Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland an agency committed to an accessible, understandable and transparent syste

1. Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland an agency committed to an accessible, understandable and transparent system of quality-assured qualifications Dr Padraig Walsh Chief Executive designate, Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland Chief Executive, National Qualifications Authority of Ireland Chief Executive, Irish Universities Quality Board Chief Executive, Higher Education and Training Awards Council Presentation to Higher Education Colleges Association Conference, Griffith College, 15 April 2011

2. 1984 - 2001: Lecturer, Bioprocess Engineering, DCU • 2001 - 2005: Director of Quality Promotion, DCU • 2005 - present: Chief Executive, Irish Universities Quality Board • 2010 - present: CEO designate, QQAI My Background

3. Rationalisation of State Agencies (Annex D, Budget 2009) • Amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the Further Education and Training Awards Council. The new organisation will also take responsibility for the external quality assurance review of the universities, a function which is currently performed by the Irish Universities Quality Board and the Higher Education Authority. • In seeking to ensure a coherent approach to qualifications and quality assurance, there will also be discussions with the National University of Ireland around the possibility of including some of the related functions of the NUI in the new organisation. Announcement – October 2008

4. 13 January 2010 - Government approved the General Scheme of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, which provides for the establishment of an amalgamated qualifications and quality assurance agency • 1 February 2010 - First Meeting of the Interim Board of QQAI, comprising the Chairs of the NQAI, HETAC, FETAC and IUQB • 1 October 2010 - Padraig Walsh appointed as CEO of NQAI and CEO designate of QQAI • 14 February 2011 - Padraig Walsh appointed as CEO of HETAC Progress to date

5. Remit of QQAI • Consolidating existing statutory functions • Making additional existing functions statutory • Taking on new statutory functions

6. Promote, maintain, further develop and implement the National Framework of Qualifications • Formulate policy on quality assurance and enhancement in education and training and review and monitorthe effectiveness of providers’ quality assurance procedures • Validate programmes of education and training and review and monitor the validated programmes Consolidating the Statutory Functions of Existing Agencies

7. Establish the standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners before an award can be made • Make and promote its own awards and delegate authority to makes awards, and review and monitor the operation of delegated authority • Ensure that policies are in place whereby learners are protected Consolidating the Statutory Functions of Existing Agencies

8. Consolidating the Statutory Functions of Existing Agencies • Determine policies and criteria for access, transfer and progression of learners, and monitor the implementation of procedures for access, transfer and progression of learners by providers • Cooperate with international bodies on qualifications and quality assurance policies and their implementation

9. Consolidating the Statutory Functions of Existing Agencies • Liaise with awarding bodies outside of the State for the purposes of facilitating the recognition in the State of awards of those bodies • Facilitate the recognition outside the state of awards made in the state

10. Additional functions acquired by NQAI since establishment • Qualifax– the Irish National Learners’ Database • ACELS – Quality Assurance and Accreditation of English Language Schools • Maintenance of the Internationalisation Register

11. Establishing a code of practice for the provision of programmes of education and training to international learners • Authorising the use of the quality markby a provider that complies with the code • Establishing and maintaining a database providing information on programmes of education and training establish and maintaining a register of providers Anticipated new statutory functions of QQAI

12. The amalgamation will bring an enhanced coherence and efficiency to qualifications and quality assurance in further and higher education and training • The linkages from the Framework to progression and access policies and onwards to awards certification and quality assurance are such that progress can be most efficiently and effectively achieved through the establishment of a strong single organisation, prioritising the needs of learners and delivering quality service to providers Aims of QQAI

13. Executive rather than representative Board • Fitness for purpose approach to quality across whole FE/HE sector • Intertwined roles of HEA and QQAI re performance and quality Potential impact

14. Issues of potential significance for Independent Colleges • HETAC Brand • Code of Practice for International (non-EEA) Learners • Quality Mark • Dual funding (core grant/fees) approach will continue

15. Issues of potential significance for Independent Colleges • I think that HECA will be satisfied that the matters raised in their submission to the consultation paper in June 2009 will be addressed in the legislation

16. Deepening implementation of the National Framework of Qualifications • Further facilitating progression for learners through the system • Aligning quality assurance practices in FE/HE • Pooling resources to deliver a high quality service to learners and providers • Providing the above service with 20% less staff by end 2014 compared to end 2010 Challenges for QQAI