What is the International Education Mark?

The International Education Mark (IEM) is a new statutory quality mark and part of a suite of legislative measures designed to protect international learners. The new mark will be awarded to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners from pre-enrolment through to the completion of their programme of education and training. 

The mark is intended to promote confidence, both nationally and internationally, in the quality of the Irish education system. It will ensure that international learners enrolled on programmes with higher education (HE) and English language education (ELE) providers are protected and receive a quality, consistent learning experience. The IEM is a voluntary scheme; however, providers who wish to recruit non-EU/EEA learners on programmes that require immigration permissions/study visas will be required to apply for authorisation to use the mark. 

Two codes of practice have been developed, one for HE providers, the Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Higher Education to International Learners (HE Code), and one for ELE providers, the Code of Practice for Provision of English Language Education (ELE Code).  

The HE Code establishes a set of principles and criteria requiring compliance from HE providers in the areas of:​ 

  • ethical marketing and recruitment 
  • accurate information provision to international learners 
  • fair, transparent, and consistent admission policies that encompass an institution’s role in qualifications’ recognition 
  • English language policy statement, including requirements relating to international foundation year programmes 
  • fees, refunds, and subsistence 
  • supports and services for international learners 
  • international learners enrolled on programmes leading to awards included within the NFQ, including learners enrolled on transnational and online programmes. 

The ELE Code establishes a formal quality assurance process for the ELE sector in Ireland and ​establishes a set of principles and criteria requiring compliance from ELE providers in the areas of:​ 

  • requirements for premises​ 
  • operational, risk and human resources management ​ 
  • programme design​ 
  • supports and services for international learners​ 
  • accurate information provision to international learners 
  • ethical marketing and recruitment  
  • enrolment, fees, refunds, and subsistence.​ 

Statutory quality assurance guidelines for English language education providers have been developed to support the ELE Code. 

HE and ELE providers who apply for authorisation to use the mark will submit a self-assessment report to demonstrate their compliance with the associated code of practice, and, in the case of ELE providers, meeting the QA guidelines for ELE.  

Public consultation on the following documents white papers was held between November and December 2022. 

  • Code of Practice for Provision of English Language Education
  • Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for English Language Education Providers
  • Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Higher Education to International Learners 
  • Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark: 

These documents can be viewed at QQI’s previous consultations. The report on the public consultation can be found here.

Following the public consultation, QQI met with provider representative bodies and groups, individual providers and other stakeholders to discuss the documentation. The final documentation has been approved by QQI’s Board. These documents will take effect when the relevant sections of the legislation are commenced but may now be reliably used by HE and ELE providers undertaking their initial planning for an IEM application in 2024: 

Please refer to this page for updates on the launch of the IEM and the subsequent commencement of the application process. 

If you have any further questions, please contact the International Education Division at international.education@qqi.ie

There are several stages in the IEM application process, beginning with provider confirmation of application and ending with the final decision of QQI’s Approvals and Reviews Committee to authorise the use of the IEM.   The process is summarised as follows:

Step 1: Confirmation of Application 

There will be two application windows for the purpose of applying for initial authorisation to use the IEM. The first window will open in early 2024 and the second window will open in early 2025.   

In order to apply for the IEM during the first application window in 2024, a provider must confirm its intention to apply via the Confirmation of Application form on the QQI website. QQI will inform providers when the Confirmation of Application form becomes available and the closing date for submission of the Confirmation of Application form. QQI will also confirm with providers the opening and closing dates for the 2024 application window.   

  • A provider who confirms its intention to apply for the IEM in 2024 will be admitted to the online application portal.  
  • A provider who chooses not to apply in the 2024 window will have the opportunity to apply in the following application window in early 2025.  

Step 2: Application Portal 

Providers that have confirmed their intention to apply will be given access to the IEM application portal when it opens.   

Note: once the 2024 application window opens, providers will have up to 24 weeks to prepare and submit their application via the application portal. 

Step 3: Self-Assessment Report

Providers will prepare and submit their self -assessment report evidencing compliance with the HE or ELE Code of Practice.  

Note: once the report is submitted, the assessment process will take 27 weeks for HE providers and 30 weeks for ELE providers, if there are no delays 

Step 4: Assessment Panel

QQI will establish a panel of assessors that will assess HE or ELE compliance with the relevant Code of Practice. 

Step 6: Site Visit (ELE provider applicants only) 

The assessors will conduct a site visit to verify provider compliance with the ELE Code principles and criteria and meeting the QA Guidelines for ELE criteria, and if necessary, aspects of due diligence. 

Step 5: Assessors’ Report

The assessors will produce a report setting out whether the provider is in compliance with the relevant Code of Practice. 

Step 6: Provider Feedback

The report will be shared with the provider, who will have the opportunity to review the report for factual accuracy and to respond to it. 

Step 7: Engagement with Providers

The assessors may come back with questions and/or requests for supplementary documentation, which the provider will have an opportunity to respond to. 

Step 8: QQI Internal Governance 

The provider’s self-assessment report and the assessors’ report (including the provider’s response) will be considered by QQI’s Approvals and Reviews Committee. 

Step 9: Decision on Authorisation 

The Approvals and Reviews Committee will grant authorisation or refuse authorisation for the provider to use the IEM. Authorisation may be approved with conditions. Where authorisation is refused, a provider may appeal. 

For further details on the process, please see Section 6 of the Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark.

If you are an English language education provider, you must: 

  • meet due diligence criteria in relation to corporate governance, financial resources and other legal obligations 
  • meet the requirements of the Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of English Language Education to International Learners and the Quality Assurance Guidelines for English Language Education Providers 
  • participate in the statutory Learner Protection Fund.  

For further details on the process, please see the Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark, the Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of English Language Education to International Learners and the Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for English Language Education Providers. 

 

I am an ELE provider who currently holds ACELS accreditation.   

Existing providers who are accredited by ACELS and interested in applying for authorisation to use the IEM will be required to establish procedures for QA under the new scheme as part of their application for IEM authorisation. The existing non-statutory ACELS scheme, which is currently overseen by QQI on an administrative basis, will be discontinued in due course once ELE providers with ACELS accreditation, and who wish to apply for authorisation to use the IEM, have been afforded a reasonable opportunity to undertake the application and review process for IEM authorisation. 

ACELS providers who do not wish to apply for authorisation to use the IEM will no longer have ACELS accreditation once the ACELS scheme is discontinued.  

There will be no automatic transition from the existing ACELS scheme to the IEM, although there will be a transition period while ELE providers with ACELS accreditation complete their IEM application and assessment process. QQI will consult with ACELS accredited providers in relation to establishing a fair and orderly process for transition from the ACELS scheme to the IEM scheme.  

For further details, please see Section 9 of the Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark.

 

I am a provider who currently has programmes listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP)  

The ILEP is an interim measure pending the introduction of the IEM. Once the IEM is fully implemented, institutions that are currently listed on the ILEP will be required to gain authorisation to use the IEM in order to continue to be eligible to recruit non-EU/EEA international students who require study permissions or student visas. Transitional arrangements will be put in place to support providers in managing this change.  

All providers seeking authorisation to use the IEM are expected to cooperate with the Department of Justice in monitoring student compliance with immigration law.   

For further details, please see Section 2.5 and 2.6 of the Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark. 

 

If you are a private/independent higher education provider, you must:

  • have established QA procedures.
  • have established access, transfer and progression (ATP) arrangements. 
  • have programmes/awards included within the National Framework of Qualifications
  • meet the requirements of the Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Higher Education to International Learners,
  • participate in the statutory Learner Protection Fund.

As with all private/independent providers engaged with QQI, private/independent HE providers will also be required to meet due diligence criteria in relation to corporate governance, financial resources and other legal obligations. Due diligence assessment will take place once a private/independent HE provider participates in the statutory learner protection fund.

If you are a publicly funded higher education provider, you must:

  • have established QA procedures.
  • have established access, transfer and progression (ATP) arrangements. 
  • have programmes/awards included within the National Framework of Qualifications
  • Where authorisation is refused, a provider may appeal. 
  • meet the requirements of the Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Higher Education to International Learners.

For further details on the process, please see Section 6 of the Policy on Authorisation to Use the International Education Mark.

If you have any further questions, please contact the International Education Division at international.education@qqi.ie.

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