Ms Mary Grennan:

The QA guidelines are guidelines, but providers will be required to meet the guidelines. As part of their assessment, they will be assessed on compliance with the code of practice that Dr. Murray mentioned earlier and they will be assessed on their ability to meet the QA guidelines. The QA guidelines are quite robust. They include areas around organisational structures, staffing, communications, governance of quality assurance and quality assurance systems reviews. There are policies on learner welfare, staff welfare and safeguarding for younger learners. There are academic management structures in areas like teaching, learning and assessment. There is programme design, as Dr. Murray mentioned, which is aligned with the common European framework of reference. There are opportunities for students within the English-language education providers to consider progression to HE. We are very interested in finding those progression pathways. Academic integrity is a huge area for students coming to Ireland to study.

With supports and services for international learners, this includes, for example, inductions on, if they are here for a while, how to get a PPSN, how to open a bank account, what the requirements are to comply with their visa requirements, advice on integrating themselves into life in Ireland, cultural programmes and activities, and advice is often offered on how to find employment. Then there are staff supports and development, HR systems, training for specific roles in the organisation, training on the syllabus, methodologies, approaches, safeguarding, development opportunities and CPD. While they are guidelines, they are quite robust. That is what will be part of the assessment.