidelines to be developed • Based on national/regional criteria • Implemented and maintained as a continuous improvement system • Applicable to providers offering qualifications through VUSSC

13. Section 2 Singapore 29 February 2008, London July 2008 • TQF Management Committee established • Expert representatives from four regions (Africa & Mediterranean, Caribbean & Asia Pacific) (Franz Gertze & KaylashAllgoo; Michael Bradshaw & Yvonette Marshall; Richard Wah & Abdul Waheed) • Permanent administrator to be appointed by COL • External observers and evaluators as required • Terms of reference to be developed • TQF portal to be developed • Relational database of qualifications, programmes and providers • Interactive facility • Level descriptors to be developed • Qualifications descriptors to be developed • Monitoring and evaluation processes to be established • Funding to be secured for three years • VUSSC materials development to include • attention to: • qualifications design • quality assurance • delivery modes • Implementation to proceed without delay • COL to take coordinating role

14. Recommendations of Senior Officials Proposed action plan

15. Section 3 The Transnational Qualifications Framework for the VUSSC

16. Transnational Qualifications Framework Defining the VUSSC The Virtual University for the Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) is a growing network committed to the collaborative development of free content resources for education…. It is important to emphasize that the VUSSC is not a tertiary institution. Rather, it is a collective mechanism for developing, adapting, and sharing courses and learning materials. It is also a forum for institutions to build capacity and expertise in online collaboration, eLearning and ICTs generally. M&E Evaluation Update, September 2008

17. The pitching of qualifications on TQF Country X Country Y NQF Qual At Level 5 NQF Qual At Level 7 TQF Qual At Level 6 The Mauritius Qualifications Authority

18. Transnational Qualifications Framework Purpose of the TQF • The purpose of the TQF is to facilitate the development and effective delivery of relevant and quality-assured VUSSC qualifications. • Overarching system of levels and credits • Virtual translation instrument • Housed within a web portal • Requiring minimal human and financial resources

19. Transnational Qualifications Framework Prescriptiveness of the TQF • Loose: based on general agreements and practicalities • No legislation • Voluntary

20. The VUSSC Transnational Qualifications Framework (TQF) Registration of courses onto TQF Standards MoU Guidelines for Recognition Regional Agreement RQF Guidelines Note: Dotted lines refer to registration process of courses that have already been quality assured by the NQAA or other recognised authority

21. Transnational Qualifications Framework Architecture of the TQF • 10 Levels • Level descriptors • Two qualification types: • Certificate (L4) • Diploma (L5) • Credit-based • Modularisation • Standards development: • Transnational qualification criteria • Design-up from existing VUSSC programmes • New VUSSC programmes • Gather information from other qualifications frameworks • Quality assurance: • Transnational quality assurance criteria • Moderation agreements

22. Transnational Qualifications Framework Architecture of the TQF

23. Levels descriptors 5

24. Levels descriptors 4

25. Transnational Qualifications Framework Governance of the TQF • TQF Management Commitee: • 2 representatives per region: • Existing QA agencies • Ministries of education • Technical experts when needed • TQF Portal: • Searchable database of: • Qualifications • Providers • Learner achievements • Interactive site • Funding: • Seed money for 3 years

26. Transnational Qualifications Framework Governance of the TQF

27. No/very limited recognition (non-formal) National, regional and transnational recognition National and regional recognition National recognition Ministerial request, transnational needs VUSSC Conduit coordinated by COL Optional Course material developed using ODL mode REGIONAL QA REQUIREMENTS (RQF, where applicable) Optional NATIONAL QA REQUIREMENTS (NQF or MOE) Compulsory TRANSNATIONAL QA REQUIREMENTS Optional PROVIDERS Offer a range of courses

28. Section 4 Considerations

29. Considerations People are seeing the TQF as a business opportunity to have the branding of TQF on their qualifications. If we develop a program and mention having it on the TQF, they would say yes, we want it. It is because of the credibility. And they will be seen as an international training provider. (Mauritius) TQF for me is an exciting venture. I just get real excited about it actually because I want to see the whole gamut of things. I want to see national and regional. I feel that it is still a little bit early to really say just how well this will work. But I am really very positive about it. I really feel that having it come from this angle, where there is a sort of an umbrella framework, we will be able to approach the government and we’re saying “Come on now, if it’s done at this level, can we not do it? Can we not do something regional?”. So I’m – that excites me. (Belize)

30. Considerations • Limiting the scope of the TQF (and the work at hand) • Online & F2F • Open educational resources • VUSSC materials AND national courses being offered internationally • Co-branded courses • Participation in UNESCO global portal • Necessary reliance on national processes • Listing qualifications on the VUSSC website • Wiki-educator challenge

31. Thank You