Section B-I/8 Guidance regarding quality standards
Clasification Society 2023 - Version 9.37

Section B-I/8 Guidance regarding quality standards

  1 In applying quality standards under the provisions of regulation I/8 and section A-I/8 to the administration of its certification system, each Party should take account of existing national or international models, and incorporate the following key elements:

  • .1 an expressed policy regarding quality and the means by which such policy is to be implemented;

  • .2 a quality system incorporating the organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources necessary for quality management;

  • .3 the operational techniques and activities to ensure quality control;

  • .4 systematic monitoring arrangements, including internal quality-assurance evaluations, to ensure that all defined objectives are being achieved; and

  • .5 arrangements for periodic external quality evaluations as described in the following paragraphs.

  2 In establishing such quality standards for the administration of their national certification system, Administrations should seek to ensure that the arrangements adopted:

  • .1 are sufficiently flexible to enable the certification system to take account of the varying needs of the industry, and that they facilitate and encourage the application of new technology;

  • .2 cover all the administrative matters that give effect to the various provisions of the Convention, in particular regulations I/2 to I/15 and other provisions which enable the Administration to grant certificates of service and dispensations and to withdraw, cancel and suspend certificates;

  • .3 encompass the Administration’s responsibilities for approving training and assessment at all levels, from undergraduate-type courses and updating courses for certificates of competency to short courses of vocational training; and

  • .4 incorporate arrangements for the internal quality-assurance reviews under paragraph 1.4 involving a comprehensive self-study of the administrative procedures, at all levels, in order to measure achievement of defined objectives and to provide the basis for the independent external evaluation required under section A-I/8, paragraph 3.

Quality standards model for assessment of knowledge, understanding, skills and competence

3 The quality standards model for assessment of knowledge, understanding, skills and competence should incorporate the recommendations of this section within the general framework of either:

  • .1 a national scheme for education and training accreditation or quality standards; or

  • .2 an alternative quality-standards model acceptable to the Organization.

  4 The above quality-standards model should incorporate:

  • .1 a quality policy, including a commitment by the training institution or unit to the achievement of its stated aims and objectives and to the consequential recognition by the relevant accrediting or quality-standards authority;

  • .2 those quality-management functions that determine and implement the quality policy, relating to aspects of the work which impinge on the quality of what is provided, including provisions for determining progression within a course or programme;

  • .3 quality system coverage, where appropriate, of the academic and administrative organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and the resources of staff and equipment;

  • .4 the quality-control functions to be applied at all levels to the teaching, training, examination and assessment activities, and to their organization and implementation, in order to ensure their fitness for their purpose and the achievement of their defined objectives;

  • .5 the internal quality-assurance processes and reviews which monitor the extent to which the institution, or training unit, is achieving the objectives of the programmes it delivers, and is effectively monitoring the quality-control procedures which it employs; and

  • .6 the arrangements made for periodic external quality evaluations required under regulation I/8, paragraph 2 and described in the following paragraphs, for which the outcome of the quality-assurance reviews forms the basis and starting point.

  5 In establishing quality standards for education, training and assessment programmes, the organizations responsible for implementing these programmes should take account of the following:

  • .1 Where provisions exist for established national accreditation, or education quality standards, such provisions should be utilized for courses incorporating the knowledge and understanding requirements of the Convention. The quality standards should be applied to both management and operational levels of the activity, and should take account of how it is managed, organized, undertaken and evaluated, in order to ensure that the identified goals are achieved.

  • .2 Where acquisition of a particular skill or accomplishment of a designated task is the primary objective, the quality standards should take account of whether real or simulated equipment is utilized for this purpose, and of the appropriateness of the qualifications and experience of the assessors, in order to ensure achievement of the set standards.

  • .3 The internal quality-assurance evaluations should involve a comprehensive self-study of the programme, at all levels, to monitor achievement of defined objectives through the application of quality standards. These quality-assurance reviews should address the planning, design, presentation and evaluation of programmes as well as the teaching, learning and communication activities. The outcome provides the basis for the independent evaluation required under section A-I/8, paragraph 3.

The independent evaluation

6 Each independent evaluation should include a systematic and independent examination of all quality activities, but should not evaluate the validity of the defined objectives. The evaluation team should:

  • .1 carry out the evaluation in accordance with documented procedures;

  • .2 ensure that the results of each evaluation are documented and brought to the attention of those responsible for the area evaluated; and

  • .3 check that timely action is taken to correct any deficiencies.

  7 The purpose of the evaluation is to provide an independent assessment of the effectiveness of the quality-standard arrangements at all levels. In the case of an education or training establishment, a recognized academic accreditation or quality-standards body or Government agency should be used. The evaluation team should be provided with sufficient advance information to give an overview of the tasks in hand. In the case of a major training institution or programme, the following items are indicative of the information to be provided:

  • .1 the mission statement of the institution;

  • .2 details of academic and training strategies in use;

  • .3 an organization chart and information on the composition of committees and advisory bodies;

  • .4 staff and student information;

  • .5 a description of training facilities and equipment; and

  • .6 an outline of the policies and procedures on:

    • .6.1 student admission;

    • .6.2 the development of new courses and review of existing courses;

    • .6.3 the examination system, including appeals and resits;

    • .6.4 staff recruitment, training, development, appraisal and promotion;

    • .6.5 feedback from students and from industry; and

    • .6.6 staff involvement in research and development.

The report

8 Before submitting a final report, the evaluation team should forward an interim report to the management, seeking their comments on their findings. Upon receiving their comments, the evaluators should submit their final report, which should:

  • .1 include brief background information about the institution or training programme;

  • .2 be full, fair and accurate;

  • .3 highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the institution;

  • .4 describe the evaluation procedure followed;

  • .5 cover the various elements identified in paragraph 4;

  • .6 indicate the extent of compliance or non-compliance with the requirements of the Convention and the effectiveness of the quality standards in ensuring achievement of defined aims and objectives; and

  • .7 spell out clearly the areas found to be deficient, offer suggestions for improvement and provide any other comments the evaluators consider relevant.

Parent topic: Chapter I – Guidance regarding general provisions
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