Recognition and Accreditation
Last updated on: 21/12/2009
Awarding organisations must meet the lines of learning requirements to become a Component awarding body and/or a Diploma awarding body.
Awarding organisation recognition
Additional recognition requirements for Component and/or Diploma awarding bodies focus on requirements unique to the Diploma for example in relation to the Diploma Aggregation Service (DAS).
The recognition requirements are published in the Regulatory arrangements for component and Diploma Awarding bodies. To access Regulatory arrangements for component and Diploma awarding bodies - Recognition criteria and operating rules - Version 2 August 2008 click here
The recognition requirements awarding organisations need to meet depends on whether they want to offer principal learning, the project, functional skills or additional and specialist learning for the Diploma or award the Diploma itself.
If awarding organisations are looking to offer principal learning or specialist learning they will need to contact the relevant Diploma Development Partnership (DDP) in the line of learning they are interested in. For more information on this please go to the QCDA website.
To find out more about the Diploma aggregation service (DAS) and the commercial terms awarding organisations will need to sign in order to use these systems please go to the QCDA website.
To find out more information about the recognition process please go to our Becoming a recognised awarding organisation pages.
Accreditation
Once awarding organisations are recognised as a component or Diploma awarding body they are in a position to submit qualifications for accreditation.
Awarding organisations must meet the criteria for accreditation of Foundation, Higher and Advanced Diploma qualifications in conjunction with the specific line of learning criteria for principal learning and the line of learning statements produced by the Diploma development partnerships (DDPs).
The lines of learning criteria will enable an awarding organisation to develop the detail of the constituent units and qualifications for each line of learning.
Additional Specialist Learning (ASL) qualifications need to go through the normal accreditation process and meet the specific accreditation criteria requirements that apply to these qualifications. ASL qualifications can be qualifications that have already gained accreditation. Awarding organisations need to discuss the accreditation of ASL qualifications with the QCDA ASL team and DDP if the qualification is specialist. For further information please visit the QCDA website.
QCDA manages a development process for awarding organisations submitting specifications for accreditation in principal learning. For information please visit the QCDA website.