Responsible bodies

Within the scope of its remit, the former National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education (ANQEP), now Institute for Education, Quality and Evaluation (EduQA, I.P.), implements a range of measures to ensure the quality of the system. This work covers the Qualifica Centres and the training providers involved in delivering training programmes for adults.

Approaches and methods for quality assurance

Notable among the initiatives implemented in what regards the Qualifica Programme are:

• The Qualifica Centre Quality Charter, which defines the indicators and quality standards of the organisation and functioning of the centres, ensuring the consistency, transparency and rigour of the services provided in the areas of guidance, referral and the recognition of skills.
• The promotion of training and professional development for staff, including trainers, guidance, assessment and certification specialists, as well as other stakeholders in adult education.
• Technical and educational support, provided in collaboration with the relevant bodies, ensuring consistency in policy implementation and promoting the improvement of practices on the ground.
•  The provision of technical guidance, handbooks and recommendations for Qualifica Centre teams and training providers, with the aim of standardising procedures, ensuring consistency and supporting the effective implementation of competence and qualification frameworks.
• Consolidation of the Information and Management System of the Education and Training Provision (Sistema de Informação e Gestão da Oferta Educativa e Formativa - SIGO), which allowes simultaneous monitoring of Qualifica Centre activities, as well as self-regulation of institutions in the field. Indicators from SIGO allow the monitoring of the activity of the Qualifica Centres network and of the training entities, support decision-making and enhance the transparency of the system.
• ANQEP/EduQA, I.P. is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the operation and activities of the Qualifica Centres. In this context, the it provides members of the Government with responsibility for education and employment with monthly updates on the results of its monitoring, as well as an annual monitoring and evaluation report, which includes the self-assessment carried out annually by the Centres.
• If necessary, ANQEP/EduQA, I.P. may request the Inspectorate-General for Education and Science (IGEC) or the Inspectorate-General of the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security to undertake audits or inspections of Qualifica Centre activities. It can also contract external auditing and evaluation services.

External evaluation of adult education and training

ANQEP/EduQA, I.P. develops and implements monitoring models for adult education and training provision, which include Education and Training (EFA) courses, Certified Modular Training (FMC) programmes and Qualifica Centres.
Teams comprising members of ANQEP/EduQA, I.P., the regional services of the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP, I.P.) and the regional services of the Agency for the Management of the Education System (AGSE) are responsible for:

• monitoring the work of each centre in its area (NUT II) by analysing the monthly information provided by ANQEP/EduQA, I.P.;
• supporting the work of the Qualifica Centres teams of the respective NUT II;
• supporting activities to mobilise the adult population;
• carry out follow-up visits to the Qualifica Centres of the respective NUT II;
• systematise the work carried out as part of the team's responsibilities, on a monthly basis;
• participate in the network coordination and monitoring meetings with ANQEP/EduQA, I.P.;
• providing training for Qualifica Centre teams.

Alongside continuous investment in training, individualised follow-up and monthly monitoring of the main performance indicators of the Qualifica Centres network, the Quality Charter is one of the main tools for consolidating quality assurance in adult qualification. The Qualifica Centres see the Quality Charter as a benchmark for their work, in terms of the quality of the service provided and the levels of efficiency and effectiveness achieved, and for ANQEP/EduQa, I.P.'s intervention in the management and regulation of the network.

To ensure the credibility, consistency and effectiveness of this adult qualification mechanism, quality assurance in recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC) processes follows the following guiding principles:

•  Accessibility: The processes must be clear, cost-efficient and adult-centred, guaranteeing equal access for all candidates. They include personalised information, guidance and support.
• Consistency: The teams involved (counsellors, assessors) must apply uniform criteria, using standardised tools and procedures. Transferability between sectors is ensured by common definitions.
• Fairness: Processes are impartial, recognising different ways of learning. They include appeal mechanisms to challenge decisions.
• Validity: Assessment methods are aligned with occupational benchmarks and expected objectives.
• Rigour: Assessments are conducted by experts and follow criteria equivalent to traditional methods.

There are various monitoring tools

• The Quality Charter for Qualifica Centres, which was drafted by ANQEP/EduQA, I.P., establishes criteria and indicators for assessing centres' performance.
• Regular audits, periodic self-evaluations and monitoring are undertaken via the Integrated Information and Management System for the Educational and Training Provision (SIGO).
• ANQEP/EduQA, I.P. also organizes ongoing training to improve the effectiveness of the teams involved in the RVCC processes.

In relation to the monitoring of education and training provision for young people, see Subchapter 10.1 - Quality Assurance in Pre-School and School Education. This subchapter has information about EQAVET - European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training and the Portuguese model for the Level 4 provision of the National Qualifications Framework (QNQ).