The Quality Assurance and Enhancement Framework at Innopharma Education
The policies and procedures within this Quality Assurance Manual (QAM), along with a set of associated documents, form the basis of the Innopharma Education Quality Assurance and Enhancement Framework (QAEF).
ESG Standard: Policy for Quality Assurance
ESG STandards 1.1
Institutions should have a policy for quality assurance that is made public and forms part of their strategic management. Internal stakeholders should develop and implement this policy through appropriate structures and processes, while involving external stakeholders.
Definitions
Within the QAEF, the following definitions apply:
-
Strategy: A strategy details the key objectives of the College and sets out a plan for their successful achievement.
-
Policy: A policy sets out a principle or an intended course of action in a given situation. Policies guide decision-making at the College on a day to day basis. Policies therefore establish the ‘what to do’ in those situations.
-
Procedure: A procedure describes the specific actions undertaken to implement a College policy. Procedures therefore guide the ‘how to do’, and not the ‘what to do’.
-
Standard: A standard outlines the acceptable level of quality or attainment within a particular area of the College’s operations.
-
Resource: A resource is a functional document that supports the implementation of the College’s policies and procedures. For example, application forms, checklists or handbooks.
Overview
The QAEF of Innopharma Education has been developed with regard to the following standards and guidelines:
-
Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines (QQI, 2016).
-
Sector Specific (Independent/Private) Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines (QQI, 2016)1.
-
Topic Specific Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for Providers of Blended Learning Programmes (QQI, 2018)
-
Assessment and Standards, Revised (QQI, 2013).
-
Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG, 2015).
The College’s QAEF has therefore been developed with regard to the guidelines for quality assurance that are applicable to all providers. In keeping with QQI’s guidelines, the QAEF also takes account of the College’s specific “context, overall goals and scope of provision".
The policies and procedures with the QAEF additionally meet the requirements of:
Within the College, Strategies, Policies, Procedures and Standards are approved by either the Board of Directors or the Academic Council. In some cases, policies may require approval by both.
Resources are approved by either the Director of Academic Affairs and Registrar or the Director of Academic Programmes, as appropriate.