We work in partnership with the Scottish Government, Scottish Funding Council, sector agencies and all of Scotland’s colleges and higher education institutions. This allows us to support and shape the continuing enhancement of learning and teaching in Scotland. We do this to ensure students in Scotland receive a quality education.
Our partners
The Scottish Government
The Scottish Government has devolved responsibility for education. We often meet Scottish Government officers to update each other on our work and share information. The Scottish Government continue to support the enhancement-led approach to quality assurance.
Scottish Funding Council
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) distributes funding for teaching and learning, research and other activities in Scotland's colleges and universities. They also provide a strategic overview of tertiary education in Scotland. This helps secure a coherent system of high-quality learning, teaching and research. QAA receives funding from SFC to support the delivery of the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF).
Universities Scotland
Universities Scotland is the autonomous voice of the higher education sector in Scotland. It is a membership organisation, funded by the 19 Scottish higher education institutions. Universities Scotland campaign on issues where their members have a shared interest. They also develop policy on Scottish higher education issues.
Colleges Scotland
Colleges
Scotland is the autonomous voice for the college sector in Scotland. As a
membership organisation, they campaign, advocate and influence policy on behalf
of Scotland’s 24 colleges.
National Union of Students Scotland (NUS)
NUS Scotland exists to represent the interests of students. They hold discussions with local and central government, educational bodies, trades unions and other external organisations. They provide information, advice and training for its affiliated students' associations, of which students from colleges and universities are automatic members.
Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland (sparqs)
Founded in 2003, sparqs is an agency that supports student engagement. They encourage students to get involved, to help shape the quality of their learning experience. Doing this can make a positive and rewarding difference to their own and others' educational experience. We have regular meetings with sparqs and contribute to their work and governance. The Scottish Funding Council provides funding to sparqs.
College Development Network (CDN)
CDN is the national improvement agency for the Scottish college and post-school skills sector. They work with colleges to develop their people, share their great work, and enhance student success. CDN improves the institutional performance and workforce capability of Scotland’s colleges and their people through practice-led professional learning pathways.
Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Partnership (SCQFP)
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP) is the independent charity with responsibility for ensuring the quality and integrity of Scotland’s qualifications framework. The SCQF Framework helps people plan their learning journey by working with a range of learning providers.
Advance HE
Advance HE supports universities in putting institutional strategy into practice for the benefit of staff and students. They use an evidence-based approach to identify what works, and develop practice-based solutions. They contribute to our work through many of the committees and working groups in the Scottish HE sector.
Committees and groups
We have regular meetings through committees and groups, including the Teaching Quality Forum (TQF).
The Quality Forum (TQF)
The Quality Forum (TQF) is a sector-led group with a flexible remit and membership. Its purpose is to provide support to members on policy and practice in areas of mutual interest broadly relating to quality in learning and teaching, allowing expertise to be shared and developed.
Specific TQEF Partnership working
SFC partnered with QAA, Scotland’s colleges and universities, sector leading bodies, agencies and students to co-create the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework. Since its implementation in 2024, QAA has worked with the TQEF delivery agency partners to lead the successful introduction of the new framework and its delivery mechanisms.We work with our key delivery partners (CDN, sparqs and SCQFP) to support SFC to meet its statutory duty to secure high-quality provision, and for assessing and enhancing the quality of provision delivered by funded institutions.