Update: Award Standards Projects

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has engaged with our consultations on the projects listed below. The feedback and insights provided are key to delivering the following projects successfully.

Review and Update of Common Award System Award Standards – Action Plan Project

CAS supports over 1700 award standards in further education and training, covering major and non-major awards across NFQ levels 1-6.  The standards outline the expected learning outcomes and allow for the accumulation of smaller awards towards larger ones. CAS award standards have been instrumental in the development and recognition of further education and training awards for almost two decades. Providers and users of QQI qualifications expect standards to be maintained and responsive to learners' needs.

This project involves a broad engagement with stakeholders to inform an action plan for the review of CAS.

The project team were delighted with the response and open engagement afforded by our stakeholders.  QQI received over 600 survey responses, held 14 focus groups with 54 representatives from 29 organisations. The project team are now analysing the data to create a plan for the review, which will be published this Autumn.

Level 1-4 Broad award standards suite Project

The broad award standards suite for QQI further education and training (FET) awards at NFQ Levels 1-4 is intended to bring a fresh and flexible approach to programme development for FET providers in Ireland.

A draft report on the consultation will be presented to the QQI Policies and Standards Committee autumn meeting.  Pending adoption, new broad award standards at NFQ levels 1-4 will become available in 2024 accompanied by guidelines on their use by providers and by QQI.

Integrated Award standards at NFQ 5-9 Project

Currently, QQI has two different approaches for specifying award standards for QQI FET qualifications and QQI HET qualifications. QQI has brought in external experts to engage with the sector and provide advice on the piloting of integrated award standards in the field of business administration.

The new integrated QQI awards standards will offer an alternative to the current multiple QQI business standards in place for further education (FE) awards and replace the single QQI award standard for higher education (HE) awards, all of which have been in place for considerable time now.

The new QQI award standards will be used to guide the development of future FE and HE programmes by providers of QQI awards.