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Accrediting and Quality Assuring Qualifications

Accrediting and Quality Assuring Qualifications. George Brown Head of Accreditation www.sqa.org.uk/accreditation. SQA - Remit. Maintain Quality & Standards of Qualifications offered in Scotland Delivered in 2 way s Accreditation Awarding Complementary yet separate functions.

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Accrediting and Quality Assuring Qualifications

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  1. Accrediting and Quality Assuring Qualifications George Brown Head of Accreditation www.sqa.org.uk/accreditation

  2. SQA - Remit • Maintain Quality & Standards of Qualifications offered in Scotland • Delivered in 2 ways • Accreditation • Awarding • Complementary yet separate functions

  3. National Qualifications (Advanced Highers, Highers, etc) Domain of SQA Awarding Body Higher National Certificates Higher National Diplomas Scottish Vocational Qualifications Sector specific qualifications required by regulation eg Security sector Domain of SQA Accreditation 42 approved awarding bodies offering • Scottish Vocational Qualifications • sector specific qualifications required by regulation • other vocational qualifications Unknown number of awarding bodies and qualifications operating in Scotland Maintenance of Standards

  4. SQA Accreditation Unit Established by Statute • Function set out in section 3 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 • Statutory requirement for Accreditation Committee • Separate Governance mechanisms • Directly through Accreditation Committee to Government • Reports directly to Chief Executive • Separate Grant-in-Aid (£1.025m)

  5. Role of Accreditation • Scottish Government approved extension to function (November 2008) • Encourage awarding bodies to seek accreditation (on a voluntary basis) for qualifications delivered in Scotland • Wherever possible, credit rate for the SCQF those qualifications that are submitted for accreditation • Regulate awarding bodies for: • Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) and alternative Competence Based Qualifications (included in Modern Apprenticeships) • Qualifications required by other regulators (licence trade, security sector, first aid etc) • Other qualifications submitted by awarding bodies (voluntary accreditation

  6. Scope of Activity • Approved 42 awarding bodies • Range from large multi-sector awarding bodies (City & Guilds etc) to small specialist awarding bodies (ITC First Aid etc) • All Industry Sectors • Qualifications span all sectors • Three qualification “types” (about 1100 accredited qualifications) • Scottish Vocational Qualifications (and alternative Competence Based Qualifications for use in Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks) • Regulatory and Licensing Qualifications • Other

  7. Our Philosophy • As a regulator, we: • Are an enabling regulator • Adhere to the five principles of better regulation • Provide advice and guidance to awarding bodies • Have adopted a principle-based approach to regulation • Have adopted a risk-based approach to regulation • As an accrediting body, we: • Ensure that the qualifications that we accredit are fit for purpose for use in Scotland • Seek to maintain and improve quality of qualifications awarded in Scotland

  8. Maintaining Standards of Accredited Qualifications • Approve Awarding Bodies (ABs) • Audit and monitor ABs against regulatory principles to ensure standards continue to be met • Approve SVQ structures, assessment strategies and Core Skills Signposting • Approve other qualification structures where required eg CBQs for MAs • Accredit qualifications • Seek to maintain and improve quality of qualifications awarded in Scotland

  9. How we accredit and regulate • Regulate against Principles rather than prescriptive criteria • 3 year rolling cycle of awarding body audits based on risk profiling • Centre monitoring of a sample of each awarding body’s centres on an annual basis • Have implemented a stream-lined model of accreditation, which includes credit rating (where possible), of accredited qualifications

  10. Credit Rating • Act as a third-party credit rater ie we don’t actually do the credit rating • Have trained SSC and Awarding Bodies how to allocate level and credit • For SVQs, the SSC takes the lead on allocation of level and credit but works with awarding bodies and industry experts • For all other qualifications, the submitting awarding body allocates level and credit • Make use of a score card system which must be submitted • Accreditation Manager normally attends the credit rating event

  11. Engagement with Other Stakeholders Qualification Regulators • Ofqual (England) • Welsh Government (Wales) • CCEA Accreditation (Northern Ireland) • Aiming to agree data sharing agreements with each of the above • Qualification versus Jurisdiction Other Bodies • Skills Development Scotland • UK Commission for Employment and Skills

  12. How SQA Accreditation differs from the other qualifications regulators • Use high level principles rather than detailed conditions • Offer advice, guidance and support to awarding bodies • Accreditation Managers are allocated sectors which ensures: • Consistency in reviewing submissions • Continuity in terms of feedback on issues • The development of a sectoral knowledge • Regulation Managers are allocated specific awarding bodies which ensures • Continuity in dealing with audit outcomes • The development of detailed knowledge regarding how the awarding body manages its business

  13. Questions and Discussion

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