Five Countries Qualifications Framework Group meets again

The Annual Meeting of the Five Countries Qualifications Framework Group was hosted by QQI in Dublin on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th January 2024.

Representatives from Ireland (QQI & DFHERIS), England (Ofqual, Department for Education, & Office for Students), Scotland (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership, Scottish Government, & Scottish Qualifications Authority), Wales (Qualifications Wales, Welsh Government, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, & Colleges Wales/Colegau Cym), Northern Ireland (Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment, Department of Education, & Department of Economy) and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education attended both online and in person and provided updates on national qualifications systems and frameworks, quality assurance of qualifications, and related policy developments.

QQI provided updates on the 20th anniversary of the NFQ and associated publications, the CINNTE review cycle and the International Education Mark. The group specifically requested discussion in relation to assessment and academic integrity. As such, QQI presented the work of our Rethinking Assessment programme and the work of both National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN) and Global Academic Integrity Network (GAIN).

It was agreed to establish two subgroups in relation to qualifications registers and databases; and microcredentials which will meet during the course of 2024 and report back to the next annual meeting in 2025, which will be hosted by Northern Ireland.

This work is essential to ensure we maintain communications as part of our bilateral agreement across the Five Countries in this Framework Group supporting the high levels of mobility between our jurisdictions.

The 5 Countries group is also responsible for maintaining the Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries guide to comparing qualifications across our jurisdictions which was updated during the course of 2024.