1. The role of National Qualifications Frameworks in Higher Education Reform Barbara Kelly Director of Qualifications Quality and Qualifications Ireland 19 April 2017

2. Presentation About QQI Context and landscape Designing a NQF
Placement of existing and former awards
Now re-looking ……………………..
Preliminary findings from the current Policy Impact Assessment of the NFQ
International engagement
QQI’s information and recognition services

3. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

4. QQI
Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012
Who we are and what we do?
Strategy Statement WEB.pdf

5. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland
QQI – By Numbers
600 providers across public and private, further, higher and English language sectors
3,951 Honours Bachelor Degrees (2016)
280, 291 awards (2016)
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

6. Context: Higher Education in Ireland
50 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
Public and Private HEI’s
Binary System in public HE
7 Universities
14 Institutes of Technology
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
5 Teacher Training Colleges
217,000 enrolments in HE (2016)- 70/30 Undergrad/Postgrad.
13% - International Students
Re-structuring for Diversity and Quality
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

7. Higher Education in Ireland Relative Performance
Irish universities are in the top 1% of research institutions in the world across 18 academic disciplines
Ireland is 1st in the world for the availability of skilled labour
Ireland has the 4th highest percentage of Maths, Science and Computing graduates in the EU
75% of Irish employers are satisfied with graduate skills.
Challenges/opportunities
Capacity to maintain standards, sustainable investment, skills mismatch and over-qualification, BREXIT, Rankings, governance and performance, internationalisation, digitalisation…
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

8. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland
Designing a NQF
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

9. Process Stakeholder engagement Consultation
Building national consensus
Disseminating……………..
Placement………..

10. The National Framework of Qualifications
QQI is the custodian of the NFQ.
The NFQ is part of a wider world, both internationally (see EQF logo), and in terms of importance beyond the immediate sphere of education and training.
It is an important element of stability and continuity and serves as a bedrock of QQI policy – providers and learners and other can be reassured that the NFQ will remain
But it will also have to grow and change – it is more like an organism than a machine, we are farmers rather than engineers

11. Qualification Frameworks and Quality Assurance
Learning outcomes Draft: Defining, writing and applying learning outcomes; European Handbook, CEDEFOP
Qualifications/standards Process, award types, format
Education providers Institutions/Colleges, programmes
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

12. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland
QQI’s QA Framework
Publish QA Guidelines
Initial institutional approval/access
Programme validation
Annual dialogues
Institutional Reviews
Monitoring
Promoting enhancement and innovation
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

13. National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
Key instrument to support and promote lifelong learning
Now at a mature stage of development
Includes national awards only
Underpinned by QA of providers, awards and programmes
QQI currently, undertaking a Policy Impact Assessment of the NFQ

14. National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
Legislative role to maintain, further develop, implement and review the Irish NFQ
NFQ Levels are described in terms of general indicators of a person’s knowledge, skill and competence
QQI maintains NFQ Award-type Descriptors that specify learning achievements in a general way for all the types of awards recognised in the NFQ.
QQI may issue NFQ Guidelines to support the interpretation and implementation of the NFQ and its Award-type Descriptors.
We also set Awards Standards for our own QQI awards and those made by providers to whom we have delegated authority (DA awarding bodies).

15. National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
Established
Outline of the NFQ
Key milestones
Policies and Criteria can be found at:

16. Learning outcomes Defining, writing and applying learning outcomes: A European Handbook, CEDEFOP
Learning outcomes are commonly used to define the levels of qualification frameworks, to set qualification standards, to describe programmes and courses, to orient curricula and define assessment specifications.
Learning outcomes are also – to some extent - influencing teaching methods, learning environments and assessment practises.
At European level, both in the Bologna and Copenhagen processes, learning outcomes are viewed as the ‘glue’ binding diverse policy initiatives and instruments together.
The use of learning outcomes is also seen as contributing to permeable education and training systems, for example facilitating linkages between vocational and academic programmes.
There is not one single way of defining and writing learning outcomes; the approach has to reflect the particular purpose and context in question.
In recent years learning outcomes are increasingly seen as a way to increase overall transparency of qualifications and notably reduce barriers to transfer and progression across institutional and national borders.
Using learning outcomes represents a perspective and a mode of thinking. The focus is always on the learner and what he/she is expected to know, be able to do and understand.
When writing learning outcomes – irrespective of purpose and level of detail – the learner is always at the centre.
Bloom’s taxonomy, as previously stated, is one of the most important theoretical influences on thinking about learning outcomes and progression. The earliest iteration of the taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956) sets out a hierarchical categorisation of cognitive learning, moving from basic (knowledge and comprehension) to increasingly complex skills (application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts, processes, procedures, and principles).

18. Placement of legacy awards on the NFQ
Intense process
Enhanced understanding
NFQ experts emerged
Engaging period
Benefits……………..
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

19. Setting Award Standards
QQI determines awards standards for HE (Higher Education) and FE (Further Education)
Award standards are required before we or a delegated award-making authority (DA awarding body) can validate a programme of education and training leading to the award  
QQI is currently - developing award standards where there is a need - consulting on approach to the review of award standards.

20. Now re-looking……….
In 2016 QQI commenced a Policy Impact Assessment of the NFQ
Includes a broad based on-line survey of national stakeholders on NFQ impact and future policy priorities
Published paper on the possibilities and limitations of Qualifications Frameworks
Series of interviews with key stakeholders
Report to be published

21. Preliminary findings
Stakeholders strongly agreed that NFQ: -increases transparency of qualifications -is relevant for users, is highly trusted and enhances quality -improves progression -signals relevant skills and competence -facilitates national and international recognition
Future priorities identified include: QA, communications and recognition
QQI will develop a response and action plan

22. International engagement: Purpose
Transparency
Recognition
Mobility

23. International engagement: referencing/activities
Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales: Rough Guide
European Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning (EQF-LLL): Referenced
Qualifications Framework for the European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA): Self-certified
Compatibility of qualifications in Ireland and New Zealand
Hong Kong: Memorandums of Understanding (MOU); Rough Guide in development
China: in discussions
Jordan: Project partner (Higher Education)
UNESCO World Reference Levels

24. NFQ referenced to EQF (2009)

25. QQI’s information and recognition services
NARIC (Recognition)
Europass (Recognition)
Qualifax (Career Guidance tool)
Programmes and Awards Database (Authoritative information)
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

26. Next steps
Research: The next generation of qualifications (including Work Readiness)
Making better use of occupational standards/profiles
Making data more accessible

27. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland
Workshop Questions
What learning is relevant from the Irish experience?
What is the optimum process and product for your country?
Learning outcomes…… What format? How best to disseminate and promote at local level?
What skills training and supports are required at local level?
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland

28. QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland
QQI, an integrated agency for quality and qualifications in Ireland