Current consultations

As a statutory awarding body, QQI must create a policy framework for how it governs and oversees the effective development, design, delivery, assessment and certification of awards that it makes.

QQI is currently consulting on four draft awarding policies: 

• Policy and criteria for determining QQI awards standards   
• Policy and criteria for provider approval 
• Policy and criteria for validating programmes leading to QQI awards  
• Policy and criteria for making awards   

QQI has operated existing policies governing these functions for several years. We have learned about what has worked well and where policy and practice may be improved. We are now updating these policies to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

 Each draft policy follows a common layout, setting out the: 

• legal basis,  
• policy scope,  
• policy purpose   
• explanations of key terms and  
• policy specific guidance.  

These draft awarding policies are interrelated, dependent on each other and ideally should be read together. We describe these connections in a common foreword which also includes a set of underpinning principles that guide the development and implementation of QQI policy. All four policies apply to both QQI further education and training (FET) and higher education (HE) awards. 

These draft policies aim to provide an overarching framework to guide decision-making and to clarify expectations. They do not include detailed procedures and processes. These will be provided separately to support the effective implementation of the policies once revised.  

There are obvious connections between QQI awards and assessment practice. The changes in the QQI award policies require a interim revision of the following guidelines which apply only to providers of QQI FET awards: 

• Quality assuring assessment guidelines for providers 
• Quality assuring assessment guidelines for external authenticators 

We are not proposing changes to the assessment-related guidelines for HE (i.e. Assessment and Standards and Effective Practice Guidelines for External Examining) as part of this consultation.

Webinar

On Monday 23 September, QQI hosted a webinar introducing the consultation on draft awards policies and interim guidelines on FET assessment, and explained how to engage in the consultation process. The webinar recording is here and the presentation used is here.

How to provide feedback

Please follow the link below to the relevant draft policy or the draft assessment guidelines. You will be see a short introduction, the draft document and a link to a short survey designed to gather key feedback on the policy proposals.  

****The closing date for this consultation has been extended to 29 November 2024**** 

If you have any questions about this consultation, please contact consultation@qqi.ie.

 What is the purpose of this draft policy?

This draft policy sets out the basis on which  

• an education and training organisation can become a provider of QQI awards for the first time; and
• a current provider of QQI awards can be approved to extend the range of programmes it can submit for validation. 

These processes have already been available but not under a single policy.  This draft seeks to clarify the essential policy and criteria but does not specify details of the various approval processes as these are subject to change over time. 

The policy is designed to integrate with related QQI Awards Policies on Programme Validation, Determining Standards and Making of Awards. 

This draft policy will, when approved, replace policies on Initial Access to Programme Validation and Reengagement. 

Who will be interested in this policy?

This document will be of interest to current and prospective providers, and we very much look forward to hearing from both.

Draft Policy and Criteria for Provider Approval

Please submit your feedback here.

 What is the purpose of this draft policy?

Awards standards set expectations for graduates of QQI awards. They are expressed in terms of learning outcomes and act as a key reference point for the development, delivery, assessment and certification of QQI awards. Awards standards are used to ensure that qualifications are relevant and to ensure consistency in learner achievements over time and across providers.  

The draft policy below describes some changes to the kinds of award standards that we now use and the ways that these are established. 

Who will be interested in this policy?

This draft policy will be of interest to existing and prospective providers of QQI validated programmes and providers interested in seeking delegated authority from QQI to make awards. This policy will also be of interest to other users of QQI awards including employers, professional statutory and regulatory bodies and education providers offering progression opportunities for QQI graduates. We very much look forward to hearing from you.  

Draft Policy and Criteria for Determining QQI Awards Standards

Please submit your feedback here.

 What is the purpose of this draft policy?

This draft policy sets out the basis on which a programme proposed by a provider can be approved as capable of enabling learners to attain a QQI award standard.    

Critical to the policy are the embedded criteria against which all programmes submitted for validation will be evaluated. It is obvious that they should be sufficient but not prohibitive.  We are very interested in suggestions for improvement to this part of the document.  

The draft policy follows a review and revision of the current policy and criteria, in place since 2017.  The significant differences are: 

• process details are omitted and will be set out in separate guide documents which will change as the process changes over time. 
• the embedded policy and criteria for validation of programmes leading to CAS awards have not been retained.   
• sub-criteria have been recategorized as indicators and, in some cases, have been reworded. 

Who will be interested in this draft document?

This draft policy will be of interest to existing and prospective providers of QQI validated programmes and providers interested in seeking delegated authority from QQI to make awards. We very much look forward to hearing from you. 

Draft Policy and Criteria for Validating Programmes leading to QQI Awards

Please submit your feedback here.

 What is the purpose of this draft policy?

This draft policy sets out the basis on which QQI will issue an award to a learner. The decision by QQI to make an award is based on the quality assured attainment of the relevant award standards. Award standards are determined by QQI, refined and agreed during programme validation and officially recognised in certificates issued by QQI.  

Much of the draft policy below will be familiar to providers, but there are some changes. For example, we propose using the award title ‘special purpose certificate’ in further education and training and that such awards will be available at NFQ levels 1 and 2. We propose replacing the ‘Component Certificate’ with a ‘Record of Minor Awards’ to accurately reflect what its contains. The draft policy also highlights provider responsibility to ensure the integrity of assessment processes underpinning requests for QQI awards. While not explicit in the draft policy, QQI intends to move towards issuing certificates in digital format in future.  

Who will be interested in this policy?

This draft policy will be of interest to existing and prospective providers of QQI validated programmes and providers interested in seeking delegated authority from QQI to make awards. We very much look forward to hearing from you.  

Draft Policy and Criteria for Making Awards

Please submit your feedback here.

 What is the purpose of these interim guidelines?

These guidelines are to inform the development by providers of programmes leading to QQI FET awards of quality assurance policies and procedures governing the assessment of those awards.

The draft interim update to these guidelines is intended to ensure alignment with QQI’s policies on validation, standards determination and making awards; its quality assurance guidelines for providers of blended and fully online programmes; and current practices in further education and training.  

This is an interim update, pending a more comprehensive review of the guidelines expected to conclude in the next 18 months.

The main changes relative to the 2018 edition are: 

• the explicit recognition that the award standard for a named QQI award is the set of minimum intended programme learning outcomes (MIPLOs) and minimum intended module learning outcomes (MIMLOs) associated with the programme that leads to that award; 
• clarification that while QQI’s Common Awards System awards specifications routinely include assessment techniques, providers are not obliged to use these techniques but are expected to comply with the assessment strategies set out in their validated programmes. Any changes to assessment subsequent to validation must be managed in accordance with the relevant quality assurance procedures; 
• the inclusion of additional guidance on academic integrity; and 
• the introduction of inclusive assessment as one of the principles.  

Who will be interested in these interim guidelines?

The guidelines will primarily be of interest to providers and external authenticators of programmes leading to QQI further education and training awards. 

Draft Quality Assuring Assessment Interim Guidelines for Providers

Please submit your feedback here.

What is the purpose of these interim guidelines?

These guidelines are to support providers of programmes leading to QQI FET awards, and external authenticators associated with those programmes, in the external authentication of assessment related to those awards.

The draft interim update to these guidelines is intended to ensure alignment with QQI’s policies on validation, standards determination and making awards; its quality assurance guidelines for providers of blended and fully online programmes; and current FET practices.  

This is an interim update, pending a more comprehensive review of the guidelines expected to conclude in the next 18 months.

The main changes relative to the previous version of the guidelines are: 

• the explicit recognition that the award standard for a named QQI award is the set of minimum intended programme learning outcomes (MIPLOs) and minimum intended module learning outcomes (MIMLOs) associated with the programme that leads to that award; and 
• clarification that while QQI’s Common Awards System awards specifications routinely include assessment techniques, providers are not obliged to use these techniques but are expected to comply with the assessment strategies set out in their validated programmes. Any changes to assessment subsequent to validation must be managed in accordance with the relevant quality assurance procedures. 

Who will be interested in these interim guidelines?

The guidelines will primarily be of interest to external authenticators and providers of programmes leading to QQI further education and training awards. 

Draft Quality Assuring Assessment Interim Guidelines for External Authenticators

Please submit your feedback here.