24 February, 2015 - Minister for Education and Skills seeks expressions of interest to fill a vacancy on the Board of Quality and Qualifications Ireland

A vacancy has recently arisen on the Board of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

The process of filling the vacancy on the Board is being managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) under the revised procedures put in place in late 2014 for the appointment of persons to positions on State boards. Applications may only be made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie. PAS will undertake an assessment process in relation to the expressions of interest received and at the end of that process it will provide the Minister with a list of candidates deemed suitable for appointment to the Board.

The closing date for the receipt of applications, via www.stateboards.ie, is 13th March 2015.

ENDS

Notes for Editor:

In accordance with the Government's decision to advertise vacancies on State Boards, the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD, invites expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the Board of the Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI), operating under the Department's aegis.

The process of filling the vacancy on the Board of Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is being managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) under the revised procedures put in place in late 2014 for the appointment of persons to positions on State boards. Applications may only be made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie. PAS will undertake an assessment process in relation to the expressions of interest received and at the end of that process it will provide the Minister with a list of candidates deemed suitable for appointment.

QQI

QQI is a state agency established by the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012. It is governed by a board of ten members including the Chief Executive. The Board is appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills, who also appoints the Chief Executive following a recommendation by the board. Its functions include those previously carried out by the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC); the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC); the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB) and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI).

Functions of the Board

The QQI Board is a non-representative, ten-member board, consisting of people with broad experience of, and expertise in relation to, the functions of QQI. Members of the Board include:

  • At least one person with international experience related to the functions of the Board, and
  • At least two learner representatives; one nominated by the Union of Students in Ireland.

QQI’s responsibilities include:

  • maintaining the ten-level NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications),
  • setting standards for awards made under the NFQ,
  • validating education and training programmes and making extensive awards in the Further Education and Training sector, including in the Education and Training Boards,
  • making awards in Higher Education, mainly to learners in private providers - the universities and institutes of technology largely make their own awards,
  • providing advice on recognition of foreign qualifications in Ireland and on the recognition of Irish qualifications abroad,
  • publishing a directory of providers and awards in the NFQ,
  • reviewing the effectiveness of quality assurance among further and higher education providers in Ireland, and
  • authorising the use of an International Education Mark (IEM) for providers.