The Irish experience of developing and implementing a national qualifications framework is documented. A particular emphasis is placed on the evolution of the institutional structures maintaining the framework.

1. National Framework of Qualifications in Ireland
Context and achievements
Dr Bryan Maguire
Head of Qualifications Services, QQI
Atelier CNC Marocain: une nouvelle phase
23-24 October 2014, Rabat

2. Origins
• Rapid growth of post-compulsory education and training in the 1990s,
both higher education and vocational education and training
• National debate on how to promote expansion while securing quality
• Concern about lower stock of learning among older cohorts and the
need for lifelong learning
• Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999, to establish quality
assurance and a national framework

3. • “This Bill is no less than crucial to the future work of much of our
education and training system. The one essential principle which
informs all of its provisions is that the interests of the student must be
to the fore. In order to achieve this, quality must be guaranteed and
appropriate routes of progression provided.”
• “The principal aims of the Bill are, first, to establish and develop
standards of knowledge, skill or competence; second, to promote the
quality of further education and training and higher education and
training; third, to provide a system for co-ordinating and comparing
education and training awards and, fourth, to promote and maintain
procedures for access, transfer and progression. “
• Minister for Education, Irish Senate, 13 March, 1999

4. What is the Irish NFQ?
• “The single, national and international 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”
• Vision for the recognition of learning

5. The Framework in outline
• architecture: Levels, Award-types, Named Awards
• a structure of 10 levels
• level indicators
• 10 level grid of indicators, defined in terms of 8 dimensions of
knowledge, know-how & skill and competence (‘sub-strands’)
• Accompanied by Policies and procedures for access, transfer and
progression

7. EQF levels EHEA Framework (Bologna) NFQ Levels NFQ Major Award-types
1 1 Level 1 Certificate
2 Level 2 Certificate
2 3 Level 3 Certificate, Junior Certificate
3 4 Level 4 Certificate, Leaving Certificate
4 5 Level 5 Certificate, Leaving Certificate
5 Short Cycle within First Cycle 6 Advanced Certificate (FET award); Higher Certificate (HET
award)
6 First Cycle 7 Ordinary Bachelors Degree
8 Honours Bachelor Degree, Higher Diploma
7 Second Cycle 9 Masters Degree, Post-Graduate Diploma
8 Third cycle 10 Doctoral Degree, Higher Doctorate

9. Promoting the NFQ - video
http://youtu.be/5qH2m6oQ7XI

10. The Framework: blueprint for change
• a new concept of an ‘award’:
an award is a recognition of learning outcomes (rather than a recognition of
participation in a programme or in any particular learning process)
• many new awards, new titles, new terminology
• not a compendium of existing awards
• not just a mapping of relationships between existing awards
• no distinction made between ‘education’ and ‘training’
• one system shared by all sectors of education and training – schools, VET, further
education, higher education

11. Developing the Framework
• consultation, research and development, 2001-2003
• National Framework of Qualifications launched in October 2003
• new system of awards in higher education and training, introduced July 2004
• new system of awards for Further Education and Training (VET), introduced
summer 2006
• alignment of Irish framework (HE) with EHEA Bologna framework, 2006
• referencing of Irish framework to EQF, June 2009
• study on Implementation and Impact of the Framework, 2009

12. HEI response
• Technological sector
• Implemented quickly – HETAC as regulator
• Accepted, and ultimately welcomed, as addressing a range of issues in a
comprehensive fashion – e.g. Bologna, flexibility, curriculum reform, learner
centeredness, recognition
• University sector
• Slower implementation
• More decentralised structures & stronger impacts from other factors
• Little or no active resistance – benefits welcomed

13. VET sector response
• Changes in patterns of provision in response to labour market and
learner demand (e.g. craft apprenticeships during construction boom)
• Loss of awarding function for some bodies
• Welcome for enhanced progression opportunities to HE
• Chafing at funding policy restrictions on upward drift
• Major government led change in structure of provision – dissolution of
national training agency and creation of 16 local education and training
boards from existing 32 existing county vocational education
committees

14. Implementation and Impact
• Framework implementation and impact study - September 2009
• Broad satisfaction with framework
• No demand for revision or abandonment - It’s a “keeper”
• Growing awareness of framework but significant gaps
• Educators, policy makers, learners, employers, general public
• Use as policy tool
• Planning, legislation, regulation
• Use as guidance tool for learners
• Use as curriculum development tool
• Very varied across sectors, institutions, fields of learning

15. Coherence
• Framework is used in
• Quality assurance of education and training at all levels
• Curriculum design and reform at all levels
• Recognition of prior learning
• School and adult guidance
• Employer workforce development
• Facilitating inbound and outbound international recognition
• National Skills Strategy
• Targeting public funds for retraining for employability
• Professional regulation
• Private and public sector job recruitment
• 2011 National census

16. Implementation and Impact
• “The Framework underpins a deep, long-term cultural shift in
teaching and learning from an inputs-based approach to an
outcomes-based one. The Qualifications Authority, awarding
bodies, institutions and providers should continuously support
and monitor this process. The alignment of assessment processes
with teaching and learning will similarly take time and requires
continued attention and support by the relevant bodies.”
• Implementation and Impact Study, 2009

17. % HE Places Accepted by VET graduates
Fig. 1.1 % HE Places Accepted by FE Applicants
2.7%
7.4%
9.9%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
2005 2006 2007

18. Evolution of NFQ governance
• 2001/2 – four agencies established
• NQAI National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
• Responsible for overall NFQ and steering sub-sectoral bodies
• FETAC Further Education and Training Awards Council
• QA and awarding body for VET and adult education sub-sectors
• HETAC Higher Education and Training Awards Council
• QA and awarding body for HE sub-sectors outside of universities - institutes of
technology, private HE colleges, miscellaneous eg police and military colleges,
professional bodies
• IUQB Irish Universities Quality Board
• External QA for 7 traditional, research-led universities awarding their own
degrees
• 2012 – these four agencies were merged to create
• QQI Quality and Qualifications Ireland
• Maintains and promotes the NFQ and provides recognition advice
• External QA for all post-secondary education and training

21. Quality assurance and inclusion
in NFQ
• QQI is external quality assurance agency, outside schools
• QQI is also an awarding body, especially in further
education and training and in private higher education
• Universities are designated awarding bodies
• Institutes of technology have delegated authority from
QQI to make their own awards
• Secondary school awards made by State Exams
Commission
• Other awarding bodies may be recognised within the NFQ
but the procedures are not yet in place

22. QQI structure
• 10 person board appointed by minister for education and skills, non-
representative except for two learner representatives
• CEO heads an executive staff ~ 80, turnover ~ €12m
• Quality assurance services
• Qualifications services
• Provider relations
• Industry and external partnerships
• Audit and procurement
• Corporate and communications
• Committees, some representative, some expert
• Policy and standards
• Programmes and awards (executive and oversight committees)
• Approvals and reviews
• Consultative forum and extensive consultation policy
• (Appeals panel independent of QQI)

23. QQI’s external relations
• Management Framework Agreement with ministry for education,
based on three year strategy and annual corporate plan (~50% of
income comes directly from ministry, the moiety from fees and
projects)
• Memoranda of understanding with Irish agencies (eg funding bodies)
• Memoranda of understanding and information sharing with
international peer agencies (eg UK QAA)
• ENQA membership renewed following independent review of
compliance with European standards and guidelines for QA in HE
• Designated Irish contact body for
• EQF
• EHEA (Bologna) qualifications framework
• Enic/Naric recognition advice
• Europass mobility transparency tools
• Eqavet

24. Reflections on the institutional
evolution
• Institutionalising by sub-sector from2001 brought focussed
reform efforts to those sub-sectors within a fairly clear
organising scheme and set of relationships
• Amalgamation (originally announced by government in
2009 crisis budget) reflected both a desire for cost saving
rationalisation and a policy impulse to further integrating
the sub-sectors to improve coherence and progression
• Both the VET and HE systems have had major strategic
reviews and subsequent extensive reconfigurations of the
provider organisations in last few years. The NFQ has served
as an important point of continuity to sustain public
understanding and confidence during this period.

25. Current plans - domestic
• Comprehensive policy development programme to
reflect new functions, relationships and expectations
• Re-engagement with providers of education & training
• Renewed emphasis on employers (see Education and
employers: joining forces to promote quality and
innovation across further and higher education and
training. A strategic approach to employer engagement)
• New (or updated) standards for QQI awards
• New programme to promote NFQ
• Review of NFQ in 2016

26. Current plans - international
• Second milestone – EQF levels included on QQI award
certificates (2015) and database (2014)
• Revisit EQF referencing alongside 2016 review of NFQ
• Expand the use of NQFs in recognition incoming and
outgoing advice – Lisbon Recognition Convention etc
• Expand bilateral contacts (eg Australia, New Zealand,
Hong Kong, Bahrain) in the context of wider European
engagement with these countries
• Recognise international qualifications with the NFQ in
the context of wider EQF policy

27. Further information
• www.nfq.ie
• www.qqi.ie
• bmaguire@qqi.ie