Higher education quality assurance
The Department's underpinning statutory responsibility to make provision for the assessment of the quality of provision that it funds are set out under Article 102 of the Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986.
Revised operating model for quality assessment
The Revised operating model for quality assessment sets out the operating model for quality assessment in Northern Ireland from 2017/18 onwards.
Annual Provider Review (APR)
The Annual Provider Review (APR) is a desk-based and a low-burden process using existing data analysis and assurance processes. Institutions do not need to submit any additional returns. Instead, the new review brings together existing processes in a more structured way.
APR is the core mechanism to assess quality in the higher education providers we fund. Its key features are:
- it draws on existing data and information: there will be no new data requests nor a requirement for any annual APR submission
- indicators and metrics are used in a contextualised and rounded way
- judgements on quality and standards matters are reached through peer review.
Appeals
The appeals process for a provider’s APR outcome is explained in the APR guidance on page 7. Providers have 14 working days to submit an appeal on the grounds of procedural irregularity, that is, that the published process has not been followed.
Assurances from governing bodies
We use existing processes for collecting assurances from governing bodies to support the APR. These processes also cover the student academic experiences, student outcomes, and the standard of awards.
Universities and University Colleges need to include these assurances as part of their Annual Accountability Return. Further Education Colleges will be asked to submit the assurances through a tailored template on an annual basis.
Annual Provider Review Outcomes
The Department makes final judgements on quality and standards informed by the recommendations of an independent Office for Students (OfS) Group established for this purpose. Judgements will fall into one of three outcomes:
- Meets requirements - The provider will continue to undergo APR in subsequent years.
- Meets requirements with conditions - The provider will continue to undergo APR in subsequent years, but with an action plan to address areas of immediate concern.
- Pending - The provider will be referred for further investigation and intervention.
The current APR guidance for Northern Ireland sets out the way we will operate the APR process.
The Department is now preparing to move to the implementation stage of the new quality model for Higher Education. Updates will be provided as and when required. In the interim, the Annual Provider Review (APR) for Quality Assessment of Higher Education will continue to apply until full implementation is complete.
The outcomes of the APR process for academic year 2018/19 are set out below:
| Institution | UKPRN | Provider status | APR Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen's | 10005343 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| Ulster | 10007807 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| Stranmillis | 10008010 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| St Mary's | 10008026 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| Belfast Met | 10020680 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| NRC | 10020372 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| SERC | 10020699 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| NWRC | 10020634 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| SWC | 10020685 | Established | Meets Requirements |
| SRC | 10020633 | Established | Meets Requirements |
The Quality Council for UK Higher Education (formerly known as the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA)
The Quality Council for UK Higher Education provides sector-led oversight of those aspects of quality assessment arrangements that continue to be shared across the UK. It will play a key role in promoting quality, standards, and the student interest, and supports a co-regulatory approach by bringing together academic expertise and students with regulatory and other bodies.
UK Quality Code for Higher Education
In October 2017, The Quality Council for UK Higher Education launched an extensive consultation on the UK Quality Code, which was co-ordinated by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) on behalf of all members of The Quality Council for UK Higher Education.
The expectations and practices of the Code form the basis of a fully revised UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which was published in November 2018. The expectations and practices have benefited from valuable engagement across all four nations and the full diversity of the sector, throughout the consultation
The current UK Quality Code for Higher Education is currently undergoing a comprehensive review, with updates expected to continue until 2027. In the meantime, details of the revised Code can be accessed on the Quality Council for UK Higher Education website.
The Department does not resolve complaints or offer compensation to individuals. Students can raise individual complaints through their respective institutions complaints processes and, if they remain dissatisfied after completing the college or university’s complaints procedure, they can complain to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.