Irelands’ National Qualifications framework was introduced
in 1999, with the intention of introducing a single coherent, easily understood
award system for all levels of education and training in Ireland, for learners
and their supporters, for parents, teachers providers and their staff and
employers.All learning is recognised including that achieved through
experience in the workplace or other non-formal settings. It is anticipated that
awards based on the new standards will be in general use by June 2006 but many
are already available1.
Background
Ireland previously had a levels system of qualifications. The
NQF in Ireland was planned in order to introduce a single, nationally accepted
certification structure covering all extra-university third level and all
further and continuing education and training programmes2.
The major activities leading up to the development of the
framework are as follows3:
Framework Development 1:
Publication of discussion document, November 2001;
Public submissions (over 80);
Forum, Dublin Castle, 14th Feb 2002;
International Research, June 2001.
Framework Development 2:
Publication of initial policies and criteria, April 2002;
The Dublin Institute of Technology and the universities are in the process
of examining their existing awards systems and developing these in a way
consistent with the framework.
Some existing award programmes such as the Leaving Certificate already
embody the standards set out in the major award-type descriptors and will
continue to be made. In many cases, programmes and assessment methods will
need to be modified to a greater or lesser extent.
The two new awards Councils, FETAC and HETAC will guide the changes in
their respective sectors. Learners who have entered programmes leading to
awards are entitled to receive the awards for which they have registered.
The Authority plans to develop the Framework further in consultation with
the main stakeholders. Next steps include the development of:
Additional award-types, to cater for specific sets of learning outcomes;
Policies and criteria for the inclusion of professional and
international awards in the Framework;
The implementation of a common approach to credit that will operate for
both further and higher education.
To "establish and promote the maintenance and improvement of the
standards of awards of the further and higher education training sector,
other than in the existing universities; and to promote and facilitate
access, transfer and progression throughout the span of education and
training provisions";
To create a single, nationally and internationally accepted entity,
through which all learning achievements may be measured and related to each
other in a coherent way and which defines the relationship between all
education and training awards;
The establishment and maintenance of a framework of qualifications for the
development, recognition and award of qualifications based on standards of
knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners;
The establishment and promotion of the maintenance and improvement of the
standards of awards of the further and higher education and training sector,
other than in the existing universities;
The promotion and facilitation of access, transfer and progression
throughout the span of education and training provision;
Help people in realising the national objective of moving towards a ‘lifelong
learning society’;
To promote transparency as to what education and training qualifications
signify about the person that holds them. It will enhance the consistency of
qualifications and facilitate a better understanding by all members of
society.
The Framework is a critical component in the government’s initiatives in
tackling inequality in higher and further education training.
The Irish government has emphasised the importance of Irish qualifications
having international recognition.
To an extent the state is attempting to fill a vacuum within the education
and training system left by the sudden demise of the influence of the
Catholic Church.
"The single, nationally and internationally accepted
entity, through which all learning achievements may be measured and related to
each other in a coherent way and which defines the relationship between all
education and training awards."
Between October 2002 and April 2003, the National Qualifications Authority of
Ireland made a number of decisions relating to the National Framework of
Qualifications:
The Authority determined that the Framework will consist of 10 levels. It
also determined a 10-Level grid of level indicators. The grid shows how the
outcomes in each of the eight sub-strands progress across the ten levels.
The level indicators set out in this grid are intended to enable the
Authority to place award-types at appropriate levels in the Framework based
on the mix of learning outcomes they contain.
The Authority determined the initial major award-types for each of the ten
levels in the Framework. The outline Framework contains fifteen such
award-types. The Authority also determined titles and descriptors for these
award-types.
The Authority determined the differentiation between further and higher
education and training under section 10 of the Act
The Authority also determined that it is through the descriptors for the
award-types that the Authority will set the overall standards of the awards of
the two awards Councils and the Dublin Institute of Technology and that by
determining award-type descriptors the overall standards are, accordingly, now
set 8.
The framework is therefore comprised of 10 levels, award-types and named
awards. Generic ranges of standards of knowledge,
skill and competence have been determined for each level. The ranges of
standards define the outcomes to be achieved by learners seeking to gain awards
at each level. The ten levels accommodate awards gained in schools, the
workplace, the community, training centres, colleges and universities, from the
most basic to the most advanced levels of learning. All learning can thus be
recognised including that achieved through experience in the workplace or other
non-formal settings.9
Framework Structure
10 - Doctoral Degree
9 - Masters Degree & postgraduate Diploma
8 – Honours Batchelor Degree and Higher Diploma
7 – Ordinary Bachelors Degree
6 – Advanced Certificate Higher Certificate
5 – Level 5 Certificate
4/5 – Leaving Certificate
4 – Level 4 Certificate
3 – Level 3 Certificate & Junior Certificate
2 – Level 2 Certificate
1 – Level 1 Certificate
There are four classes of award-types in the framework –
major, minor, special purpose and supplemental. Award-types are independent of
the field of learning, for example; an ‘Honours Bachelor Degree’ is an
award-type but an ‘Honours Bachelor Degree in Business Management’ is a
named award. Each award-type has its own award-type descriptor. The descriptor
sets out the key features. On this basis, a range of named awards can be
developed for each award-type.
Descriptors are attached for award types
a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,I,j,k,l,m,n,o10
The titles used for the award type descriptors are determinations made by
the Authority.
The descriptors are all for general purpose major awards, and the purpose
descriptor is common for all awards-types in the set.
The level defined for each award type refers to the 10-Level Grid of level
indicators as determined by the authority.
The sub-strands of knowledge, skill and competence defined for each
descriptor are in each case taken from the 10-Level grid indicators.
Progression and transfer possibilities listed for each descriptor are
those particularly associated with an award type: the listing is intended to
describe possibilities rather than to be prescriptive than exhaustive. In
accordance with the policies of the Authority in relation to Access,
Transfer and Progression, framework concept greatly facilitates this.
Award type descriptors d and f are defined to enable the inclusion in the
framework of the two main school qualifications, namely the Junior
Certificate and Leaving Certificate. These descriptors are therefore rather
indicative rather than prescriptive in their intent. For the purpose of
inclusion in the framework:
The junior certificate is defined on the basis of published aims,
objectives and outcomes associated with the junior certificate as an
educational program, incorporating the full spectrum of options and
subjects. These are consistent with the indicators at Level 3 of the
Framework;
The leaving Certificate is treated as a single award, incorporating the
Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), the Leaving Certificate Established and
the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). The published,
general aims, objectives and outcomes associated with the various Leaving
Certificate options, in their totality, are consistent with the level
indicators at Levels 4 and 5 of the framework so the award is viewed as
involving learning outcomes and standards spanning these levels.
Credit Transfer
In March 2003, the NQAI established policies, actions and procedures in
relation to the key object of promoting and facilitating access, transfer and
progression for learners, which included a composite vision for the promotion
and facilitation of access, transfer and progression. The policies also
incorporated objectives for a national approach to credit.
The NQAI has set out principles, guidelines and objectives for a national
approach to credit. The next stage in the development process will involve
consideration of how to implement the national approach to credit. Of
particular relevance will be further consideration of whether the national
approach to credit will lead to the creation of a single national credit
system or a national system of credit arrangements. The Authority aims to have
plans for the implementation of a national approach to credit established by
summer 2004.
The Authority also has an important role to play in international liaison,
in partnership with other key stakeholders, and in the coordination of
developments in Ireland with international initiatives in the area of credit.
In particular, in further developing a national approach to credit, it is
necessary to take into account the recent and ongoing European initiatives.11
Recognition of Prior Learning
RPL in the Irish National Qualifications Framework enables:
Possibility of entry to programmes for many under-represented categories
of learner, at levels appropriate to their capacities;
Possibility of accessing awards without participation in a programme or
through a modified programme;
A way of enabling those with low attainment levels to be accommodated in
the framework;
Recognition of the learning undertaken abroad by foreign nationals - e.g.,
refugees or immigrant workers (this is not the same issue as the recognition
of foreign professional qualifications).
The outline National Framework of Qualifications that have been determined
by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland under section 8 (2)(a)
of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999 over the period
April 2002 to March 2003.
Providers of education and training, such as those who will have
programmes validated by either of the two councils (and these will include
all state-funded providers other than the universities and the Dublin
Institute of Technology - the other Institutes of Technology, private
third-level colleges, other third-level institutions, FÁS,
CERT, Teagasc,
Bord Iascaigh Mhara, vocational schools, other schools, community and
voluntary groups, etc) as well as other providers with independent awarding
powers such as universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology, will all
play a key role in meeting the objectives of the Act.13.
Main Organisations
National Qualifications Authority of Ireland: The setting up
of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland was a recognition that there
needed to be a new body to oversee the development of the national framework of
qualifications. Until the establishment of the Authority, there was no
organisation with the power and responsibility to develop the framework and
ensure that it would be implemented. The objects and functions of the National
Qualifications Authority of Ireland are set out in the Qualifications
Act.
The first object of the Authority is to establish and maintain a framework
of qualifications for the development, recognition and award of
qualifications in the State, based on standards of knowledge, skill and
competence to be acquired by learners. Related to this, the Authority has
the function of establishing the policies and criteria on which the
framework of qualifications shall be based. It is important to note that the
Authority is not an awarding body. A further major function of the Authority
is to determine whether any particular programme of education and training
is further education and training or higher education and training or
whether the standard of knowledge, skill and competence to be acquired by
learners for the purposes of an award is for a further education and
training award or a higher education and training award. Building on the
framework, the Authority also has a number of other explicit functions in
relation to liaising with bodies to facilitate recognition of international
awards in Ireland and of Irish awards internationally.
The second object of the Authority is to establish, and promote the
maintenance and improvement of the standards of the awards of the Further
Education and Training Awards Council, the Higher Education and Training
Awards Council and the Dublin Institute of
Technology. There is a clear link
between this and the development of the framework itself. This object, in
turn, is relevant to the function of the Authority to determine the
procedures which the Councils need to follow in the performance of their
functions and the Authority's review role in this regard. It is also linked
to the quality assurance procedures of the awards Councils and the quality
assurance responsibilities of the Authority in relation to the Dublin
Institute of Technology. The object also incorporates the appeals role of
the Authority in relation to validation refused or withdrawn, or delegation
of authority refused or withdrawn by an awards Council.
The third object of the Authority is to promote and facilitate access,
transfer and progression. Arising out of this, the Authority has the
function of determining the procedures to be implemented by providers of
programmes of education and training for access, transfer and progression,
and publishing these procedures. Under the terms of the Act, providers with
programmes validated by either of the two Councils as well as the Dublin
Institute of Technology are required to implement the procedures. The role
of the Authority is also to facilitate and advise the universities in
implementing these procedures and to review the implementation of the
procedures by the universities, in consultation with the Higher Education
Authority.
The Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC),
the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), the universities, the
Dublin Institute of Technology and the State Examinations Commission all make
awards in the framework. Some of these such as universities and the Dublin
Institute of Technology also provide or offer education and training programs.
FETAC makes awards for all learning in further education and
training programs, and has assumed most of the awarding functions of the former
National Council for Vocational Awards (NCVA), FÁS, Teagasc, the National
Tourism Certification Board (CERT) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. It makes awards for
a wide range of providers from training centres and colleges to the workplace.
Further Education and Training Awards Council & Higher Education and
Training Awards Council. Under the Act, both the Further Education and Training
Awards Council and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council are
independent bodies with their own functions. The principal functions that each
of them has are as follows:
To establish and publish policies and criteria for the making of awards
and the validation of programs and to review such policies and criteria;
To determine the standards of knowledge, skill and competence to be
acquired by learners before an award may be made;
To validate programs and make awards;
To promote their awards;
To ensure that relevant providers implement the procedures for access,
transfer and progression established by the Authority;
To monitor and evaluate the quality of programs in respect of which awards
are made;
To put in place review processes that can provide for the delegation of
authority to make awards to certain providers.
It is, of course, a matter for the statutorily independent
awards Councils to undertake the tasks set out for them in the Qualifications
Act. It is important for the Authority to set out that the expectations of
stakeholders in relation to each of the three new bodies should be consistent
with the statutory tasks of each of the new bodies, respectively.
Providers of Education and Training: Under the terms of the
Qualifications Act and under their own legislation and charters, providers of
education and training generally have their own rights and responsibilities.
Providers, such as those who will have programs validated by either of the two
Councils as well as other providers with independent awarding powers, such as
the universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology, will all play an
essential role in meeting the objectives of the Act. It is important that the
arrangements put in place in the framework of qualifications and in related
matters facilitate the involvement of all of these providers in attaining the
objectives of the Qualifications Act. It is significant that, in the Act, an
important impact of the work of the Authority on learners will be the procedures
for access, transfer and progression to be implemented by providers. A linked
new requirement in the Act is that all providers of education and training are
now to inform learners commencing programs of the name of the awarding body and
the title of the award and of the transfer and progression linkages for learners
on attainment of the award. Accordingly, the Act sets out all the elements of
relevance to learners and this includes the information that providers must give
them. The statutory requirement to provide this information is not limited to
any particular groups of providers - it refers to all providers with programs
provided over a continuous period of three months or more.
The Authority will facilitate linkages between the awarding bodies in the
implementation of standard setting across fields of learning where more than
one awarding body is involved. This work will continue throughout the lifetime
of the plan14.
The FETAC, HETAC and the DIT set standards for named awards based on the
award-types established by the Qualifications Authority:
Universities make awards and set the standards for their awards. The
Authority has no role in setting the standards of the awards of the
universities and the State Examinations Commission (Department of
Education and Science). It has agreed the award-type descriptors with
these bodies as the basis for the inclusion of their awards in the
framework;
The Dublin Institute of Technology makes awards and sets the standards
for its named awards based on the award-types established by the
Qualifications Authority;
The institutes of technology, other than the DIT, are required to submit
all further and higher education programmes for validation to FETAC and
HETAC respectively. They may also seek delegated authority from HETAC to
make awards.
There can be differing outcomes of assessment processes. In some cases
there can be a number of outcome grades - this tends to be more in
traditional academic areas. Where someone has attained the standard of
knowledge, skill and competence to attain an award, a specific grade within
an award can be assigned. In other cases, awards can be made on the basis of
pass or fail - this tends to be in occupation-specific areas. The awards can
simply refer to whether someone is able to undertake a specific task. There
will be a need to incorporate these different types of outcome within the
framework. The critical comparison is of the learner's achievement with
respect to the award standards. This would not preclude the use of norm
referencing within individual components of a learner's assessment or for
purposes of making comparisons.
The framework does not presuppose a uniformity or even harmonisation of
assessment methodology either within or across levels. There are a variety
of appropriate methodologies that may be used to measure knowledge, skill
and competence. Indeed, it is in the interests of learners that a diverse
range of assessment methodologies is available for the purposes of
demonstrating attainment of standards. It is of note that the awards
Councils have a function of ensuring that providers establish procedures for
the assessment of learning that are fair and consistent.
Consultation with HEA on its university quality assurance review role: The
Higher Education Authority has the role of reviewing the effectiveness of
the quality assurance procedures of the universities. The Higher Education
Authority must consult with the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
in performing this function. The Authority will continue to advise the
Higher Education Authority on the review which is already underway and on
any subsequent reviews.
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland had to
commence operating as a corporate body funded by the Department of Education and
Science.
By 2001, the appropriate financial arrangements were put in
place to ensure that the administration of the Authority was effective and
efficient.
The Authority has its own accountants and has also
established an Internal Audit Committee.
The Authority also had to allocate grants to the awards Councils. Although
the exact proportion of the grant used for the development of the framework
is not known, a grant was allocated to the Further Education and Training
Awards Council in 2001 and both Councils have received grants since then:
A total grant of €1,569,349 (£1,236,000) was paid to the Further
Education and Training Awards Council in 2001;
A total grant of €6,477,250 was paid to the Further Education and
Training Awards Council in 2002;
In 2003, the following initial grant allocations for the Councils have
been determined and funding is being transferred on a regular basis:
A total grant of €5,238,739 for the Further Education and Training
Awards Council;
A total grant of €2,768,100 for the Higher Education and Training
Awards Council.
Financial reporting arrangements have also been agreed with the Councils:
The Authority’s grant allocation for itself in 2001 was €672,941
(£530,000) and it spent €614,941 (£484,000);
The Authority’s grant allocation for itself in 2002 was €2,198,000
and it spent €2,022,372;
The initial grant allocation for 2003 is €1,493,161.
In April 2003, following a request from the Department of
Education and Science to review the fees charged by the awards Councils, the
Authority published a discussion paper reviewing the fees paid by education and
training providers to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the
Further Education and Training Awards Council. Submissions were invited on this
paper and a number have been received and made publicly available.
In order to measure impacts and achievements of the NQF, the NQAI has
highlighted the following:
The performance of actions within the timetables set out;
The extent to which the architecture of the Framework, including the
sub-strands of learning outcomes, the classes of award-types and the
standards for award-types, is implemented;
The awareness and attitudes of stakeholders, including learners and
employers, to the National Framework of Qualifications and its
implementation and relevance to them;
The extent to which stakeholders have a positive view of the
effectiveness of the Framework in meeting its objectives;
The inclusion of policy approaches proposed or promoted by the Authority
in national policies.
Overall review of Framework: The Authority is planning that an initial
review of the Framework and its implementation will take place in 2006/2007.
The Authority aims to have the policy approach in relation to this review
determined by autumn 2006.
Level 6 review: The differentiation between further and higher education
and training at level 6 relates to standards of knowledge, skill and
competence. These standards have been set through the descriptors for the
award-types. The key-differentiating factor between the two is the emphasis
that each places on particular learning outcomes in the descriptors. In
making the determination, the Authority indicated that it will review its
decision in spring 2006.
