Newsletter – Issue 3

Newsletter – Issue 3
December 2015
Greetings from the Director General
Dear readers,
I
sincerely congratulate everyone on the occasion of the 44 th National Day. We should
combine our efforts to empower our citizens, build a sustainable society and meet the goals
of the UAE Vision 2021.
We appreciate your interest in the activities of the National Qualifications Authority (NQA). The
Authority is in charge of the establishment and implementation of an internationally
recognised qualifications system for the UAE, which includes a national qualifications
framework – QFEmirates.
At the end of November, NQA actively participated in the Innovation Week 2015, in line with
the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and
Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The current issue of the newsletter covers the major
projects we are working on, the initiatives we have launched, the conferences and workshops
our staff has recently attended, and a lot of other interesting information.
Best regards,
“A country's greatest
H.E. Dr. Thani Al Mehairi
investment
l ies in
building generations
of
NQA at a Conference in Saudi Arabia
T
he National Qualifications Authority (NQA) participated in a public education evaluation
conference entitled Evaluation in the Kingdom: a Prelude to Education Quality and
Development held by the Public Education Evaluation Commission (PEEC) in Riyadh, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, on November 3-5, 2015. PEEC has organised a rich program of events
including presentations of papers and workshops.
The participation in the conference aimed at strengthening the bonds as well as exchanging
expertise and successful experiences among specialists in education and training sectors from
the Gulf and other countries. The conference addressed several topics, including the
development of education, teaching methods and strategies, and the impact of education on
economy and society.
Ms. Noura Al Matrooshi, director of the National Qualifications Framework department at NQA,
presented a paper entitled The Impact of Education on Economic Growth, which emphasises
the importance of the national qualifications framework in order to meet the UAE's labour
market requirements and its role in building and developing the national skilled labour in
response to the country’s wise leadership for achieving innovation and international
competitiveness.
In addition, Ms. Al Matrooshi adverted to the NQA’s initiatives and achievements at the
international level, such as the recent alignment
of the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates,
QFEmirates, with the UK counterparts. This is
considered to be the first alignment of its kind
outside Europe. This will enable to develop a new
mechanism for the recognition of vocational
qualifications obtained by Emirati students from
British vocational institutions, which will result in
supplying the UAE labour market with national
skilled and specialised professionals.
educated
and
knowledgeable youth.”
H.H. Sheikh Zayed
Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Inside this issue
Greetings from the
Director General
1
NQA at a Conference in Saudi
Arabia
1
TVET Department Activities
and Achievements
2
R&D Department
2
National Qualifications
Framework
3
Government
Communication Office
3
NQA’s Delegate Visit to
4
Australia and New Zealand
Innovation Week 2015
4
Crossword
4
Compiled by R&D Department, NQA
TVET Department Activities and Achievements
R&D Department
Research conducted by
the R&D Department
focuses on a broad range
o f t o p i cs rela ted to
human capital and
workforce development in
the UAE . The latest
reports released are:
Reviewing
the
Implementation and
Impact of the
QFEmirates, which
specifies problems in the
implementation of the
framework and how to
solve them;
 R e fe r e nci ng of the
QF Emirates to Other
Q u a l i f i ca t ions
Frameworks, which aims
to establish linkages and
alignment with other
c o u n t r i e s for proper
c o m p a r i s o n
of
qualifications in order to
improve learner mobility;
 Vocational Education
and Training Data
Collection in the UAE and
Selected Countries , the
first report on the
national data standards
for the VET sector and a
data collection system
NQA is currently
establishing.
Join NQA-QFSC
NQA is establishing the
Qualifications Framework
and Systems Community
(NQA-QFSC) to enable
members to share
experiences, ideas and
research, and to participate
in relevant NQA events. To
2
join NQA-QFSC,
please
complete this survey.
T
he Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Department has resumed
carrying out the assigned functions and responsibilities directly associated with its
strategic plan, particularly those related to operationalising the systems approved by the NQA
Board of Trustees such as development, assessment and endorsement of the national
qualifications and awards based on the National Occupational Skills Standards (Q+NOSS),
training providers’ evaluation and accreditation, providing technical support to evaluating and
regulating labourers quality, besides other assignments linked to vocational education and
training.
National Occupational Skills Standards and
Vocational Qualifications
A. Q+NOSS Technical Workshops
A few Q+NOSS workshops have been organised by
the department to entities and institutions to highlight
the importance of Q+NOSS for individuals, employers,
labour market and the country as a whole as well as to
show mechanisms of Q+NOSS development as per
NQA approved quality assurance criteria.
B. Review and Evaluation of Recognised National Development Committee (RNDC) Part A
Applications
The department has received a few RNDC Part A applications from different national entities
and institutions interested in developing Q+NOSS and qualifications for a group of occupations
in various disciplines and sectors. The staff reviewed and evaluated the applications in
cooperation with representatives from the awarding bodies. The applications that meet the
RNDC requirements were approved and forwarded to the Vocational Education and Training
Awards Council (VETAC) Executive Secretary to take action. The applicants whose applications
failed to pass the review checklists were notified and updated about the evaluation result.
C. Review and Evaluation of a Batch of Vocational Qualifications Received from Awarding
Bodies for Endorsement Purposes
The awarding bodies forwarded a batch of vocational qualifications developed by training
providers working under their auspices to the TVET Department for endorsement purposes. A
review was conducted against the qualifications as per the NQA quality assurance procedures.
The awarding bodies were informed about the review results.
D. Auditing Works on the Endorsed National Qualifications
The department staff conducted a comprehensive and broad auditing review on the endorsed
national qualifications to ensure that they are complete before uploading them on the NQA
website to be accessible to users.
E. Continuous Update of RNDC Products and Outcomes
A weekly meeting is conducted between NQA and the awarding body technical teams. At
these meetings, the awarding body representatives update the NQA staff about the results
and outcomes of RNDC’s work functioning under its supervision, basically development
processes. The awarding body produces a monthly report detailing what has been achieved to
date. Obstacles and problems the developers face
and how they address them in time are discussed.
F. Providing Support to Entities Interested in
Developing Q+NOSS
The department provides the necessary technical
support to entities interested in developing Q+NOSS
through conducting specially arranged meetings,
during which the importance of these products and
mechanisms of developing them are presented.
Participants are invited to attend the technical Q+NOSS workshop, usually held twice a month.
In addition, support is provided via email or phone.
G. Cooperation with the Company Contracted to Build and Operate the Electronic Systems
of Q+NOSS Templates
The department has taken part in the technical meetings devoted for building and
TVET Department (cont.)
operating the approved electronic systems of Q+NOSS templates. Necessary consultation and
advice were provided and the company representatives’ doubts were clarified.
Evaluating and Accrediting Training Providers
A. Initial Registration of Training Providers
The department continues receiving applications from training providers interested in
becoming initially registered in the NQA database. Applications received on the NQA website
are addressed on a daily basis. When the registration requirements are met, a special unique
number is usually given to the training provider to apply for the full registration at the
awarding body. Providers failing to submit complete and correct applications are notified via
email or phone to resubmit their applications with correct data and attachments.
B. Full Registration of Training Providers
Five (5) full registration applications have been received from the existing training providers.
They are currently being reviewed for official accreditation to become eligible to deliver
endorsed national qualifications. Another batch of 15 applications is also under review for
accreditation purposes. Full registration in the NQA database means that the training provider
has met all quality assurance criteria and requirements.
National Qualifications Framework
T
he National Qualifications Authority (NQA) has overall responsibility to set policy, manage
and assure the quality and integrity of the qualifications system implemented under its
auspices. NQA coordinates with three operational bodies or commissions. These are:
 the Commission for
Academic Accreditation
(CAA)
 the General Education
Commission for Secondary
Education (GEC)
 the Vocational Education
and Training Awards
Commission (VETAC).
While CAA, which covers
higher education, and GEC,
which is in charge of general
compulsory Grade 12 school
education, have respective
l e g i s l a t i v e a u t h o rity to
Figure 1: QFEmirates
perform their functions,
VETAC operates under the auspices and legislative authority of the NQA. It is exclusively
responsible for vocational education and training within its remit and, where relevant,
professional education and training.
NQA has designed the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates, QF Emirates, to be the single
structure through which all qualifications in the UAE can be described and compared, enabling
the relationship between all qualifications
Figure 2: Qualifications endorsed by NQA
to be defined. The QFEmirates consists of
ten (10) levels. See Figure 1.
Three qualification types have been
identified within the QFEmirates:
Government
Communication
Office
In October 2015, NQA,
represented by the
G o v e r n m e n t
Communication Office,
participated in an Arabic
international forum entitled
DardaChat Arabia.
The forum offered a
platform to a number of
important young Arab
leaders in various fields to
exchange prominent ideas,
experiences and efforts
that have had a positive
and significant impact on
the lives of others as well
as those who have in one
way or another made a
contribution to the
development on either
personal or social level.
Taking into consideration
the importance of
communica tion in the
exchange of expertise and
transfer of knowledge, the
UAE government plays a
great role in supporting
thinkers, talents, creators,
and scientists.
 Principal qualifications (the major type)
 Composite award (for the partial
completion of studies)
3
 Component award (the smallest one).
Figure 2 shows the breakdown of
qualifications endorsed by NQA so far by
QF level and type.
3
NQA’s Delegate Visit to Australia and New Zealand
I
n July and August 2015, a delegate from NQA paid an official visit to Australia and New
Zealand. The delegate consisted of Mr. Khaled Obaid Al Hajeri, Chief Innovation Officer,
Director of IT and Administration Affairs Department, the head of the delegate; and the
members: Ms. Nourah Abdulla Saeed Al Matrooshi, head of the National Qualifications
Framework Department, Mr. Tawfiq Deeb, Specialist in Q+NOSS from the TVET Department,
and Ms. Arwa Al Ali, Data Officer from the Research & Development Department. The visit
aimed at exposing the delegate to mechanisms of qualifying, registering and licensing teachers
and school leaders in the two countries, familiarising
the members with the electronic systems employed
by NZQA in performing specialisations such as the
development of national occupational skills standards
and vocational qualifications, registration of training
providers, verification of foreign qualifications, data
entry of national exam results, and others.
Innovation Week
2015
NQA celebrated
Innovation Week 2015
with a number of
activities, such as iShows,
iCompetitions, and
i A w a r d s . A mong the
i n t e r a c t i v e p r o g ra ms
w e r e
a
s m a r t
Encyclopedia, an
innovative calendar
competition, display of
the innovative projects
from Zayed Higher
Organisation for
Humanitarian Care and
Special Needs (ZHO), and
others.
The visit made it possible for the delegate members
to get an idea about some of the best international
practices in licensing teachers and school leaders,
which will hopefully enhance the to-be-developed structure and procedures of the licensing
teachers and school leaders system in the UAE. The delegates learned about the electronic
systems operated by the NZQA staff, their merits and demerits, difficulties and challenges
faced while activating them and how these systems can assist the authority in achieving its
missions and responsibilities. It is expected that the NZQA positive practices will be taken into
consideration and the new NQA’s electronic systems, to be installed and activated, will be
accordingly simple, applicable, operational, and easy to use.
Crossword
Do you know NQA terms?
Down
1 A formally approved learner's
achievement to standards set by the
relevant accreditation/awarding body
2 An award to provide formal recognition
for learners who have partially met the
learning outcomes required for a
qualification
National Qualifications
3 The process of acquiring knowledge
and skill
Authority (NQA)
4 Relating to, or connected with a
vocation or occupation
5 The formal approval and recognition of
an education and training organisation
that conforms to public standards and
quality requirements
Keep in Touch
6 The number of levels in the QFEmirates
7 The ability coming from a learner's
knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to
do something well
P.O. Box: 63003
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Phone: +971 2 815 6666
Fax: +971 2 815 6677
Across
Web: www.nqa.gov.ae
1
The national qualifications framework for
the UAE
9 The smallest qualification in the
QFEmirates
If you have any
4 questions,
please contact us at:
8
Non-structured learning that occurs over
time and in a variety of places through
experiences
10 The major type of qualification
associated with formal recognition at
each level in the QFEmirates
R&D@nqa.gov.ae
4
Answer key will be in the next issue of the newsletter.