Re Re-Engagement wit ith QQI Provider Perspective 30 th October 2019
Overview 1. Quality Assurance at National College of Ireland (NCI) 2. Development of NCI’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement System (QAES) 3. Applying for Re-Engagement with QQI 4. Re-Engagement Panel Visit 5. Outcomes of Re-Engagement
Quality Assurance at NCI NCI currently has approximately 5,500 learners enrolled on 120 QQI accredited programmes across NFQ Levels 6-9 . The Quality Assurance Office, consisting of the Director of Quality Assurance and a Quality Assurance Officer, is responsible for: • Coordinating Programme Validation and Programme Reviews (51 during the 2019/20 academic year) • Monitoring effectiveness of Quality Assurance Policies and Procedures • Managing learner feedback mechanisms, i.e. module evaluations, ISSE, etc. • Maintaining Risk Register and Quality Enhancement Plan • Conducting audits of services and functions within NCI
Development of NCI’s QAES (Stage 1) Analysis of Statutory Guidelines and Good Practice Guidelines 1) QQI’s Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines (Core, Sector and Topic Specific) 2) QQI’s Policies and Criteria for the Validation of Programmes of Education and Training (2017) 3) QQI’s Assessment and Standards (2013) 4) ENQA’s Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (2015) 5) Publications by National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning on Student Success, Professional Development of All Those Who Teach and Teaching and Learning in a Digital World
Development of NCI’s QAES (Stage 2) Review of Existing Quality Assurance Practices at NCI 1) Is there a documented policy and procedure for each of QQI’s statutory QA guidelines? 2) Do policies and procedures accurately reflect current practices at NCI? 3) What is the Corporate & Academic Governance and QA Management structures at NCI? 4) Are policies and procedures easy to access by relevant stakeholders? 5) What are the greatest risks facing NCI from a QA perspective?
Development of NCI’s QAES (Stage 3) Provider Capacity and QA Procedures – Gap Analysis Tool and Action Plan Gap Analysis Tool and Action Plan allows for: 1. Genuine reflection on fitness for purpose of QA policies and procedures 2. Consultation with all stakeholders who engage with particular QA policies and procedures 3. Identification of potential vulnerabilities in existing QA system 4. Prioritisation of potential and actual risks 5. Specification and allocation of responsibilities
Outcomes of Re-Engagement Panels QQI publishes the reports outlining the outcomes of all Re-Engagement applications by HET and FET providers. An analysis of the reports published between June 2018 and July 2019 reveals the following recurrences: Mandatory Changes Specific Advice 1. Governance (separation of corporate and 1. Supports for Learners (Formally document academic considerations, and sufficient current practices) externality in unit(s) of governance). 2. Self-Evaluation, Monitoring & Review (Close 2. Documented Approach to QA (Clear and Feedback Loop) concise ToRs for all committees and key roles 3. Information Management (Formalise analysis in management of QA, and clear procedures and reporting on programme and student for all policies, in particular programme information data) development and learner assessment).
Applying for Re-Engagement (Stage 1) All updated QA policies and procedures should be compiled into Draft Quality Assurance Manual . This document should be: 1. Structured according to QQI’s Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines , i.e. Chapter 1: Governance and Management of Quality, Chapter 4: Staff Recruitment, Management and Development, Chapter 9: Public Information and Communication, etc. 2. Use a standardised template for constituent policies, which indicates policy title, authority and application of policy, scope of policy, operational date, etc. 3. Include the associated procedure for each constituent policy, written in directive rather than descriptive tone.
Draft Quality Assurance Manual Draft Quality Assurance Manual SHOULD BE : 1. Single source of truth for all QA policies and procedures 2. Standardised across all activities, functions and services 3. Illustrated with Reporting Structures and Process Maps 4. Easily searchable and navigable Draft Quality Assurance Manual SHOULD NOT BE : 1. Compendium of descriptive Standard Operating Procedures 2. Assortment of forms and report templates
Visualisations Governance & Organisation Structure (as at July 2019) Visualistions should be used to explain Governing Body (Directors) Chair the following: Fr Leonard Moloney SJ Jesuit nominees IBEC nominees ICTU nominees Independent Staff elected Ex officio Fr Kevin O'Higgins SJ (4) Brendan McGinty (1) Jonathan Lambert Gina Quin (1)(2) Sheila Nunan Michael Brady (1)(3) (NCI President)* Prof. Patrick Clancy (2) Maureen Brogan Tish Gibbons (2) Brigid McManus (2) Dominic Carr (2) • Barbara Cotter (1) Dajana Sinik Corporate and Academic (1) Finance/Audit Committee [DÓMadagáin ‐ secretary] (NCI SU President) (2) Risk Committee [DÓMadagáin ‐ secretary] (Company Secretary & College Registrar: John McGarrigle) (3) Trustee of Defined Benefit Pension Scheme Governance Structure (4) Early Learning Initiative Committee • Reporting and communication President* (T)(G) Gina Quin relationships between units of governance Dir. Finance (T)(G) Dir. HR (T)(G) Early Learning Initiative Vice President (T)(G) Dir. of Development Registrar / Co.Sec (T)(G) Dir. Marketing (T)(G) Donnchadh Ó Madagáin Mary Connelly Dr Josephine Bleach (Dir) Prof. Jimmy Hill & External Engagement (G) John McGarrigle Robert Ward • Management of Quality Assurance Lána Cummins (Asst.Dir) Deirdre Giblin Finance Department Student Services Marketing Fin. Reporting Mngr Niamh McCauley Department System Patricia Ryan Mgmnt Accountant International Director (G) School of Business (G) Dir. QA & SS (G) Dir. Learning & Teaching Careers & Opportunities • Programme Development, Delivery Eamonn Jordan Richard Barry Dr Colette Darcy (Dean) Karen Jones Dr Leo Casey Caroline Kennedy Dr Danielle McCartan‐Quinn & Dr Vivienne Byers & Info. Gov. and DPO (Vice Deans) Centre for and Review Niamh Scannell Learning & Teaching Library & Disability & Learning Mary Buckley & Support & Tim Lawless • Assessment Lifecycle Comm. & Bus. Inc. Mngr (G) School of Computing (G) KEY Bertie Kelly Dr Pramod Pathak (Dean) & Facilities Manager Dr Paul Stynes Executive Team = (T) Owen Delaney Dr Christos Grecos Education (Vice Deans) Programmes Executive Group = (T) + (G) & Dr Horacio GonzalezVelez IT Manager / Dept. (Cloud Competency Centre) Management Group = Geraldine Minogue & Frank Byrne C:\Users\domadagain\OneDrive for Business\NCI information\NCI org chart Jun2019 ‐ Overall 07/08/2019
Applying for Re-Engagement (Stage 2) Succinct overview of Outcome of Gap evidence documented Analysis: in Draft Quality Satisfactory (Y/N) Assurance Manual and Actions to be Taken Reference to appropriate policy and/or procedure in QQI’s Statutory Draft Quality QA Guidelines Assurance Manual (Primary Criteria and Sub-Criteria)
Re-Engagement Panel Visit The Re- Engagement Panel is tasked with reviewing a provider’s QA policies and procedures in terms of them being: 1. Proportionate to Scope of Provision 2. Practical in Application 3. Informed by Best Practice The Re-Engagement Panel bases its recommendation on the provider’s capacity to satisfy QQI’s Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines as a minimum. As such, it is looking for re-assurance for the future rather than retrospective explanations.
Re-Engagement Panel Visit The panel requires evidence of the following: • Suitable Governance Structure (independence of corporate and academic decision-making, and externality on units of governance) • Clear Terms of Reference for all units of governance and individual roles with explicit delegation of authority for particular QA responsibilities • Adequate financial, human and physical resources for implementation and maintenance of QA policies and procedures • Identification of potential vulnerabilities in QA policies and procedures • Development of Quality Enhancement Plan and implementation strategy • Effective feedback mechanisms for all primary in/external stakeholders
Re-Engagement Panel Visit Use the presentation at the beginning of the panel visit to: • Outline all the work undertaken in preparation for re-engagement and the changes made based on the gap analysis • Accurate picture of the organisation and how QA policies and procedures are proportionate to scope of provision • Identify the weaknesses/threats in existing QA policies and procedures and the steps taken to reduce these • Identify the risks (actual and potential) and the processes in place to mitigate these
Re-Engagement Panel Visit In preparation for the re-engagement panel visit, the provider should: • Give due attention to requests for clarifications and additional documentation following initial screening of application by panel • Provide relevant staff with an opportunity to participate in a practice panel • Delegate areas of expertise and assign speaking roles to as wide a variety of staff as possible • Ensure all staff participating in re-engagement event are familiar with relevant QA policies and procedures • Prepare a statement for responding to critical observations and recommendations of the panel
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