Quality Assurance Policy

Title Quality Assurance Policy	Institution NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED TECHNICAL & MANAGEMENT STUDIES	Website niatm-edu.com
Email info@niatm-edu.com	Short Name NIATM	Policy Type Quality Assurance Policy

Internal Quality Assurance Strategy

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED TECHNICAL & MANAGEMENT STUDIES (NIATM) is required to have a written Internal Quality Assurance Strategy to ensure that the right practices and processes are in place.

The processes are required to be effective in order to ensure:

• Cost effectiveness and efficiency.
• IQA has sufficient experience and qualification, as per the awarding body requirement, to perform the Internal Quality Assurance process.
• Provision of induction and training for conducting the IQA process as per the requirement of regulatory bodies and the quality assurance process of the awarding body.
• Accuracy to maintain consistency of quality standards.
• Assessments meet the criteria of the qualification and assessment documents.
• Learners demonstrate work that meets the learning outcomes of the units of the qualification.

B. Scope of the Training

Training shall be provided by NIATM to appropriate staff and learners in accordance with the compliance requirements of the awarding body and regulatory bodies in relation to the following subjects:

• The qualification assessment strategy – Staff and Learners
• The content of NIATM candidate induction – Staff and Learners
• NIATM internal verification procedures – Staff
• NIATM malpractice policy and procedures – Staff and Learners
• NIATM conflict of interest in assessment policy and procedures – Staff and Learners
• Secure storage and transport of assessment materials – Staff
• NIATM retention policy for candidate assessment evidence – Staff
• NIATM retention policy for candidate records – Staff
• Awarding body and regulatory body compliance – Staff and Learners
• The process of assessment and student grievance – Staff and Learners
• The data protection policy and process – Staff and Learners
• The qualification structure – Learners
• All policies and processes – Staff and Learners

The strategy must demonstrate the aim of:

• Sampling Strategy
• Monitoring Strategy
• Resource Quality Assurance
• Staff Competency Assurance
• Assurance on Arrangements in Place for Learning Delivery and Assessment
• Design and Development of Assessment and Quality Assurance
• Systems and Documentation

The strategy is required to be accessible to all stakeholders of NIATM, including assessors and learners.

Assessor / Internal Verifier Induction Checklist

The following checklist reflects standard practice expected in relation to assessors and internal verifiers:

• Principles of assessment and their policies and processes
• Qualification and assessment strategy requirements and Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny
• Assessment procedures, practices, and methods of assessment
• Role of the staff team: Assessor, Internal Verifier, Administrator, Centre Coordinator
• External Quality Assurance policy and roles visiting from the awarding organization
• Ongoing personal development and training relevant to the role
• Candidate induction criteria and checklist
• Stringent internal verification procedures
• Equal opportunities and access to assessment with RPL
• Individual assessment arrangements and reasonable adjustment and special consideration
• Malpractice, including ensuring candidate authenticity
• Complaints
• Assessment Appeals
• Conflict of Interest
• Data management including General Data Protection Regulations and applicable data protection requirements
• Assessment storage, data centre arrangements, and confidentiality

Data Retention

• Candidate evidence
• Candidate, assessment, and internal verification records

In accordance with NIATM’s Document Management System, all data will be retained for the duration prescribed in the Document Management Policy. However, for specific evidence retention, applicable awarding body guidelines will also be followed where relevant.

Trainer’s name and signature –
Training receiver’s name and signature –
Training date and time –
Signature of the Head of the Department –

Candidate Induction Checklist

The following candidate induction checklist reflects standard practice:

• Qualification overview including unit contents, assessment criteria, methods, and marking
• Assessment process and procedures and their respective roles
• Assessment procedures, practices, and methods of assessment
• Learning portal and its features
• Critical policies such as Assessment Policy, Malpractice and Maladministration, RPL, Reasonable Adjustments, and Special Consideration
• Re-assessment process
• Candidate induction criteria and checklist
• Assessment and other appeal processes
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Feedback mechanism
• Demonstrating learners’ own work and learner identity verification
• Complaints and Students’ Grievance Redressal Policy
• Assessment Appeals
• GDPR and data stored and shared with awarding organizations, where applicable
• Data management including General Data Protection Regulations and other applicable data requirements

Data Retention

In accordance with NIATM’s Document Management System, all data will be retained for the duration prescribed in the Document Management Policy. For specific evidence retention, applicable quality assurance guidelines will also be followed where relevant.

Trainer’s name and signature –
Training receiver’s names –
Training date and time –
Signature of the Head of the Department –

Internal Quality Assurance (IQA)

Internal Quality Assurance is the process through which assessment decisions are scrutinized before they are forwarded for External Quality Assurance. Without IQA, the assessment exercise is incomplete.

IQA is the exercise used to monitor closely the quality of learning delivery, assessment activities, and the arrangements put in place by NIATM. The role of the assurer in IQA is to ensure that the quality parameters, arrangements, and standards required by the awarding organization and regulators are met without compromise.

IQA ensures that the process of learning delivery and assessment, the marking of demonstrated learner knowledge, and assessment decisions made by assessors meet the required qualification criteria. It also ensures that learner work reflects the level of achievement and certificate claims made.

IQA is critical in the centre and also ensures:

• The processes related to learning delivery and assessment
• Staff members’ performance and competency
• Submission of feedback
• Compliance with the IQA policy of NIATM
• Conduct of final interview as required in the policies and centre arrangement documentation
• Sampling of assessment records and evidence submitted by learners
• Sampling of assessment decisions
• Authenticity of evidence
• That record keeping processes are secure and comprehensive
• That timescales of each activity meet the required quality standards
• Availability of adequate resources as required by quality standards
• The process of learner feedback

External Quality Assurance (EQA)

The EQA visit is carried out by the awarding organization upon request from the centre after completion of the IQA exercise. EQA ensures that processes meet the quality standards prescribed by the relevant awarding body and applicable regulatory requirements.

The EQA process involves continuous monitoring and improvement in the quality assurance of the centre in the assessment process. EQA ensures:

• Consistency in quality standards in the assessment process
• Improvement in quality standards in the assessment process
• Competency and adequate resources are in place in the centre
• Preparation of action plans to improve the process
• Scrutiny of arrangements of assessments at the centre
• Sampling of assessments, learner work, final interviews, and marking
• Additional sampling if initial sampling results are not satisfactory or if EQA requires it
• Compliance with the IQA and EQA policy
• Sampling based on the number and type of learners needed to produce evidence of acquired knowledge

Sampling Criteria Example

• 500 learners: 20% assessment samples
• 300 learners: 30% assessment samples
• 50 learners: 80% assessment samples
• 20 learners: 100% assessment samples

EQA will sample a range of learners. The sampling strategy may include:

• IQA interviews and their decisions
• Assessor interviews and their decisions
• Learners’ demonstrated work and interviews
• Assessment methods and records
• Arrangements of assessments and locations

The EQA report with development criteria and action plan is shared with the centre within 7 business days or as per the awarding body timelines.

E. Awards and Certificates

The awarding organization issues certificates after completion of the following or as per its compliance criteria:

• Learners are registered with NIATM and complete the units of the qualification
• Successful completion of the EQA exercise
• All action points are met by NIATM within the timescale specified in the EQA report by the awarding body
• Online copies of certificates are made available to learners for download
• Certificates are distributed to the centre through registered mail or authorized distribution process
• As part of compliance, NIATM communicates the outcome to appropriate staff with specified timescales and action points to be completed

Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) Strategy

Introduction

The Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) strategy outlines the approach that NIATM, as a centre, will adopt to ensure that its assessment practices conform to the required standards. This strategy covers all aspects of assessment, ranging from planning and design to marking and verification in compliance with requirements provided by the awarding organization.

Scope

The CASS strategy applies to all NIATM staff members involved in the delivery and assessment of national, regulator-accredited qualifications or customized courses.

Objectives

• To ensure that NIATM staff members, including assessors and the quality assurance team, consistently deliver and assess qualifications to a high standard.
• To uphold the integrity of qualifications delivered by NIATM.
• To instill confidence in learners, employers, and other stakeholders regarding the quality of qualifications delivered by NIATM.
• To identify and address any shortcomings in assessment practices employed by NIATM.
• To continuously enhance the quality of assessment practices across NIATM.

CASS Activities

• Moderation: A systematic review of assessments conducted by NIATM and reviewed by an Internal Quality Assurer, with final external scrutiny where applicable. Certificates are not issued unless the relevant quality assurance requirements are met.
• Verification: A further evaluation of centre assessments by the awarding body or its appointed authority, which may be conducted on-site or remotely. Its objective is to verify that the accuracy of centre assessments aligns with expected standards.
• Monitoring: NIATM will establish a regular monitoring system to track staff performance, moderation and verification outcomes, learner feedback, and internal moderation reports.
• Training and Development: NIATM will provide ongoing training and development opportunities for assessors to ensure they remain up to date with the latest assessment practices.

Resources for CASS Activities

NIATM will allocate the necessary resources to support the successful implementation of the CASS strategy. These resources include:

• Staff: NIATM will appoint a CASS manager or equivalent responsible person to oversee day-to-day operations of the CASS strategy.
• Systems: NIATM will develop and implement a CASS management system to track moderation and verification activities, learner feedback, and internal moderation reports.
• Funding and Finance: NIATM will allocate adequate funding to support CASS activities, including moderation, verification, training, and development.

CASS Review

The CASS strategy will undergo an annual review to ensure its continued effectiveness. The review will consider factors such as changes to the qualifications offered by NIATM, findings of CASS activities, and feedback from learners, employers, and other stakeholders.

Moderation

NIATM, as a delivery centre, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of assessment practice. Moderation plays a crucial role in achieving this commitment by ensuring that assessments are conducted fairly, accurately, and consistently across all learners.

Moderation involves the scrutiny of assessments conducted by NIATM by an External Quality Assurer or equivalent expert appointed by the awarding body. The EQA reviews assessments to ensure that they meet required standards, are conducted fairly and consistently, and align with the expectations of the awarding body.

NIATM values the importance of moderation and actively participates in the moderation process. By providing access to assessments and collaborating with quality assurers, NIATM demonstrates its commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.

The Moderation Process Typically Involves

• Sampling of Assessments: A representative sample of assessments from NIATM is selected for moderation.
• EQA Review: The selected assessments are reviewed against assessment criteria and standards, including clarity of instructions, fairness of tasks, consistency of marking, and accuracy of grading.
• Feedback and Recommendations: Detailed feedback is provided to NIATM on strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement.
• NIATM Action Plan: Based on the feedback, NIATM develops an action plan to address concerns and implement improvements.

Moderation outcomes are documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders, including NIATM management, the awarding body, and NIATM’s internal moderation team. This transparency ensures that all parties are aware of assessment performance and the steps being taken to maintain high standards.

Moderation is an essential mechanism for NIATM to safeguard the integrity of its qualifications and foster consistent delivery of high-quality assessment experiences for all learners.

Assessment Environment

Assessment environment remains one of the critical aspects to evaluate during the IQA exercise. IQA is responsible for assessing the assessment environment during the IQA practice and as a general standard practice.

Effective assessment is a crucial aspect of online education, ensuring quality learning experiences and promoting student success. The framework for evaluating assessment environments in online qualifications emphasizes the following:

Defining Learning Outcomes

The cornerstone of a robust assessment environment lies in the clear articulation of learning outcomes. These outcomes should explicitly define the knowledge, skills, and competencies that learners are expected to acquire upon completion of the online qualification.

Alignment of Assessments with Learning Outcomes

Assessment tasks and criteria must align directly with stated learning outcomes so that the assessment process accurately reflects the learning objectives and provides meaningful feedback on learner progress.

Variety of Assessment Methods

It is essential to employ a variety of assessment methods in order to accommodate diverse learning styles and provide comprehensive evaluation of learners’ understanding.

Authentic Assessment

Authentic assessment tasks that replicate real-world scenarios and require learners to apply knowledge and skills in meaningful contexts enhance the relevance and applicability of the assessment process.

Fairness and Equity

A fundamental principle of assessment design is fairness and equity for all learners. All learners should have an equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills, and accommodations should be made where needed.

Clear Rubrics and Criteria

Providing clear and transparent rubrics and assessment criteria outlines expectations for each task and level of performance, helping learners understand how their work will be evaluated.

Feedback and Guidance

Timely and constructive feedback is an essential component of an effective assessment environment. Feedback should be specific, actionable, and focused on helping learners achieve the learning outcomes.

Continuous Improvement

The assessment environment should be subject to regular review and evaluation to identify areas for improvement and adapt to changing learner needs and technological developments.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Assessment data provides valuable insights into learner performance, patterns, and trends. By analyzing such data, instructors and administrators can make informed decisions about curriculum development, instructional strategies, and the effectiveness of the assessment process.

Internal / External Stakeholder Involvement

Engaging stakeholders and third parties, including instructors, learners, and subject matter experts, in the evaluation of the assessment environment is essential for gathering diverse perspectives and enhancing the quality of the assessment process.

This process will be reviewed every 6 months and during the IQA exercise, including the assessment platform. Review outcomes will be submitted to the Centre Head and shared during the External Verification or equivalent quality assurance exercise where applicable.

Contact Information

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED TECHNICAL & MANAGEMENT STUDIES (NIATM)
Website: niatm-edu.com
Email: info@niatm-edu.com