Reviews
One of QQI’s most important functions is to ensure that the quality assurance procedures of providers are effective. This involves establishing and promoting frameworks for the enhancement of quality assurance. A key component of our approach is undertaking external reviews of providers’ quality assurance on a cyclical basis.
Please see our
Reviews library for information and documentation on each review as it occurs.
CINNTE Reviews
Irish higher education institutions have primary responsibility for reviewing and improving their own quality and QQI is responsible for carrying out external reviews on a cyclical basis. The
Policy for Cyclical Review of Higher Education Institutions is available here.
The first of QQI’s cyclical review periods, the CINNTE review cycle takes place from 2017-2023. The schedule for the CINNTE cycle of reviews 2017 - 2023 has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is no longer valid. QQI will be engaging with the relevant higher education institutions on establishing a revised schedule and it will be published as soon as it is available.
During this period, QQI will organise and oversee independent reviews of each of the universities, the institutes of technology, technological universities and RCSI.
As well as reviewing the quality of education, training and research, the CINNTE reviews will also look at how well each institution’s internal quality assurance procedures are working and identify areas for improvements. As the CINNTE Review process is based on transparency and accountability, the findings from each institutional review will published in a CINNTE Review Report on the QQI website.
The CINNTE cycle of reviews will provide an opportunity for each institution to take stock of the quality of its provision of education, training and research, the fulfilment of its mission and the effectiveness of its ongoing monitoring and review activities, to ensure they are fit for purpose. This gives assurance to learners that their experience is being monitored for good practice, and assurances to the public that the institution is offering a valuable service.
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Schedule for CINNTE cycle of reviews 2017 - 2023*
| Terms of Reference Institutes of Technology | Cyclical Review Handbook - Institutes of Technology | CINNTE Cyclical Review ToR Addendum | Terms of Reference Universities and other Designated Awarding Bodies | Cyclical Review Handbook - Universities and other Designated Awarding Bodies
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*The CINNTE schedule is currently under revision as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the pending the establishment of new technological universities
CINNTE Mid-Cycle Analysis
In 2020, QQI commissioned an independent analysis of the first seven CINNTE review reports to investigate the main themes arising across the reports. The analysis was published in January 2021.
Focused Reviews
As set out in QQI’s Policy for Cyclical Review of Higher Education Institutions, QQI may conduct a focused review of a provider’s QA procedures from time to time, as it considers appropriate, or in response to concerns that have come to its attention in relation to the implementation and effectiveness of a provider’s QA procedures (Section 34 (1)(b) of the 2012 Act).
Procedures for Focused Reviews by QQI of the Implementation and Effectiveness of Provider QA Procedures
International Reviews
In 2016, QQI were approached by the Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (Luxembourg’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research) and requested to conduct a review of Institut Universitaire International Luxembourg (IUIL). This was the first time QQI carried out an institutional review of an overseas institution on behalf of another organisation. Further information is available
here and on the Review section of
QSearch.
QQI Reviewers
QQI reviews are conducted by teams of independent reviewers working on our behalf. If you are interested in becoming a QQI reviewer, an information leaflet outlining what the review process involves is available
here. Further information is included in QQI’s Roles, Responsibilities and Code of Conduct for Reviewers and Evaluators click
here.
