Quality assurance of education and training

In the field of education and training, quality assurance (QA) refers to an ongoing, continuous process of monitoring, evaluating, maintaining and enhancing the quality of an education system, institution or programme. 

Quality includes teaching, opportunities for learning, assessment, qualifications standards, the design and delivery of programmes, accreditation and certification of learners, and learning achievements.

QA processes promote accountability, openness and transparency. They also help ensure that, at the end of a programme of study or training, the qualification awarded to a learner is credible and trustworthy.

Providers have primary responsibility for their own QA. QQI has a complementary external quality assurance role. It ensures that providers have appropriate QA procedures in place, and that these are implemented and effective.

As an international agency, QQI is also responsible for ensuring that European policies and international effective practice are implemented nationally, in a way that is appropriate to the Irish context.