QAA completes AVA licence renewals

The June meeting of the Quality Assurance Agency's Board has ratified the awarding of renewed Access Validating Agency (AVA) operating licences to the following organisations: Skills and Education Group Access, Cambridge Access Validating Agency, Gateway Qualifications, Open Awards, Open College Network London Region, and Aim Qualifications and Assessment Group.

This decision reflects these organisations' compliance with the Access to HE Conditions and the absence of any significant ongoing regulatory concerns. All renewed Licences are subject to the standard monitoring arrangements that apply to every AVA.

The March meeting of QAA's Board had ratified to renewal of the licences of Agored Cymru, Ascentis and Laser Learning Awards to operate as AVAs.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has been responsible for the regulatory oversight of the Access to Higher Education Diploma (AHED) since 1997, and in that time more than a million students have enrolled on AHED courses. In this regulatory capacity, QAA licenses Access Validating Agencies to validate, award and monitor the delivery of Access to Higher Education Diploma courses by providers based across the UK.

QAA has now completed the licensing of all AVAs under its revised Access to HE Recognition Scheme.  The revised Recognition Scheme introduces a more principles-based approach to regulation, focusing on outcomes for students, academic standards and progression, while allowing flexibility in how AVAs meet requirements.

All nine current AVAs have been awarded renewed licences under the updated framework. Completion of the relicensing process ensures that all AVAs are aligned with these updated expectations, supporting a consistent national framework and reinforcing confidence in the Access to HE Diploma as a high-quality route into higher education.

QAA's Head of Access to HE Regulation Jenny Allen said: "Our move to a more principles-based approach to regulation gives AVAs and Access to HE providers the flexibility to demonstrate how they're meeting expectations around quality, standards and outcomes in ways that best support their learners, while creating space for responsive and innovative approaches and for new initiatives which are agile and relevant to their learners' ambitions and needs – to ensure that the Access to HE Diploma remains a powerful and resilient qualification which offers learners from all backgrounds opportunities to progress into higher education, to succeed in their studies and their chosen careers, and to transform their lives."

The new Recognition Scheme will be fully implemented from 1 August 2026.