QAA is the independent expert quality body for higher education across the UK. This work is funded through membership and we currently have over 250 members across the UK and around the world. Membership of QAA is voluntary in England, providing vision, expertise, practical support, resources and guidance on the topics that matter to staff and students.
QAA is custodian of a suite of UK-wide sector reference points which form an essential part of the quality assurance infrastructure of higher education institutions across the UK and help to safeguard the global reputation of UK higher education. These include:
We are also responsible for providing oversight of providers who are not on the OfS Register.
QAA is the regulator of the Access to HE Diploma, and licenses the agencies that develop, approve and monitor Access to HE courses. We also promote the Access to HE Diploma, raising awareness of the qualification and its potential to transform lives.
From 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023, QAA also had a discrete role as the Designated Quality Body in England (DQB). In this role, which was been carried out separately from our other work in England, we were designated by the Secretary of State to provide assessments for the Office for Students (OfS). We announced on 20 July 2022 that we would no longer consent to be designated after 31 March 2023.
Advisory and strategic services
For HE providers in England
- registration, changes of category of registration and advice with meeting the ongoing conditions of registration
- new, full and variation of degree awarding powers.
Our support can include:
- staff development briefings and workshops
- gap analyses
- critical evaluation of applications prior to submission
- advice, briefings and mock assessment activities during the assessment process.
In addition, we can deliver:
- targeted investigations and evaluations of specific areas of work, including quality and standards, partnerships, curriculum, management and governance, and all aspects of the student journey
- bespoke training and development for academic and professional staff.
All of our work is undertaken by experienced professionals, providing detailed feedback and evaluation of our findings, together with recommendations for development.
For providers in England who are registered with the OfS, our new International Quality Accreditation (IQA) provides assurance of policies and processes at an institutional level. IQA is aligned to the European Standards and Guidelines, with a successful outcome leading to internationally recognised accreditation.