Quality Assurance (QA) at the IPA
The IPA’s QA system is informed by Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) guidelines (particularly the Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines), as well as National University of Ireland (NUI) procedures.
The aim of the IPA’s QA system is to enhance the effectiveness of learning, teaching and assessment, and of the Institute’s management of these core activities. The act of embedding QA activities across a whole range of vital academic and administrative services delivered on a day-to-day basis is critical to the successful implementation of a quality-led culture. Indeed, such embedded activities are critical to the IPA’s operational success and reputation in the public service. Consequently, the IPA assures and enhances the quality of its education provision by embedding QA mechanisms that comprise clear, articulated policy statements; best-practice guidelines; regulations; procedures and actions, and in-built monitoring, evaluation and compliance procedures.
The IPA has devised a QA Framework, which provides for development and implementation of QA activities. The Framework recognises the following principles:
- A student’s successful journey through third-level education is underpinned by effective management of programme design, programme delivery, assessment, student support, and evaluation and improvement exercises.
- The effective management of education provision is achieved by having robust organisational structures and processes in place to ensure compliance with corporate governance codes and fulfilment of roles and responsibilities, but also by having QA structures to drive QA planning, development, allocation of resources, as identified earlier.
- The Institute’s QA processes are shaped by external and contextual forces, and QA managers need to be tuned to key ‘drivers’ such as demands of students, employers, accreditation requirements, statutory obligations, European and national standards & guidelines.
- QA processes include the production and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines; monitoring mechanisms; internal and external evaluation; and active self-improvement exercises that arise from the control, monitoring and evaluation activities.
The IPA's QA policies and procedures are avilable HERE.