VUSSC is a collaborative network and clearing house for collecting and registering post-secondary qualifications among small states of the Commonwealth. It aims to improve credit transfer and promote common accreditation between participating countries, though it is not a traditional university. The VUSSC Transnational Qualifications Framework (TQF) is a translation instrument that maps qualifications across levels to facilitate credit transfer, with 10 levels ranging from Certificate I to Doctoral Degree. The TQF is voluntary and does not replace existing frameworks, but aims to increase access to education through open learning resources.

2. What VUSSC is
or isn’t?
VUSSC is not a university!
Ironic?
If not, then what?

3. What VUSSC is or isn’t?
•
•
•
•
•
VUSSC is not a university in the traditional sense.
There are no:
faculties
departments
schools,
classrooms or
lecturers

4. What VUSSC is or isn’t?
VUSSC can best be described as a concept!
What does this mean?

5. What VUSSC is or isn’t?
• An initiative of the education ministers of the
32 small states that account for two-thirds of
the Commonwealth member states.
• To make available post secondary and
tertiary level qualifications available to
member states.
• To share post-secondary and tertiary level
qualifications among member states.

6. What VUSSC is or isn’t?
• VUSSC is “collaborative network” contributing to the
strengthening and development of the tertiary
education sectors in participating states.
• VUSSC is a “clearing house” for “collecting” and
“registering” qualifications.
• VUSSC is a platform for “storing” qualifications.

7. Participating countries
• Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Botswana,
Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica,
Lesotho, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St.
Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Swaziland, The Bahamas, The Gambia,
Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
• Montserrat, The Cayman Islands (nonCommonwealth).
• University of Zanzibar, Zanzibar, Tanzania

8. The Virtual University for Small
States of the Commonwealth

9. The TQF
What is the VUSSC Transnational Qualifications
Framework (TQF)?

10. The TQF
• is a translation instrument for
the classification of VUSSC
qualifications
 to improve credit transfer and
 promote common accreditation
mechanisms between participating
VUSSC countries

11. The TQF
TQF as a mapping instrument
• Improve credit transfer and articulation
between countries
• Promote common quality assurance
mechanisms
• Does not replace existing qualifications
frameworks
• Unified, credit-based with 10 levels
• Sectoral and incremental implementation
• Non-regulatory

12. Level
Qualifications Titles
Minimum
Credits
10
Doctoral Degree
360
9
Masters Degree
240
8
Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma;
Bachelor’s Degree with Honours
120
7
Bachelor’s Degree
Graduate Certificate and Diploma;
360
6
Advanced/ Higher Diploma
Associate Degree/ Foundation Degree
240
5
Diploma
240
4
Advanced Certificate
120
3
Certificate III
40
2
Certificate II
40
1
Certificate I
40

13. Referencing the TQF
Level
Qualifications Titles
Minimum
Credits
10
Doctoral Degree
360
9
Masters Degree
240
8
Postgraduate
Certificate and
Diploma;
Bachelor’s Degree with
Honours
120
7
Bachelor’s Degree
Graduate Certificate
and Diploma;
Referencing the TQF
360
6
Advanced/ Higher
Diploma
Associate Degree/
Foundation Degree
240
5
Diploma
240
Level
Qualifications Titles
Minimum
Credits
4
Advanced Certificate
120
3
Certificate III
40
2
Certificate II
1
Certificate I
Level
Qualifications Titles
Minimum
Credits
10
Doctoral Degree
360
9
Masters Degree
240
8
Postgraduate Certificate and
Diploma;
Bachelor’s Degree with
Honours
120
7
Bachelor’s Degree
Graduate Certificate and
Diploma;
360
6
Advanced/ Higher Diploma
Associate Degree/ Foundation
Degree
240
5
Diploma
240
4
Advanced Certificate
120
3
Certificate III
40
40
2
Certificate II
40
40
1
Certificate I
40

14. Underlying Principle

15. TQF Referenced to MQF & EQF

16. TQF Referenced to CQF

17. The VUSSC Transnational Qualifications
Framework (TQF)
Providers
Registration of courses onto TQF
MoU
Guidelines for
Recognition
RQF
Note: Dotted lines refer to registration process of courses that have already been
quality assured by the NQAA or other recognised authority

18. Ministerial
request,
transnational
needs
VUSSC
Conduit coordinated
by COL
No/very limited
recognition (non(formal)
National and
regional
recognition
National
recognition
National,
regional and
transnational
recognition
Optional
Course material
developed using ODL
mode
PROVIDERS
offer a range of
courses
NATIONAL QA
REQUIREMENTS
(NQF or MOE)
Compulsory
REGIONAL QA
REQUIREMENTS
(RQF, where
applicable)
Optional
TRANSNATIONAL QA
REQUIREMENTS
Optional

19. Benefits of the TQF
• Increase access to online
learning
• Promote life long learning
• TQF is voluntary – not
replacing existing system
• Enhance transnational
education and training
system

20. VUSSC OER CYCLE

21. The TQF Management
Committee
• Oversee the development and implementation of
the TQF
• Oversee the evaluation of programmes to be
registered on the VUSSC TQF
• Communicate and advocate the TQF within Small
States of the Commonwealth.
• Recommend the appointment of external
observers, technical experts and external evaluators
to COL when required
• Develop and maintain appropriate strategic
networks to enhance the objectives and
performance of the TQF.

22. Challenges of the TQF
• Registration of Qualifications on the NQF/TQF
• Ventilation of the TQF
• Referencing of the TQF with other meta-framework
like the EQF
• Involvement of all stakeholders
• Other countries that wish to use TQF
• Certification

23. www.col.org/vussc
www.vussc.info
www.facebook.com/vussc