The Authority has established terms of reference for a study on the implementation and impact of the National Framework of Qualifications and the associated policies for access, transfer and progression for learners.  The study will involve all stakeholder involved in Framework implementation and will last from Spring 2008 until Summer 2009.

The study will focus primarily on the work of the Authority, awarding bodies and providers of education and training.
The study will comprise:

• Papers on the state of development of the Framework, policies on access, transfer and progression, and assessment of impact by the Authority


• reports from key stakeholder bodies responsible for implementing the Framework in the schooling, HETAC, FETAC and university sectors


• Case studies of implementation


• Submissions from the public


• Evaluation of inputs by study team of national and international experts


• Synthesis report and recommendations by study team


• Consideration of report and follow-up action by Authority

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland is commencing a review of the Further Education and Training Awards Council.    The review will evaluate the effectiveness of

• the performance by the Further Education and Training Awards Council, since its establishment, of its principal statutory functions, taking into account the objectives established by the Council for performing these, and
• the  processes of the executive of the Council for performing such functions.

The review will also benchmark the extent to which the Council in the performance of its relevant functions complies with the Common Quality Assurance Framework for European vocational education and training.

  The review will comprise

• Self-evaluation by the Council


• Evaluation by a panel of experts


• Consideration of the report of the panel by the Council and the development of a plan by the Council to implement the recommendations in the report
  
  The Authority has established terms of reference for the review and these are available here.

The expert panel is as follows:

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland was established in 2001 under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999.  One of its primary functions is to establish and maintain the National Framework of Qualifications.  The Qualifications Authority is currently undertaking a Quality Review which has been commissioned by the Department of Education and Science, in association with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and which will evaluate:

•  how effectively the Qualifications Authority has performed its principal statutory functions since its establishment 
  
•  the suitability of the organisational structures and processes of the executive of the Qualifications Authority for the   performance of  its functions in the future
  
•  the extent to which the Qualifications Authority, in the performance of its relevant functions, complies with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area.

Review of Higher Education and Training Awards Council

Under section 9 of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland may from time to time review the performance by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council of its functions.It was originally envisaged by the Authority that such a review would take place in 2006-7.However, in September 2005, the Council requested that the Authority would undertake the review both, in advance of the projected 2006-7 timeline, and in line with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area adopted in Bergen in May 2005 by the Ministers responsible for higher education in the Bologna signatory states.

The review evaluated

• how effectively the Higher Education and Training Awards Council has performed its principal statutory functions since its establishment and will have particular regard to the policies and procedures that the Council has developed for each function and how they are being implemented and operated
• the extent to which the Council in the performance of these functions complies with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area

In preparation for the review, the Authority executive undertook an overview of national and international practice concerning the external review of agencies with a substantial role in quality assurance in higher education and review practices concerning public sector agencies in Ireland. The review will be implemented with reference to this practice.

During the review process, HETAC published its self-evaluation report.  This is available here: Click here for more information

The report of the review panel is available here: Click here for further information

HETAC has published its response to the review panel’s report.  Click here for further information

In concluding the review process in July 2006, the Authority considered it helpful to note the purpose of the review established in the terms of reference – that it was to be developmental in intent, and aimed to assist the Council in achieving its own quality enhancement goals and to further develop its own internal quality culture.The Authority considers that it is clear from self-evaluation report, the review panel’s report and HETAC’s response that the review process has succeeded in meeting its primary purpose.

The Authority concurs with the findings and supporting rationale in the report of the review panel and supports the plans set out in the response of HETAC.

In fulfilment of its statutory review function, the Authority is satisfied that the Higher Education and Training Awards Council has performed effectively its principal statutory functions since its establishment and has developed policies and procedures for each function which are being implemented and are being operated as appropriate.

As the agency reviewing the Council for the purpose of testing the compliance of the Council with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, the Authority is satisfied that in the performance of its functions, the Council complies with these.

The Authority welcomes HETAC’s intention in June 2007 to publish a report on the implementation of the actions in its response to the review panel’s report.

Review of Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Procedures in the Dublin Institute of Technology

Under section 39(4) of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999, the Authority, in consultation with the Institute, shall review periodically the effectiveness of the quality assurance procedures established under section 39(1). The Authority has engaged the European University Association to undertake the first effectiveness review on its behalf.  There terms of reference for this review are available here:

The Authority has now completed the review of the effectiveness of quality assurance procedures in the Dublin Institute of Technology.  The Authority supports the recommendations that relate specifically to quality assurance in the review team report, and the measures that the Institute is putting in place to respond to them.  The Authority has drawn particular attention to the following issues:

· the need to implement more proactively and to review the annual programme reporting processes in order to encourage full participation by both students and staff, and in order to ensure greater transparency in the student feedback process

· the need to accelerate the development of the emerging systems for school, faculty and research review

Review Team Report

Institute's Response

In January 2007 the Institute provided an updated response to the Authority.