QAA UKIPG PRSB Forum 12th March 2010

This is to remind you that the next QAA UKIPG Forum for Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) will be held on Friday 12th March 2010 at 1330 for 1400 start, at the Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NN.   As usual, the administration is being handled by the QAA.  This time, the UKIPG does not have a link to the booking form - but please advise intention to attend to Susan Melvin at QAA, simply giving your name, organisation and a reference to this Forum.

The Programme for this Forum will focus on two topics - a major one on 'sustainability' and a lesser one (for now) dealing with the implications for HE and the Professional Bodies of the Qualifcations and Credit Framework (QCF).

• The 'sustainability' topic is about all issues of cost / benefit surrounding the processes of review and accreditation - perhaps maximising the effectiveness of the accreditiation and review process and minimising the costs in time, funds, travel, opportunity etc and looking at the opportunities for collaboration and use of methods other than full visits.  It would be helpful if those attending could come primed with a little information on their own organisations' attempts at cost / benefit analysis, and any recent arguments for change of for retention of status quo.  The relative costs / benefits /opportunities for collaboration may be different for home country visits, and for worl-wide mutual accreditataion.  It is your opportunity to share experiences.
• As illustrated at the previous Forum, some professional bodies retain their own qualifications, and so wish to consider the benefits of them being placed within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), not least because it may be a necessary prerequisite for course providers to access funding.  The recent publication by QCDA of the document ‘The Qualifications and Credit Framework(QCF) and higher education - Working together to benefit learners’, and the specific reference to 'Working with Professional Bodies and Associations' on Page 23, has made this topical.

Please 'sign up' to attend the Forum directly with QAA.