HEQF Review Update & A New Accreditation Framework

1. HEQF Review Update & A New Accreditation Framework QA Forum Private Providers September 2011

2. Developments • 1. A revised HEQF • 2. HEQF Implementation • 3. A New Accreditation Framework

3. 1. A Revised HEQF • Review process • Main findings: • Mostly affirmed in intent and design • Bit restrictive and inflexible in some areas Three main areas of concern with framework itself: • Levels 5/6 • Pathways for professional qualifications • Professional qualification at Level 9

4. 10 9 8 7 6 5 Doc Prof D Snr Doc Masters Prof M PG Dip PG Dip Hons Deg 480 36 credits Bach 120/156 PGCE AD Deg 360 Deg360 prof Dip 360 AC Dip 240 Dip 360 Dip 240 HC

5. Potential exceptions • MMed at 660 credits, MMedVet • Subspecialities • MBCHb • MBA level – 8, 9 – funding?

6. Proposals Proposal 1: • The CHE proposes that there be a recognition of three broad qualification progression routes, namely the vocational, professional and general routes. While the routes should be reasonably clear, the CHE advocates permeable boundaries between them.

7. Proposal 2: • The CHE proposes that the HEQF should provide for various forms of work-integrated learning including work-directed theoretical learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning and workplace learning.

8. Proposal 3 • The Higher Certificate at Level 5 and the Advanced Certificate at Level 6 should remain on the HEQF. The HEQF should make provision not only for the CHE to include more qualification types on the HEQF, but also to suggest the relocation of some qualification types to other frameworks in the future.

9. Proposal 4: • A 240-credit Diploma at Level 6 as a variant of the 360-credit Diploma, which leads to a professional designation, should be introduced.

10. Proposal 5: • The CHE proposes the recognition of a 360-credit Bachelor’s degree with a professional orientation at Level Proposal 6: • The CHE proposes that a Bachelor’s degree in both 360- and 480-credit variants may have a professional or general orientation

11. Proposal 7: • The CHE proposes that the purpose and characteristics of the Advanced Diploma be expanded to include preparation for further study and that the Advanced Diploma at Level 7 articulate into an appropriate and cognate Honours degree at Level 8 as well as into the Postgraduate Diploma at Level 8.

12. Proposal 8: • The CHE proposes the introduction of a professional Master’s degree as a separate qualification type to the general Master’s in its current two variants.

13. Proposal 9: • The CHE proposes the introduction of a professional doctoral degree as a variant of the research doctorate.

14. Proposal 10: • The CHE proposes that the HEQF specifies the minimum total credits for each qualification type, as well as the minimum credits at the exit level of the qualification, but does not specify the maximum credits at levels below the exit level.

15. 10 9 8 7 6 5 10 9 8 7 6 5 Prof D Doc Snr Doc Res M/course M Prof M PG Dip Deg 480 Level 8 Deg Hons Hons Dip 360 Level 7 Degprof AD Level 7 Deg AC Dip 240 HC

16. 2. HEQF Implementation • Plan • Data collection going ahead – postponed slightly • Effect of review

17. Process update • HEQF-online going live end of this week, with final version of template • Same template, some columns deleted • Submission dates: • Early bird: 31 October 2011 • Late submission: 15 January 2012

18. Amendments to submissions • Category A - submit S1 and S2 immediately • Category B – submit S1 now and S2 six months prior to calls for Category B submissions • Category C – submit S1 only • Thus S1 for all, S2 only for As.

19. HEQF ALIGNMENT: IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONAL PLAN UNIVERSITIES Blue Group UNIVERSITIES Purple Group PRIVATE PROVIDERS COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITIES Red Group COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITIES Orange Group UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY ALL HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND QUALIFICATIONS SUBMITTED VIA HEQC ONLINE FOR APPRAISAL AND CATEGORISATION CATERGORY A MINIMAL CHANGES: EG NAMEOF QUALIFICATION CATEGORY B MINOR CHANGES: IE LESS THAN 50% CHANGE TO QUALIFICATION CATEGORY C MAJOR CHANGES: IE MORE 50% CHANGE TO QUALIFICATION EST. 60 – 70% OF APPLICATIONS LARGE SCALE EVALUATIONS OF APPLICATIONS IN AC-STYLE MODEL EST. 5% OF APPLICATIONS MAKE NEW APPLICATION FOR CANDIDACY-PHASE ACCREDITATION EST. 30 – 25% OF APPLICATIONS ‘ACCREDITATION-STYLE’ EVALUATION BY INSTITUTION TYPE, DISCIPLINE AND QUALIFICATION TYPE NOT ACCREDITED NOT APPROVED NOT APPROVED OUTCOME: APPROVED AND ‘DEEMED’ ACCREDITED OUTCOME: APPROVED AND ‘DEEMED’ ACCREDITED OUTCOME: PROVISIONAL ACCREDITATION

20. 3. New framework Broad level: • Existing framework sound in terms of principles but relates to programmes only – candidacy and accreditation phases. Overambitious? Currently not implementing accreditation phase. • No real link with institutional quality capacity – audit/institutional review/site visits …. Self-accreditation?

21. Regulatory issues: • Some principles need amendment or foregrounding e.g. blind peer review • Spell out re-accreditation in relation to registration with DHET • Better provisions for complaints, withdrawing of accreditation and appeals

22. Context changes: • 2nd cycle – institutions at different stages of “quality maturity” • Mergers, growth in private sector, established institutions now developing new sites/changing sites • HEQF – new framework for all qualifications, not just new • Changing roles of CHE/SAQA

23. Purposes of accreditation • Assure and enhance quality in higher education programmes and the institutions that offer them – grant recognition status for meeting minimum standards • Protect students… • Support providers to institutionalise a culture of self-managed evaluation • Increase public confidence…

24. What do we want to do with new framework? • Integrate institutional accreditation with programme accreditation and with other HEQC processes (institutional audits/reviews, national reviews), and deal with promised self-accreditation • Therefore, build a system of institutional accreditation

25. Some context factors • 23 publics (22 audited in 1st cycle), 114 privates, 11 audited, some site-visited) • HEQF – need to get over first before implementing big new parts of framework (2014/15) • New and existing programmes – diff acc statuses • Regulatory changes urgent

26. Institutional accreditation • Purpose – to determine institutional capacity to offer HE programmes • Outcome: • provisional accreditation (if new) • conditional accreditation • on notice of withdrawal of accreditation • accreditation (self-accreditation status) • not accredited

27. Processes • New institutions – application, SER, site visit, (3yrs) • Existing institutions – • Those audited with no serious recommendations, plus good accreditation history – simple process, application, a reviewer, AC, HEQC • Those eligible for audit but not audited need audit first • Those not audited – self-evaluation, site visit.

31. Programmes • Candidacy phase for new programmes • Existing programmes – HEQF alignment, deemed accredited (structural coherence, names etc) – link to institutional accreditation • Re-registration – summarised report on current status of programmes to DHET.

32. Appeals • Representation within 21 days, re-evaluate, back to AC and HEQC • Can re-apply after 12 months • New appeals process: • Appeals Cttee, meets 2x per year (1x)

33. If appeal lodged, appeal and all original reports and submissions evaluated by 2 independent reviewers, recommendation to Appeals Committee

34. Document processes for: • representations, • new sites of delivery, changes of mode, changes of name, • complaints • notice of, and withdrawal of, accreditation

35. Summary • Mandatory site visit for new institutions • Linking programme and institutional accreditation • Institutional accreditation – self-accreditation