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Minister Harris announces appointment of Chairperson and Ordinary Members to the Governing Board of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has today announced the appointment of Professor Irene Sheridan as the new Chairperson of the Board of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

He has also appointed 6 Ordinary Members to the Board including a representative of learners and an international expert.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said:

“I wish Professor Sheridan the very best in her role as Chairperson and I have no doubt she will make a valuable contribution to the important work of QQI.

"I want to thank the previous Chairperson, Joanne Harmon, and the other outgoing members for their dedication and time on the QQI Board.

“Each of these newly appointed members have distinguished track records arising from their respective careers and have the essential skills necessary to deliver on QQI’s policies and key functions, to bring the agency into the next decade.”

The Agency’s legislative basis has been amended to strengthen the role of QQI as regulator for the higher and further education and training sectors. The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 provides a suite of measures to protect the interests of learners engaged with the Irish education and training system. These measures include new due diligence criteria, the establishment of a national Learner Protection Fund and the introduction of the International Education Mark. In addition, this new legislation will safeguard the integrity of the National Framework of Qualifications and the reputation of higher and further education and training in Ireland.

Welcoming the appointments, Dr Padraig Walsh, CEO of QQI said:

"This is an exciting time for QQI. I welcome the appointment of Professor Sheridan as Chairperson and very much look forward to working with her and the other new members as we continue to deliver on QQI’s strategic priorities."

Notes

Ordinary Members Appointed

The ordinary members appointed to the QQI Board are:

Mr Sean Duignan (International Expert)

Ms Maria Ward (Representative of Learners)

Ms Marianne Doyle

Dr Sharon Feeney

Mr Kevin McStravock

Ms Anne Naughton

Short biography on Professor Sheridan

Professor Irene Sheridan is Head of the Munster Technological University Extended Campus and leader of the Enterprise Engagement and Experiential Learning Research Group. Her background is in Electronic Engineering. Prior to her appointment as Chairperson, she served as an ordinary member on the QQI board.

About QQI

QQI was established in 2012 and its general functions derive from the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act, 2012. In 2019, these functions were expanded by the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019, which provides additional powers to QQI to improve the quality of Ireland’s education and training system.

QQI’s functions include to:

  • maintain the National Framework of Qualifications
  • agree, and review the effectiveness of, the procedures for quality assurance of education and training established by providers
  • validate programmes of education and training leading to QQI awards
  • establish and review the standards of knowledge, skill or competence associated with awards
  • make awards on behalf of learners and, where appropriate, delegate authority to make awards to providers
  • determine and monitor policies and criteria for access, transfer and progression alongside the recognition of prior learning
  • establish a Code of Practice for the provision of education to international learners and the related International Education Mark and to authorise use of the Mark by higher education and English language education providers
  • ‘list’ awarding bodies and to include their qualifications in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) allowing awards made by private, professional and non-national awarding bodies, where appropriate, in the Framework
  • provide for a national scheme for the protection of enrolled learners
  • regulate academic integrity

In addition, QQI is responsible for a number of other functions as follows:

  • serves as the nominated national coordinating authority for Europass, ENIC (European Network of Information Centres) and NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) and as the National Reference Point for vocational education and training
  • operates NARIC Ireland as a single point of contact for all queries concerning the recognition of international awards
  • provides academic advice on the recognition of foreign qualifications in Ireland and the recognition of Irish qualifications abroad
  • maintains Qualifax, the National Learners Database, containing information on approximately 18,000 programmes of education and training
  • advises the Minister in relation to national policy on quality assurance and enhancement in education and training
  • provides advice to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science and to the Department of Justice regarding the regulatory reforms to the student immigration system for international education
  • operates ACELS (the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services) for the voluntary accreditation of English language schools on a non-statutory basis, pending the introduction of the International Education Mark in 2023

Recruitment process

The process for these appointments was managed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the department via an open recruitment process.

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