Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999

Quality assurance.

39.—(1) The Institute shall, as soon as practicable after the commencement of this Part, having regard to existing procedures, if any, establish procedures for quality assurance for the purpose of further improving and maintaining the quality of education and training which is provided by the Institute and shall agree those procedures with the Authority.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the procedures established under that subsection shall include—

(a) evaluation at regular intervals and as directed from time to time by the Authority of the programmes of education and training provided by the Institute, including evaluations by persons who are competent to make national and international comparisons in that respect,

(b) evaluation by learners of programmes of education and training provided by the Institute, and

(c) evaluation of services related to the programmes of education and training provided by the Institute,

and shall provide for the publication in such form and manner as the Authority thinks fit of findings arising out of the application of those procedures.

(3) The Authority shall consider the findings arising out of the application of procedures established under subsection (1) and may make recommendations to the Institute which the Institute shall implement.

(4) The Authority shall, within five years of the commencement of this Part, and thereafter from time to time as it may determine but in any case not more than once in every three years and not less than once in every seven years, in consultation with the Institute, review the effectiveness of the procedures established under subsection (1) and the implementation by the Institute of the findings arising out of the application of those procedures.

(5) The Authority shall publish in such form and manner as it thinks fit the results of a review under subsection (4) and shall include in the publication the views, if any, of the Institute.