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Policies and Criteria for the Inclusion in, or Alignment with, the National Framework of Qualifications of the Awards of Certain Awarding Bodies

The Authority has adopted policies and criteria on the inclusion in, or alignment with, the National Framework of Qualifications of the awards (or the learning outcomes associated with them) of certain awarding bodies which are not already recognised through the Framework under section 8(2)(a) of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. These policies and criteria concern the final area of policy development for the National Framework of Qualifications prior to moving to full implementation of the Framework.

The policies and criteria concern the recognition through the Framework of the following:

Group B applications are made to the Awards Councils.Under the new policies and criteria the Councils are to put in place their own policies and criteria and plan to have these in place in autumn 2006.

Group C applications are made to the Authority.

The Authority recognises that there are bodies which make awards in Ireland and which do not have the formal recognition of the State in so doing. The Authority notes that many of these bodies have been operating for many years and considers it very important that the learning outcomes associated with the awards that these bodies make can also be recognised in the context of the Framework. The Authority notes the clear provisions of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999, which allow for the submission of programmes for validation to the two Awards Councils - the Further Education and Training Awards Council and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council.

Thus, the Authority notes that Ireland is in a unique position in international terms in having State awards available for all provision of learning opportunities within the State and considers that no learning provider or non-statutory awarding body should feel excluded from working with the Awards Councils. Indeed, such providers and awarding bodies also have the opportunity of working with other State awarding bodies such as the universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Briefing Session on Emerging Policies on the Inclusion in, or Alignment with, the National Framework of Qualifications of the Awards of Certain Awarding Bodies

The Authority held a half-day briefing session in the Alexander Hotel, Dublin, on the morning of Wednesday 24 May, 2006 on emerging policies on the inclusion in, or alignment with, the National Framework of Qualifications of the awards (or the learning outcomes associated with them) of certain awarding bodies.

Briefing on the Draft Policies and Criteria for the inclusion in, or Alignment with, the National Framework of Qualifications of the Awards in Certain Awarding

The Authority and the Department of Education and Science have agreed to the placement of a number of the Department’s former awards in the National Framework of Qualifications. This follows on the placement of former awards of the Dublin Institute of Technology (on 23 March 2005), of the Further Education and Training Awards Council (on 27 January 2005) and of the Higher Education and Training awards Council (on 18 March 2004).

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland has decided on additional policies and criteria for the placement of existing and former awards in the National Framework of Qualifications under section 8(2 )(a) of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. These policies relate to awards that are placed in the Framework as part of a set. It may happen that programmes presently leading to such awards are subsequently validated individually, under the new Framework standards, for new awards at a higher level than that at which they were originally placed as part of a set. In such circumstances, it would be appropriate to consider the disaggregation of these individual awards from the set with which they were originally placed and their placement on an individual basis at the higher level. Please click here for further information.

Over 350 participants attended a major national conference in Galway to review progress in the implementation of the National Framework of Qualifications. The conference was attended by representatives from a wide range of education and training institutions and awarding bodies, from learner groups, trade unions, the world of business, Government Departments, State bodies and from the community and voluntary sector. (Please click here for further information)

Further award-types and descriptors for national framework of qualifications

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland has decided on policies and criteria and generic descriptors for minor, special purpose and supplemental award-types.

The Authority has also decided to establish a Higher Doctorate major award-type for level 10 in the framework, typically achieved on the basis of completion of a substantial body of scholarly work after the first doctorate, and decided on a descriptor for this.

The Authority is inviting awarding bodies whose awards are included in the framework to use these award-types and descriptors.

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland has introduced a National Framework of Qualifications in October 2003. Based on submissions from a range of organisations at the initial stage of developing the National Framework of Qualifications, the Authority has engaged in consultation on the development of policies for the inclusion of professional and international awards in the Framework. As a result of this consultation and subsequent workshops the Authority has published a further consultation paper setting out draft policies and criteria for the inclusion of a range of awards in the Framework. A copy of the consultation paper is available to download and is also available from the Authority.

We are inviting submissions, preferably written, to be made by 19 January 2005 and you are asked to specifically address the questions that are summarised in Appendix 2 of the paper by the Authority. There is a provision below to download a response form to this paper. The Authority would also request that, if possible, submissions would be made electronically. The intention is that all of the submissions made to the Authority will be publicly available on the website. Following the receipt of submissions, the Authority is planning to host a workshop on the issues arising.

The placement in the National Framework of Qualifications of existing and previously-made awards has now commenced with the placement of the principal such awards of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the former NCEA.

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, in association with the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment launched the publication of a national framework of qualifications. (Click here for further information)

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland have now launched the publication of a national framework of qualifications. The framework will bring an increased clarity to the meaning of each type of qualification allowing qualifications to be compared easily.

This paper brings together in a single document the determinations made by the Authority over the period October 2002 - April 2003 in relation to the outline framework of qualifications. These determinations were made under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999. The determinations made by the Authority define the outline framework in terms of

Basic Structure of levels and award-types

Levels and Level Indicators: the framework will be in ten Levels

Award-types

Initial major award-types: 15 award-types and titles for these are defined

Differentiation of Further and Higher Education and Training

Standards of Awards of FETAC, HETAC and the DIT

Addenda include a 10-Level Grid setting out the indicators for the ten framework Levels; a Synopsis of Level Outcomes designed to aid interpretation of the level indicators; and a set of Descriptors for 13 of the initial 15 award-types in the framework

Policies and Criteria for the Establishment of the National Framework of Qualifications

This publication brings together in a single document all of the policies and criteria relating to the outline National Framework of Qualifications that have been determined by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland under section 8 (2)(a) of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999 over the period April 2002 to March 2003.

Policies, actions and procedures for Access, Transfer and Progression for Learners

The Qualifications Act sets out that the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland is to promote and facilitate access, transfer and progession.

The Authority convened a workshop on the inclusion of international awards in the national framework of qualifications on Friday 2nd May. The report is now available.

The Authority held a workshop on the Inclusion of Professional Awards in the National Framework of Qualifications on 11 February 2003.

(Please click here for further information)

Research Working Paper "Frameworks of qualifications: A review of developments outside the State"

In keeping with our commitment to research and evaluation, and to maintaining an international dimension to our work, the Authority has reviewed developments outside the State in the field of framework development. This ongoing research is informing the development of the national framework of qualifications here. The Authority has decided to make available a current summary of this work for wider consumption. We are grateful to our colleagues in other jurisdictions who have commented on drafts of this paper. We apologise for any errors or omissions. This paper represents our summary of the state of play in Spring 2002. This paper will not be formally published in a hardcopy version. It may be cited as "Frameworks of qualifications: A review of developments outside the State. Dublin: National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, 2002.

On 14 May 2002 the Authority published a discussion paper entitled "Towards a National Framework of Qualifications - Inclusion of Professional and International Awards". The paper has been prepared with a view to discussing how to include awards from private bodies in the State, such as professional bodies, and from international bodies of various kinds making awards to learners in the State in the National Framework of Qualifications.

The Authority has also produced a glossary of terms to be used in developing the framework. These are working understandings of the terms and do not form part of the determination of the Authority. They are subject to change as development work proceeds.

On February 14th, 2002 the Authority hosted a National Forum at Dublin Castle. The Forum was attended by over 300 delegates. The Forum provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to consider the issues raised in the document and in the consultation process subsequent to the document.

In November 2001 the Authority published "Towards a National Framework of Qualifications: A Discussion Document" / "I dtreo Chreatoibre Cáilíochtaí Náisiúnta: Cáipéis Díospóireachta". The publication of the document was an important step by the Authority in the development of its work. The document set a context for the development of the work of the Authority and, in particular, for the development of the national framework of qualifications. The purpose of the document was to explore how the Authority might approach the performance of its functions.

The Discussion Document formed the basis of a broad consultative process. The Authority received over 80 written submissions. These have all been published by the Authority on this website.