Annual meeting of 'Five Countries' group held

The Annual Meeting of the Five Countries Qualifications Framework Group was held in person in Coventry on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th January 2023 and hosted by The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). The hybrid meeting had representatives from Ireland (QQI), England (Ofqual, Department for Education & Office for Students) , Scotland (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership, Scottish Government and Scottish Qualifications Authority), Wales (Qualifications Wales, Welsh Government, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and Colleges Wales) and Northern Ireland (Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment, Northern Ireland Executive) and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The group shared information and updates on our national qualifications systems and frameworks, quality assurance of qualifications and related policy developments.

The annual meeting provides a unique opportunity for regulators, quality assurance bodies, and government to discuss our national qualifications frameworks and related policy developments. This work is essential to ensure we maintain communications as part of our bilateral agreement across the Five Countries in this Framework Group supporting the high levels of mobility between our jurisdictions. This collaboration aligns with the Common Travel Area (CTA) Memorandum of Understanding.

The 5 Countries group is also responsible for maintaining the Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries guide to comparing qualifications across our jurisdictions.

A number of subgroups have been established to consider topics of common interest which include academic integrity, information registers and artificial intelligence.

QQI will host the next 5 Countries meeting at the end of January 2024.