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Legislation and Regulation

IRELAND

The quality of higher education in Ireland is regulated under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 and associated statutory quality assurance guidelines published by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI):

•  Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines - applicable to all Higher Education providers

•  Sector-specific Quality Assurance guidelines for Designated Awarding Bodies - i.e. Universities

•  Topic Specific Quality Assurance Guidelines - Research Degree Programmes - i.e. Universities and Institutes of Technology

•  Topic Specific Quality Assurance Guidelines - Blended Learning Programmes

Also aligned to the Act are QQI Policies such as:

•  Code of Practice for the provision of programmes of Education and Training to International Learners - linked to the application for and authority to use the proposed International Education Mark (IEM)

•  Policy for Collaborative Programmes, Transnational Programmes and Joint Awards

•  Policy on Access, Transfer and Progression

•  Principals and Operational Guidelines for Recognising Prior Learning

•  European Guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning

•  Policy on the Protection of Enrolled Learners - (Linked Providers, Collaborative and Transnational Education Programmes and Awards MoUs)

All University of Dublin Awards (Degrees) and Trinity College Dublin Awards (Diplomas and Certificates) are mapped to the National Framework of Qualifications and Trinity is responsible for ensuring the academic standards, skills and competencies gained by graduates are aligned with the level descriptors on the NFQ, which is in turn aligned to the European Framework. This alignment facilitates mobility and recognition of graduates and qualifications.

Other key external statutory bodies whose strategies, policies and frameworks influence Universities quality assurance processes include the Higher Education Authority (HEA) e.g. Higher Education Strategy 2030 , Policies , Strategic Dialogues/Compacts and Frameworks e.g. National Framework for Doctoral Education

EUROPE

Ireland is part of the European Higher Education Area and thus Trinity's quality assurance procedures are also required to align with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area ( ESG ). For more on quality of higher education from a European perspective refer to the ENQA website.

Ireland is also a signatory to the Bologna Process and is required to implement the outcomes of the Bologna follow-up group Communiques and Conventions .

Refer to the Resources page for good practice guidelines and other resources.