Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
346. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of draft legislation regarding the international education mark; if this legislation will cover third party study abroad providers including those that do not provide English language courses or grant degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38005/13]
View answer347. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed legislation regarding the international education mark will allow study abroad providers tied to non-Irish universities to obtain the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38006/13]
View answer348. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of registering for the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38007/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 346 to 348, inclusive, together.
The introduction of a Code of Practice for the provision of education to international learners and a related International Education mark are provided for in the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act, 2012 and no further legislation is required. The Act provides that Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the body established under that Act, shall publish a Code of Practice, establish the Mark and accept applications from providers of education and training for authorisation to use the Mark.
Section 60 of the Act states that the Code of Practice shall contain provisions relating to the protection of enrolled learners, the collection of fees and the tax compliance of the providers concerned. Section 61 states that providers wishing to apply for the Mark shall have established procedures for quality assurance and access, transfer and progression in accordance the Act and that each programme provided by the provider leads to an award which is recognised in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), if it is capable of being so recognised. Only when these conditions are met can a provider apply to demonstrate its compliance with the Code of Practice.
The Act does not restrict applications only to providers of English language courses or programmes leading to degrees nor does it distinguish between the Irish and non-Irish awarding bodies, so long as the awards are aligned to the NFQ.
Section 64 of the Act provides for the payment of an annual charge for authorisation to use the Mark. The actual fee that will be charged to providers is still under consideration.
QQI are currently undertaking a comprehensive policy development programme, involving consultation with all the relevant stakeholders regarding the formulation of policies across all of their functions. As part of this programme they have published a Green Paper on the International Education Mark and the deadline for submissions on that Green Paper passed on 13 September. QQI will now develop a White Paper on the International Education Mark before their Board adopts a policy in this area. It is expected that QQI will publish the Code of Practice and establish the International Education Mark in 2014.
