Applications for alignment with NFQ under agreement with Ofqual
Important update 16 September 2011
'The recently published Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 provides for the establishment of a new single national agency, Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQAI) replacing HETAC, FETAC, NQAI and IUQB.
In the light of the necessary preparations for the amalgamation, and to ensure quality of service to our stakeholders over the coming period, no further application dates for alignment under the agreement with Ofqual have currently been set for 2012. This does not impact on the application dates for 2011 i.e. 19th September – 28th October.
The NQAI looks forward to the amalgamation and working with our stakeholders in building on the work to date and in the performance of the functions of the new amalgamated body.'
Agreement for quality assurance and alignment with the NFQ of the qualifications of Ofqual recognised awarding organisations – March 2011
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) are pleased to publish a revised agreement for the quality assurance and alignment of the qualifications of Ofqual recognised awarding organisations, awarded to learners in the Republic of Ireland, with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). Application Period 1 relating to the revised agreement opened on 28 March 2011 and closed on 13 May 2011.
The processing of applications made during period 1 was concluded on 29 July 2011 and the awards of 6 Awarding Organisations were aligned with the NFQ.
Application Period 2 opens on 19 September 2011 and closes on 28 October 2011. Awarding Organisations are strongly advised to submit their application well in advance of the closing deadline, as only complete and accurate applications received by that date will be processed and time should be allowed for any clarifications/corrections that need to be made.
The agreement itself, along with a joint communication from Ofqual and the NQAI; supplementary information for awarding organisations; application forms; a fee schedule; period 1 alignment reports and protocols for awarding organisations and providers on the communictaion of aligned and unaligned awards are available below.
- Protocols for communication award information for Awarding Organisations
- Protocols of communicating award information for Providers
- Joint communication from Ofqual and the NQAI on Revised Agreement
- Alignment Agreement March 2011
- Supplementary information for Awarding Organisations
- Important Information for Awarding Organisations relating to Application Period 2 – deadline 28 October 2011
- Group C NFQ Alignment Application Form September 2011
- Group C Alignment application form (award information) September 2011
- Fee Schedule
- Application Period 1 – Alignment Reports (alignment reports all published in July 2011)
- Application Period 2 – Alignment Reports (alignment reports all published in February 2012)
Alignment Pilot Project 2008 - 2010
A pilot project was commenced by the regulatory bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 7 May 2008 and concluded in May 2010. The objective of the project was to extend the quality assurance procedures of Ofqual, DCELLS and CCEA to facilitate the recognition and regulation of those same vocational education and training (VET) qualifications when they are offered in the Republic of Ireland.
From 2008 to 2010, 14 Ofqual recognised awarding organisations had their awards aligned with the NFQ. The report on the alignment of the awards of each awarding body which applied during the pilot phase is available here.
