April 2006

The Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA) was launched at the House of Commons in London on April 5th. It actually started business on 3rd April, with a remit to speed up quality improvement, increase participation and raise standards and achievement in the learning and skill sector.

The QIA has grown from the policy and strategic work of the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA). The remainder of LSDA is now remodelled to be the Learning and Skills Network (LSN). This will now concentrate on delivering quality improvement and staff development programmes that support specific government initiatives. Visit LSN at www.lsneducation.org.uk.

New Organisation, New Opportunity

At the press event that preceded the launch of QIA, Sir Geoffrey Holland, chair of the new agency, said that it would be for people of all ages (from the age of 16), learning in a variety of contexts – in schools and colleges, employers’ premises, Job Centre Plus and the community.

(left to right) Andrew Thomson, Sir Geoffrey Holland and Christine Braddock at the press launch of the Quality Improvement Agency

‘It is an exciting prospect,’ he said. ‘No such organisation has existed before. There is now the opportunity, for the first time, to develop a medium and long term quality improvement strategy, with the QIA taking the lead.’

The agency’s role will not be hands-on, but will be to commission others to support front-line practitioners to improve quality. The aim is ‘to help all Learning and Skills activities to measure up to the best in the world’.

Aiming for Excellence

Andrew Thomson, QIA’s chief executive, emphasised the need to go towards a culture that always aimed at excellence. ‘QIA is part of a new era,’ he said. ‘It will be a catalyst for a culture of continuous self-improvement, based on three sound principles:

• ‘one, that the main aim of its work will be to improve outcomes for students, trainees, employers, communities and the economy

• ‘two, that quality is essentially the responsibility of people and organisations delivering education and training: the Agency will add value by supporting their journey from compliance with norms to a culture of excellence and continuous improvement

• ‘three, that to be both challenging and valuable, the Agency will lead thinking on quality improvement, identifying what excellence actually is and how best to achieve it in our sector.’

Impact on the Student

Christine Braddock, Principal and Chief Executive of Matthew Boulton College of F&HE in Birmingham, and a member of the QIA Board, said her focus was on the impact on the student. She was concerned that current measures for success were not always appropriate. ‘We are looking for clarity in the landscape,’ she said. ‘If we can support new measures of success, we can improve the image of FE in the public eye. We must listen to what the community is wanting of us.’

Crucial FE

At the House of Commons launch Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said ‘A top performing FE sector is a crucial part of the government’s vision for a modern education system.

’The recent report of FE, by Sir Andrew Foster expressed the commonly held views that current quality improvement arrangements lack clarity and coherence… QIA will bring under one roof a range of quality improvement activities that are currently spread between different organisations, making it easier for organisations to locate a single source of expertise.’

Who does what in Quality Improvement?

• QIA will be the sole commissioner of all quality improvement products, programmes and services in the learning and skills sector
• The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will focus on quality assurance work
• The Inspectorates will be responsible for quality assessment
• The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) will withdraw from commissioning quality improvement altogether.

Conference

QIA will hold its first summer conference, Excellence in Learning and Skills, on 7th and 8th June at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham. Speakers will include Ruth Kelly and Mark Haysom, Chief Executive of the LSC, as well as, amongst others, Andrew Thomson, Geoffrey Holland and Lauri Kurvonen, Chief Technologist of the Finnish National Board of Education.

For further information on the conference click here.