1. All images © Mat Wright www.britishcouncil.org1 Ensuring quality – what can be learnt from the UK and the rest of Europe? Santiago June 2014 Geoff Fieldsend geoff.fieldsend@blueyonder.co.uk

2. Quality assurance (official definition) : “The policies, processes and procedures that define and systematically monitor and evaluate different aspects of a product, service, process or facility to ensure that quality standards are being met”. Quality assurance (my rough definition) “What we do to make sure that things are done as well as we need them to be done”. What is Quality Assurance? www.britishcouncil.org2

3. Overview European Union  Quality as a process  Quality framework  Systemic  Institutional  Classroom/workplace  Developing holistic quality assurance systems United Kingdom  Quality components  Quality drivers  Supply side  Demand side  Governance issues  Coherence www.britishcouncil.org3  Over to you: issues for consideration

4. Quality Components www.britishcouncil.org4 Policy, Funding, Regulation Standards and Qualifications Teaching and Assessment Relevance to the Labour Market

5. Quality Drivers www.britishcouncil.org5 Funding aligned with clear policy aims Curriculum reflects skills required by the labour market Excellent teaching and robust assessment Skill shortages eliminated and skills utilised

6. Who does what? www.britishcouncil.org6 Government / Skills Funding Agency OFQUAL OFSTEDUKCES

7. Quality: Issues and Focus Policy and Funding  Balance between innovation and continuity in policy direction  Funding (Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness)  Regulation and Inspection  Balance between maintaining standards and minimising bureaucracy  BIS/Skills Funding Agency Standards and Qualifications  Research and evaluation  Occupational standards  Apprenticeships frameworks  Regulated qualifications market  Qualifications and programme development  OFQUAL Relevance to the Labour Market  Employers skills and attitudes surveys  Employer ownership and investment  Skills utilisation  Skills deployment  Future proofing  UKCES Teaching and Assessment  Teaching, mentoring, coaching  Curriculum development  Assessment and grading  Information, advice and guidance  Management  OFSTED www.britishcouncil.org7

8. Quality as a process www.britishcouncil.org8 Set up clear, appropriate and measurable goals and objectives in terms of policies, procedures, tasks and human resources Establish procedures to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives (eg development of partnerships, involvement of stakeholders, allocation of resources and operational procedures). Design mechanisms for the evaluation of achievement and outcomes by collecting and processing data in order to make informed assessments Develop procedures in order to achieve the targeted outcomes and/or new objectives. After processing feedback, key stakeholders conduct discussion and analysis in order to devise procedures for change

9. Quality Framework www.britishcouncil.org9 Focus on the learning environment What are the standards and how can we measure them? What question should be asked to determine they are met? What instruments can be used to assess and develop quality in relation to each standard? System wide: Increased employability Better match between training supply and demand Improved access Relevance of quality assurance systems for providers Investment in training of teachers and trainers Participation rates Completion rates Placement rates Utilisation of acquired skills in the workplace Unemployment rate Attainment levels of vulnerable groups Quality of LMI Active labour market approaches Provider: Pedagogy and assessment:  Consistency with quality approaches in other aspects of policy development and teaching environments (eg schools, universities)

10. Principles for holistic quality system 1 Assuring the quality of adult learning provision requires a comprehensive approach that crosses all education and training sectors 2 More systematic evidence based evaluation of quality approaches and tools in adult learning is needed to inform and enable further development 3 Complement existing resources Develop and extend existing resources Integrate resources into a consistent framework of principles, criteria and guidelines www.britishcouncil.org10

11. Issues for consideration: Over to you! What are the main drivers for quality assurance in TVET? Who benefits? What are the characteristics of a good quality assurance system? Who is responsible? What are the risks and challenges? How do we overcome them? www.britishcouncil.org 11