Workshop on best practice in validation and revalidation held

On 6 November 2025, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) hosted a high-impact workshop for private higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on best practices in planning for validation, revalidation, and devolved responsibility. The event brought together experienced panel chairs, student reviewers and institutional representatives for a morning focused on practical guidance, peer learning, and strategic discussion.

Guest speakers Naomi Jackson, Dr. Áine Ní Shé, John Vickery, and Prof. Martin McKinney shared expert insights on preparations, the effective application of quality assurance, internal vs. external panel roles, site visit etiquette and panel support strategies. Group discussions fostered collaborative, solutions-focused workshopping, with experienced NStEP student reviewers Dr. Rachel McCauley and Waqar Ahmed adding their perspectives on student engagement and support.

Former chair of QQI’s Programme and Awards Executive Committee, Clíona Curley, highlighted sector-wide trends, noting the increasing diversity of student populations and the growing integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles. Providers were encouraged to embed these values into programme design and delivery.

Key takeaways:

• Validation and revalidation depend on and also test a provider’s QA system.
• Strong internal governance is essential to uphold standards.
• Mock panels and networking build institutional confidence and good practice.
• Data use, benchmarking, and transparent panel engagement support continuous improvement.
• Programme design should be evidence-based and informed by stakeholder input.

Private HEIs highlighted their perception that there is a lack of appropriate benchmarking data for the sector and suggested there is a possible role for QQI in defining indicators and collecting and disseminating such data. QQI also announced plans to expand training for panel chairs and report writers, addressing the limited pool of experienced panel chairs and report-writers. The workshop reinforced that robust QA systems not only support successful validation but also sustain programme quality and resilience in a changing higher education landscape.