Quality Assurance

The QIE Office coordinates all quality assurance, improvement and monitoring processes within NCI to ensure compliance with national (QQI) and European quality assurance standards, requirements and guidelines.

Institutional Quality

NCI, as a HE provider that does not have degree awarding powers, is affiliated with QQI, who allow us to develop and deliver QQI validated programmes and manage our own quality assurance policies and procedures but these must be approved by QQI before implementation to determine compliance with statutory guidelines. 

NCI engages with the following institutional level processes with QQI to be able to develop and deliver QQI validated programmes:

  • QQI Re-Engagement: Assesses NCI's QA alignment with QQI - baseline mapping
  • Annual Quality Reports (AQR): includes monitoring of Re-Engagement Action Plan
  • Annual Dialogue Meetings: discussion of AQR and institutional effectiveness
  • QQI Cyclical Review CINNTE: Institutional Effectiveness: robustness and transparency in decision-making, consistency and compliance.

Infographic that highlights the 4 processes of how NCI works with QQI including QQI Re-Engagement, Annual Quality Reports, Annual Dialogue Meetings and QQI Cyclical Review

QQI Re-Engagement

NCI successfully completed the QQI Re-Engagement Process in 2018/2019. This process resulted in NCI also successfully securing Devolved Responsibility Status from QQI for some activities.

QQI Re-Engagement Review Report

QQI Re-Engagement Action Plan

Annual Quality Report to QQI

Following successful re-engagement (2018/2019), NCI submitted its first Annual Quality Report to QQI in February 2021 spanning activities completed within the Sept 2019 – August 2020 reporting period.

AQR 2021 NCI Submission

NCI submitted its second Annual Quality Report to QQI in February 2022 spanning activities completed within the Sept 2020 – August 2021 reporting period.

AQR 2022 NCI Submission

NCI submitted its second Annual Quality Report to QQI in February 2023 spanning activities completed within the Sept 2021 – August 2022 reporting period.

AQR 2023 NCI Submission

Annual Dialogue Meeting

NCI’s first Annual Dialogue Meeting with QQI will be held in July 2021.

QQI Process

CINNTE (Institutional Quality Review)

NCI will participate in cyclical Institutional Review in 2024. This review will be conducted in accordance with agreed QQI Terms of Reference for Independent and Private Providers.

NCI looks forward to hosting an external, independent Review Panel during the week commencing 2nd December 2024. In preparation for the Panel visit, NCI will self-evaluate against a range of QQI Review Objectives and Quality criteria, aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG). NCI will submit an Institutional Profile (IP) document in May 2024 and an Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) in August 2024.

 

Logos for CINNTE and QQI Review

 

NCI previously underwent an Institutional Review in 2010

Key External Reference Documents

Programme Quality

All programmes at NCI undergo continuous quality improvement following initial approval – validation - by our Awarding Body – Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

Annually, each programme team considers what adjustments can be made to the programme in response to the views of colleagues internally and externally, feedback from learners and graduates, and an analysis of student performance data. 

This is undertaken to ensure the ongoing relevance, currency and quality of the programme content, teaching, learning and assessment practices. While small changes are made regularly to our programmes in response, the only way to make significant changes to a programme is through a formal re-validation process. 

This can be triggered at any point by the programme team if there are major changes required. However, as part of our QAES and requirements from QQI, we have to revalidate each programme after five years of being delivered.

Programme Lifecycle Management (PLM)

In 2021 NCI reviewed and refreshed its programme lifecycle management structure. This builds on the existing longstanding structures, as outlined in Chapter 3 of the QAES.

The refresh process will continue throughout 2021 with a view to enhancing the visibility and consistency of short and long-term decisions made on the approval of programmes for validation and revalidation in line with NCI’s mission, vision and strategies as well as evidence of programme demand, quality, viability and sustainability.

  • Stage 1: Programme Design & Development
  • Stage 2: Programme Validation/Revalidation
  • Stage 3: Programme Delivery
  • Stage 4: Programme Monitoring & Review

Graphic of an arrow that highlights the 4 Programme Lifecycle Management (PLM) stages

Programme Lifecycle Management (PLM) Executive Sub-Group Terms of Reference and Membership

Annual Programme Evaluation Reports (APERS)

NCI’s process for annual programme monitoring is outlined in Chapter 3 of the QAES

The annual monitoring process is currently under review and new templates will be launched in Autumn 2022.

All programmes at NCI undergo continuous quality improvement following initial approval – validation - by our Awarding Body – Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Annually – through the Annual Monitoring Process (currently being refreshed) each programme team considers what adjustments can be made to the programme in response to the views of colleagues internally and externally, feedback from industry, learners and graduates, and an analysis of student performance data. This is undertaken to ensure the ongoing relevance, currency and quality of the programme content, teaching, learning and assessment practices. While small changes are made annually to our programmes in response, the only way to make significant changes to a programme is through a formal re-validation process. This can be triggered at any point by the programme team if there are major changes required. However, as part of our QQI validation, we have to revalidate each programme after five years of delivery.

Data involved in Annual Programme Monitoring Process (APERS):

Computer with text and icons on the screen to highlight the data involved in Annual Programme Monitoring Process (APERS)