Ireland: The National Framework of Qualifications – an evaluation

According to the report, the Framework has established itself relatively quickly and has become highly prominent on the Irish education and training scene. There is, however, a ‘cultural lag in insinuating the Framework in teaching and assessment’. The report notes the tension between an outcomes-based approach to qualifications and an education and training system largely predicated on inputs. Work on the deeper implementation of the learning-outcomes approach has is progressing in all the sectors, but at variable speeds.

The report also identifies gaps in data related to the availability and use of pathways and their outcomes for learners. To establish the value of the Framework for learners, the report recommends that the Qualifications Authority undertake a longitudinal study of a cohort of learners as they make their way through the Framework.

The report notes the significant interplay between the Irish Framework and European frameworks which have emerged since its launch. Earlier in 2009 Ireland had become the first country to link its framework to the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (see Cedefop Newsletter 3/09). This interplay, coupled with efforts to include awards of regulatory, professional and international bodies, extends the reach and impact of the Framework. 

In conclusion,  the report notes that the Framework provides an ‘integrated scaffolding’ not only for the placement of awards at different levels but also for the accreditation of learning gained in diverse settings and for an integrated and progressive network of pathways within and between the different levels on the framework. It says that the communication of the Framework remains critical to its visibility and success. A successful communication strategy faces the challenge of simpicity and clarity, while also addressing a need for explaining the more technical details. 

National Qualifications Authority of Ireland: Framework implementation and impact study. Dublin: NQAI, 2009. E-mail: info@nqai.ie