Responsible Bodies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – Ireland
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
Quality assurance in higher education
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
Responsible Bodies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – Ireland
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the sole state agency with responsibility for the external quality assurance (QA) of higher education and training leading to awards on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) in Ireland. QQI was established by the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 (amended 2019). Under the Act QQI must publish QA guidelines, these guidelines are to be used by providers in establishing, evaluating and reviewing their internal QA policies and procedures. QQI has published a set of statutory core QA guidelines, which are applicable to all providers. These core QA guidelines outline the elements of a provider’s internal quality assurance system that are fundamental to all providers and the programmes of education and training, research and related services they offer. In addition, QQI has established supplementary QA guidelines for different types of providers including sector-specific guidelines and topic-specific guidelines. QQI QA guidelines have been developed in line with the Standards and Guidelines for QA in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) 2015 (ESG).
Providers are required by legislation to "have regard to QQI guidelines" (see s. 28 (2), Qualifications and Quality Assurance Act 2012 [the 2012 Act]) in developing their internal QA policies and procedures.
The higher education sector in Ireland includes the universities and their associated colleges, the technological universities, the institutes of technology (IoTs) and providers within the private, independent sector making awards on the National Framework of Qualifications.
The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
The NFQ is enshrined in legislation and was established in 2003 as a framework for the development, recognition and award of qualifications in the State. Based on a system of levels of knowledge, skill and competence, the NFQ promotes transparency and trust in qualifications. Because the NFQ has been formally aligned with the European Qualifications Framework and the Qualifications Framework for the European Higher Education Area, qualifications achieved in Ireland enjoy an international currency and holders of such qualifications find it easier to use their qualifications in Europe and beyond.
The 2012 Act requires Designated Awarding Bodies (DABs; i.e., “those bodies with the authority in law to make awards and to whom the 2012 Act applies”, Sector- specific Statutory QA Guidelines for DABs, p. 1) to include their qualifications in the NFQ. This means that the awarding bodies must ensure that learners have acquired the standard of knowledge, skill, and competence associated with the relevant NFQ level before an award is made. Internal QA procedures should therefore be capable of demonstrating that programmes and qualifications offered by DABs are developed with reference to the NFQ and are monitored over time to ensure that NFQ standards are maintained. This expectation is also made explicit in Part 1 of the ESG (p. 12), which stipulates that institutions should have processes for the design and approval of their programmes. Programmes should be designed so that they meet the objectives set for them, including the intended learning outcomes. The qualification resulting from a programme should be clearly specified and communicated and refer to the correct level of the NFQ and, consequently, to the Framework for Qualifications of the EHEA.
The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 introduced new legislative requirements regarding the inclusion of awards within the NFQ. The Joint Sectoral Protocol between QQI and DABs specifies the procedure for the inclusion of awards of DABs within the Framework. This legislation also introduced a new type of awarding body, Listed Awarding Bodies, which are awarding bodies without statutory awarding powers that can seek voluntary, regulated access to the National Framework of Qualifications. QQI has determined Policies and Criteria for the establishment of Listed Awarding Bodies and for the inclusion of awards in the Framework.
Private and independent higher education providers wishing to offer awards in the NFQ must have their programmes validated by QQI. QQI has determined policies and criteria for the validation of programmes of education and training.
QQI’s QA Framework
QQI’s approach to quality assurance is based on the ESG principle that providers are primarily responsible for the quality of education, training, research and related services they provide. Internal QA policies and procedures put in place by higher education institutions (HEIs) must have regard to QQI statutory QA guidelines and must be comprehensive, covering all of the institution’s education, training, research and related activities. QQI’s suite of QA guidelines which are aligned to ESG Part 1, make clear that quality is provider owned. In addition, one of the functions of QQI is to review and monitor the effectiveness of quality assurance in education and training providers. QQI’s policy for cyclical review of higher education institutions sets out the scope, purpose, criteria and procedures for the external quality review of HEIs.
Programme Validation
Some private and independent higher education providers, whose quality assurance has been approved by QQI offer programmes leading to QQI awards. These programmes are subject to prior validation by QQI. The validation policy and criteria are designed to ensure a programme’s value to learners and its consistency with NFQ standards.
Cyclical Institutional Review
The purpose of cyclical review is to provide an independent external review of the effectiveness and implementation of a higher education institution’s internal QA policies and procedures. QQI’s current cycle of reviews for higher education is called CINNTE, which means ‘certain’ or ‘definite’ in the Irish language. The CINNTE institutional review evaluates the effectiveness of an institution’s internal QA system, in compliance with the ESG and with the expectations set in in QQI QA guidelines.
The CINNTE review process is in keeping with Parts 2 and 3 of the ESG 2015 and based on the internationally accepted and recognised approach to reviews, i.e., the publication of terms of reference; an institutional self-evaluation report (ISER); an external assessment and site visit by a team of reviewers; the publication of a review report including findings and recommendations; and a follow-up procedure to review actions taken.
Institutional Quality Monitoring
Institutional quality monitoring is undertaken through QQI’s annual quality reporting process and biennial quality dialogue meetings with the HEIs. An annual quality report (AQR) is submitted by each public HEI and the larger private/independent HEIs. The AQR report template is mapped to ESG Part 1 and QQI core QA guidelines. The AQR provides information on internal QA governance, policies and procedures, and on QA activities, and changes/developments within an institution in the reporting year. The reports, which contain both quantitative and qualitative information and case studies on contemporary topics in institutional QA, are published in QQI’s AQR online reviews library.
Quality Enhancement and Thematic Analysis
QQI conducts thematic analysis of the outcomes arising from EQA processes (such as AQRs, institutional review reports) to identify system-level findings and trends. For example, the thematic analysis of the AQRs is published as an annual insight into quality in higher education. These thematic analyses provide an evidence base to inform and enhance policy and practice within QQI, the HEIs and across the broader stakeholder base.
Higher Education Landscape
The 2011 National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 provided for substantial changes to the landscape of Irish higher education including reform of teacher education, improved institutional alignment and consolidation within the Institute of Technology sector, as well as a pathway for consolidated institutes to become technological universities (TUs).
The establishment of five technological universities (see below) has increased the number of universities in Ireland to twelve and reduced the number of IoTs to two. In addition, the historic Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has been designated as a University of Medical and Health Sciences.
While this legal mechanism exists, Government policy remains that the only current route to university status is through the existing provisions of the Technological Universities Act 2018 (by merging with an existing Technological University or another Institute of Technology) or the Universities Act 1997 (by incorporation to an existing university).
Apart from the universities and IoTs, there are a number of other HEIs in receipt of public funding that are linked providers of a particular designated awarding body (i.e. the DAB in question is the awarding body for its linked provider[s]). There are also a number of private independent/private HEIs operating in Ireland for whom QQI is the awarding body (i.e., QQI approves these bodies’ QA procedures and validates their programmes of education and training).
Technological University Development
The Technological Universities Act was signed into law in March 2018, which accelerated the pace of progress on applications by IoTs for designation as technological universities.
Five technological universities have been formally established to date. These include: Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) was Ireland’s first technological university to be formally established on 1 January 2019 and is comprised of over 25,000 students. The university has a new city centre campus on a 73-acre site in Grangegorman and two campuses in the greater Dublin areas of Blanchardstown and Tallaght.
Munster Technological University (MTU) was established on 1 January 2021 and has a student population of over 14,000 students across six campuses in Cork and Kerry.
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) was established on 1 October 2021 and has a student population of over 13,000 across seven campuses in Limerick, Tipperary, and Westmeath.
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) was established on 1 April 2022 and has a student population of over 24,000 across multiple campuses in Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
South East Technological University (SETU) was established on 1 May 2022 and has a student population of +16,000 across multiple campuses in Waterford, Carlow, Wexford and Wicklow.
Higher Education Funding and the Higher Education Authority (HEA)
The HEA is the statutory planning and policy development body for higher education and research in the higher education system in Ireland. It is also the funding authority for the universities, technological universities and Institutes of Technology, and a number of designated higher education institutions. It leads the strategic development of the Irish higher education system and research in the higher education system. The HEA has a statutory responsibility to ensure the effective governance and regulation of HEIs and the system more broadly.
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