Provider Quality Assurance – Summary of Policy
Introduction FETAC makes awards to learners on a vast range of programmes offered by providers of many different types. In order to ensure confidence in its awards, FETAC will implement a comprehensive strategy to assure the quality of the programmes leading to its awards. The strategy involves the coordinated application of three separate functions. Firstly, all providers offering FETAC awards are required to have a quality assurance system agreed by FETAC. The provider is required to demonstrate its capacity to monitor, evaluate and improve the quality of programmes and services it offers to learners. Secondly, FETAC validates programmes submitted by providers whose quality assurance procedures have been agreed. Validation is the process by which FETAC will evaluate a programme, before it is delivered, to ensure that it can provide a learner with the opportunity to achieve a specified award. Thirdly, FETAC will monitor and evaluate programmes. Monitoring is a multi-faceted system of gathering information on providers’ programmes, services and the quality assurance systems which support them. If the evaluation of this information indicates it is necessary, either the validation of the programme or the agreement of the quality assurance procedures can be reviewed. This policy focuses on the first of these functions i.e. the agreement of a provider’s quality assurance system. Context The Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 assigns specific and separate roles to the provider and to FETAC in relation to the quality assurance of programmes i.e. ‘A provider shall … establish procedures for quality assurance for the purpose of further improving and maintaining the quality of education and training provided, organised or procured by that provider… and shall agree those procedures with the Council.’ [S 18 (1)]. FETAC, in consultation with the broad further education and training sector and following research into national and international best practice, has developed guidelines to assist providers to establish quality assurance procedures which can be agreed. FETAC has also developed criteria to ensure a transparent, fair and consistent process of agreement. Policy FETAC recognises the primary role of providers in the establishment and operation of quality assurance. FETAC’s policy is to agree a provider’s procedures for quality assurance where those procedures demonstrate the provider’s commitment and capacity to maintain and improve the quality of its programmes and services. This capacity will be evaluated using objective and transparent criteria, attainable by providers of different size and context. Providers with agreed quality assurance procedures can register with FETAC and apply for validation of their programmes. FETAC will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of a provider’s quality assurance procedures and will review the agreement within a maximum period of five years from the date of initial agreement.
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Process Using FETAC guidelines and criteria, a provider will develop its quality assurance system. This system will comprise a suite of policies and procedures and an internal monitoring process. The provider will apply for agreement of its quality assurance system. FETAC has developed an application procedure allowing all providers, irrespective of size and type, to make applications in a standard format. All complete applications will be evaluated by evaluators using fair, consistent and objective procedures and criteria. The decision on agreement of a provider’s quality assurance will be made by FETAC on recommendation from the evaluators. A provider whose procedures are agreed will be given a Registration Number to be used in all future correspondence with FETAC. If the provider incorporates one or more separate centres it will also be given a Centre Number for each. A provider whose procedures are not agreed will be informed in writing and will be invited to make the amendments necessary to reach agreement. The provider has the right to appeal the decision to the Council. FETAC may verify an application at any time by visiting the provider to view the system described in the application. Review This policy will be reviewed in December 2005.
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