Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999

Quality assurance.

42.—(1) A relevant university shall, as soon as practicable after the commencement of this Chapter, 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 relevant university concerned 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 relevant university concerned, 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 that university, and

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

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 relevant university which that university shall implement.

(4) The Authority shall, within five years of the commencement of this Chapter, 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 relevant university concerned, review the effectiveness of the procedures established under subsection (1) and the implementation by that university 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 relevant university concerned.

(6) Sections 35 and 49(b) of the Act of 1997 shall not apply to a relevant university.