Quality Improvement and Enhancement
QQI engages with further and higher education and training providers and institutions in the public and private sectors. We also administer the Acels recognition scheme for English language providers. In some cases we engage as the awarding body and the external quality assurance body. In other cases, we act solely as the external quality assurance body. In all cases we promote quality improvement and enhancement.
We engage routinely with providers and institutions through our Quality Assurance and Qualifications Directoratorates, particularly in the course of:
- Awards standards development
- Programme validation and review
- Monitoring
- Certification
- Annual dialogue meetings
- Institutional review
An overview of QQI's services can be found here
Consultation
We also consult with providers on strategic and policy developments. To underpin this important interaction, we have a Consultation Framework which sets out how we consult and use the feedback. We engage with providers in the public and private sectors through their representative bodies, providing us with an opportunity to gather more views from a given sector or sub-sector and to capture themes arising across sectors.
In addition, we have established a Consultative Forum which has extensive representation from across the further and higher education and training and qualifications system and meets twice a year.
Membership
QQI is also a member of the IHEQN (Irish Higher Education Quality Network) and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. Both provide us with an opportunity to participate with providers and institutions in identifying projects that support system improvement.
Collaborative Working Groups
Joint QQI / Community and Voluntary Sector Working Group
In 2015 QQI established a joint working group with representatives of the community and voluntary sector. The working group was established in order to enable QQI to improve and expand its current communications with organisations that form the community and voluntary sector, and facilitate community and voluntary sector legacy providers in making an informed choice in relation to re-engagement.
More information about this working group can be found here.