@hiberniacollegehiberniacollege.com

Re-Engaging with QQI

Provider Perspective, 9th May, 2019

Introduction

❖ Overview of Hibernia College

❖ Overview of development of Hibernia College Quality

Framework and the process of Re-Engaging with QQI

❖ Preparing an application for Re-Engagement

❖ Preparing for the panel visit, what the panel is looking for

and life post-panel visit

Overview of Hibernia College

Founded in 2000 by Dr Seán Rowland, President of Hibernia College

▪ First provider focussing on online provision leading to professional HE Qualifications

Programmes

▪ PME in Primary Education – 1,380 students approx

▪ PME in Post Primary Education– 300 students approx

▪ BSc in Nursing- at professional accreditation stage

▪ Plans for future development

Significant investment since 2015 in governance structures, staff, faculty and systems

▪ Increased staff and faculty capacity throughout the college

▪ New information systems being developed

▪ Quality Framework Development

Hibernia College Quality Framework (HCQF) and Process of Re-Engaging with

QQI

Cycle of Developing HCQF while Re-Engaging with QQI

Site Visit by QQI Pilot Panel

Report of Pilot Panel – with recommendations

Work on a completely revised HCQF, to simplify, make accessible, enhance communication and move to College rather than programme focus

Letter of Approval received from QQI

JAN2018

MAR2018

April2019

OCT2018

Submission to QQI

DEC2018

Site visit by QQI Panel

SPRING

2018SWOT Workshops Cross College Departments

SPRING/SUMMER

2018

JAN2019

Panel Report

MAR2019

Response to Panel

SEP2017

Commencement of the Pilot SAR Drafting Process – Comprehensive legislative and policy scan

Ongoing review and

revision

Supporting Resources

ProcedurePolicy

Resulting in The Hibernia College Quality Framework – The HCQF

Strategy

HiberniaCollegeQuality Framework

New HCQF live in August 2018- less than 4 months to Re-Engagement Panel Event

Quality Assurance in a Blended Learning Environment

National and International Good Practice and Standards

QQI- Topic Specific QA Guidelines for Providers of Blended Learning Programmes

The Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-learning (ACODE) - Benchmarks for Technology Enhanced Learning

The European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) - Quality Assessment for E-learning: a Benchmarking Approach

National Forum- Guide to Developing Enabling Policies for Digital Teaching and Learning

Hibernia College Quality Framework

Policy for On-going Monitoring of Online or Blended Learning Programmes

Policy for the Design of Programmes and Curricula for a Blended or Online Environment

Policy for the Development and Approval of Programmes for a Blended or Online Environment

A Guideline The pedagogical basis of blended programme design in Hibernia College

• QQI adopted a Garrison and Kanuka (2004) definition of blended learning which defines it as “the integration of classroom face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences”.

• Hibernia College complements this with an understanding that blended learning falls along a continuum (Jones, 2006).

Preparing an Application for Re-Engagement

Stages of Preparing an Application for Reengagement

Genuine Reflection- Gap Analysis

▪ Are policies and procedures fit for purpose?

▪ Do they accurately convey what is happening in practice?

Review/Rewrite documentation

▪ Traffic light system

▪ Risk Analysis

▪ Prioritise risk and have an action plan

Consultation with staff

▪ Administrative staff

▪ Academic staff

▪ Senior stakeholders

▪ Learners

Final submission- make it is easy to review!

▪ Be as succinct as possible

▪ Hyperlinks

▪ Accurate cross-referencing

▪ Naming Conventions

A reflective process seeking to assess the lived experience of your organisation’s quality culture

Consultation Process- Sample SWOT Analyses

QQI Mandatory QA

Policy AreasHibernia College

Specific Policies EU Other

Also reflects ten areas

for internal quality

assurance identified in

the ESG

Core QA Sector

QA

Blended ATP PEL Ass &

Stan

ESG EADTU 2012 act Companies

Act

Data

Pro

Other

➢  The Hibernia College

Quality Framework – A

Policy

➢  Policy on Governance

and Management

➢ Policy for the Design of

Programmes and Curricula

for a Blended or Online

Environment

➢ Policy for the

Development and Approval

of Programmes for a

Blended or Online

Environment

➢  Policy for Ongoing

Monitoring of Online

and/or Blended Learning

Programmes *

➢  Policy for the Cyclical

Review of Hibernia College

1.       Policy for

quality assurance,

its governance and

management

2.       Design and

approval of online

and blended

learning

programmes,

including those in a

transnational and/or

collaborative

context

3.       Self Evaluation,

Ongoing Monitoring

and Periodic Review

of Programmes

internally and

externally including

those in a

QQI

3.1

11.2

IE

1.1/1.2 3 3 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Governance Briefing

Notes (2018). Available at:

https://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/governancenew/governance-briefing-

notes/index.cfm Accessed 28/08/2018.

All28.1All1.1, p32

1.2p50, 51p3 Michael Young (2014) What is a curriculum and what can it do?, The

Curriculum Journal, 25:1, 7-13, DOI:

10.1080/09585176.2014.902526?

Chew E., Jones N., Turner D. (2008) Critical Review of the Blended

Learning Models Based on Maslow’s and Vygotsky’s Educational

Theory’ in Hybrid Learning and Education. Berlin, Springer Verlag

Publications, pp. 40–53. DOI:10.1007/978-3-540-85170-7_4

UNESCO (2015) IDEAL: Impact of Distance Education on Adult

Learning. Available at:

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002351/235170E.pdf

2.2

Quality and Qualifications

Ireland (2016), Policy for Cyclical Review of Higher Education

Institutions Available at:

https://www.qqi.ie/Downloads/Cyclical%20Review%20of%20Higher

%20Education%20Institutions.pdf

[Accessed 28/08/2018].

1.9,

part2

Mapping HCQF to Legislation, National and International policy

Completing Application Form

Gap-analysis question

Gap. Anal. Satis-factory(Y/N)?

If not fully satisfactory, identify action(s) planned and date(s)

Summary description of evidence / process

Where evidenced(Document)

Page Number / Reference

Criterion A Y N/A Hibernia College does ‘A’ through blended learning, this is evidenced through ‘xyx’.

Hyperlink to policy in HCQF

See 2.5 (d)

Criterion B Y/N • Date• Bulleted

action points to address gap

Hibernia College does ‘A’ by seeking ongoing feedback from stakeholders, this is evidenced in ‘xyz’ but needs to be updated and further developed by completing the outlined actions.

Hyperlink to policy in HCQF

Appendix 1

Full document relevant.

Any actions needed, if any, to make satisfactory

Succinctoverview of evidence

Document references

What is the Panel looking for?

What is the panel looking for?

Genuine Assessment and Reflection

Good Governance in Place

▪ External voice

▪ Independence

▪ Devil’s advocate in decision-making

▪ Avoid group-think

Adequate Resourcing

▪ Human

▪ Financial

▪ Physical

Identified areas of vulnerability

▪ Programmatic or institutional

▪ Policies and procedures to manage

▪ Plan of Enhancement

Clear terms of reference for roles and committees

Separation of commercial and academic decision-making

Graphic depiction of governance structure

Management of Quality and Risk

Academic Board

o Academic Responsibilitieso Academic Qualityo Policy and Procedure for Qualityo Academic Risk

Executive Management Team

o Implementation of Strategyo Day-to-day oversighto Operational management

Subcommittees

o Boards of examinerso Teaching, Learning and Assessmento Programme Boardso Researcho Discipline/appeals

College Departments

o ITo Finance & HRo Registraro Digital Learningo Marketing

Academic Units

School of Education

o Primaryo Post Primary o CPDo Research

CORPORATE ACADEMIC

Board of Directors

o Corporate Responsibilitieso Strategyo Risko Financial and corporate planning

CEO

Department of Nursing

o BSc in General Nursingo Possible Collaborative

Provision with INMO

Board of Directors

Executive Management Team

Chief Executive Officer

Academic Board

Outline of systems of communication between Boards, Committees and post holders in the Hibernia College governance and management structure

Boards of Examiners

Research Committee

Programme Boards

Disciplinary Committee

Appeals Committee

ComplaintsCommittee

The Board of Directors formally delegates all authority for academic decision-making to the Academic Board.

The Academic Board is the ultimate decision-making body for academic matters in the college. The AB and its subcommittees make decisions on the management and governance of academic programmes and the quality assurance infrastructure supporting those programmes. Its decision-making powers have been delegated to it by the Board of Directors, and it reports to the Board of Directors.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has the responsibility of ensuring that the day-to-day running of the College and its performance is in accordance with the strategic goals that the board has determined.

The Board of Directors is the governing authority of the College. It complies with and satisfies the resources and the general business of the College, as well as setting its strategic direction.

The EMT is appointed by and reports to the CEO, to assist and advise the CEO in decision-making on College matters not reserved to the Board of Directors or Academic Board, including implementation of the strategic plan, and resource planning. The EMT has an advisory role to the CEO and makes decision on matters delegated to it by the CEO. It is also responsible for initiating new business activity and partnerships; this includes setting, monitoring, and revising student recruitment targets. Additionally, the EMT is responsible for the financial management of all academic initiatives and programmes.

Committees established as required

Ethics Committee

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee

What is the panel looking for?

Re-assurance for the future… not retrospective

On-going review

▪ Bench-marking

▪ What’s working?

▪ What isn’t?

How is Feedback Sought from

▪ Learners

▪ Industry/ Employers

▪ Lecturers

▪ Regulatory bodies

Communication of QA

▪ Clarity in policies and procedures for different audiences

▪ Accessibility

▪ Mode of communication

NOT

▪ A couple of key people with all the answers

▪ Reams of evidence

▪ Reports

▪ Books of SOPs

Preparing for the Panel Visit

Preparing for the Re-Engagement Panel Visit

Final Panel Logistics

▪ Preparing any additional documentation requested by the panel

▪ Finalising agenda

▪ Housekeeping

Training

▪ Target groups

▪ Practise questions

▪ Mock Panel

Preparing staff

▪ Administrative staff

▪ Academic staff

▪ Senior stakeholders

Presentation

▪ Unique features of your organisation

▪ Focus on risks/ highlight gaps

▪ Ask panel for focus and answer their queries outlined on agenda

Demonstrating a distributed culture and shared ownership of Quality Assurance in your organisation

▪ To Students

▪ Emails

▪ Online Noticeboard posts

▪ Orientation – online and onsite

▪ ezine

Communication of Revised HCQF

▪ To Staff and Faculty

▪ Emails

▪ Faculty Hub

▪ Employee training

▪ HCQF Badge – brand and further communicate the QA

▪ ezine

Post-Panel

Outcomes and Next Steps

Three potential outcomes:

▪ Successful outcome – Approval

▪ Unsuccessful outcome - Non-approval, with recommendations

▪ Unsuccessful outcome - Refusal to approve

What does the future look like?

▪ Ongoing change and development

▪ Active feedback loop

▪ Living framework

Secondary Benefits:

▪ Shared ownership and increased confidence of staff

▪ Collegiate peer process

▪ Positive and constructive feedback

Thank you!