Research Services for Updating QQI’s Standards-based Assessment Infrastructure for FET and HE in Ireland

QQI is the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland with responsibility for (among other things) • the external quality assurance of providers of further education (FET) and training or higher education (HE) (providers) in Ireland including designated, delegated and listed awarding bodies. • the external quality assurance of designated and listed awarding bodies that are not providers. • the provision of statutory guidelines on the quality assurance of education, training, research and related services. • determining national policies and criteria for access, transfer and progression in relation to learners (ATP), and monitoring the implementation of procedures for ATP by providers. • promoting, maintaining, further developing and implementing the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), which is a system of levels and types for awards of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence . • deciding which awards are included in the NFQ. • facilitating the recognition of qualifications inside and outside the state. In summary the services comprise the establishment of a validated evidence base for QQI to use when updating its standards-based assessment infrastructure for further education and training and higher education in Ireland. QQI wishes to discover stakeholders’ views on issues that might be addressed in that regard including what is working well and what is not. The focus is on the quality assurance of assessment including its interpretations and uses and not on specific techniques for assessment. It is also seeking to better understand the national context for standards-based assessment including how awarding bodies in Ireland satisfy themselves of the effectiveness of their standards-based assessment-related policies considering that assessment has both summative and formative purposes. Finally, QQI is interested in a comparison of practices of a selection of awarding bodies, providers, quality assurance agencies, and