NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY (NQA)
Vision: Achieving distinct national qualifications that enhance UAE’s economic and social development
CONTENTS
Establishment of NQA
NQA mission
NQA strategic objectives
NQA strategic model
NQA strategic framework
Qualifications Framework
Qualifications Framework for the Emirates
Components in building the QFEmirates
Objectives/benefits of the QFEmirates
Architecture of the QFEmirates
Principal qualification titles in the QFEmirates
QFEmirates does not
Authority to issue qualifications
QFEmirates implementation
CONTENTS
About the National Qualifications Authority
ABOUT THE NATIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY
ABOUT THE NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NQA
- to build a UAE education and training system that includes vocational
education and training and improves its relationship with the economy and
labour market
 enable the NQA to work with related entities to develop a national
qualifications framework for the UAE
- which is an instrument for the classification of qualifications, and a unifying
and singular system and reference point for all national qualifications)
 develop quality assurance processes for higher, general and
vocational training
- in order to deliver outcomes that assist the UAE to keep pace with scientific
and technological progress and meet its economic and social
development needs)
OF THE NQA
 establish a National Qualifications Authority (NQA) for the UAE
ESTABLISHMENT
The UAE Government issued Federal Decree No. 1 ‘Establish and Maintain
the National Qualifications Authority’ on 23 August 2010 to:
NQA MISSION
 reinforcing the links between learning outcomes and the labour market
needs
 licensing vocational education and training programs and institutions
 facilitating the transfer of individuals between the general, higher and
vocational education and training pathways
 supporting the concept of lifelong learning through the recognition of
learning outcomes of each individual in the society.
Source: Strategic Plan 2013
NQA MISSION
To have a high-quality national qualifications system that meets the
requirements of social and economic development by:
NQA STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Education &
training
pathways
Facilitate the transfer, shift and continuity of learning of individuals
between different education and training pathways.
Vocational
education &
training
Contribute to the enhancement of vocational education and training
quality in the country.
NQA
performance
excellence
Build the authority’s institutional capability and capacity to ensure
performance excellence.
OBJECTIVES
Develop and implement the Qualifications Framework for the
Emirates, QFEmirates, to meet the requirements of the social and
economic development.
NQA STRATEGIC
Qualifications
Framework
NQA STRATEGIC MODEL
Public Sector, Private Sector, Society
National security and
crises
Vocational
education and
training (VET)
Demographic
change
Social and economic
development
Emiratisation
Economic
competitiveness
enhancement
Education system
strategies
Sustainable and
renewable energy
initiatives
National, regional, and international bodies,
organizations, and trends
Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030
Other Emirates’ visions
Labor market skills
and standards
NQA STRATEGIC MODEL
UAE
Vision
2021
2014-2016 UAE Government Strategy
77
NQA STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Labor market admission strategies
Human development
National
occupational
standards
Labor market
needs
EQF
meta-framework
Quals.
database
General
Education
NQA
vision &
mission
National
Qualifications
Framework
Global
competiveness
VET quals.
accred.
system
Higher
Education
CAA
Lifelong learning
Knowledge economy
GCC meta-framework
Social and economic development
International
awarding bodies
UAE economic prosperity
Emirates’ visions
VET
NQA STRATEGIC FRAEMWORK
UAE Government vision
QUALIFICATIONS
FRAMEWORK
QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR THE EMIRATES
 general education
(G12 and its
equivalencies)
 Vocational education
 Higher education
 Work-based training
Scope
 Professional education
& training
Formal learning
Informal learning & nonformal through
Recognition of Prior
Learning (RPL)
Higher education
Vocational education and training
General (secondary) education
All new qualifications
referred to QFEmirates
QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR THE EMIRATES
Single integrated
structure covering
qualifications for:
Known as the QFEmirates
Policy
development
and research
National
occupational
standards
Qualifications
database
QFEmirates
International
referencing &
recognition
Recognition
of Prior
Learning (RPL)
Credit
accumulation
and transfer
Quality
assurance
IN BUILDING QFEMIRATES
Coordination
with
stakeholders
COMPONENTS
COMPONENTS IN BUILDING THE QFEMIRATES
OBJECTIVES/BENEFITS OF THE QFEMIRATES
3
Promote lifelong
learning by putting in
place policies and
tools that allows
transfer, progression
and mobility.
Promote access to
learning across
formal, non-formal
and informal settings.
4
5
6
Benchmark quality of
qualifications in the
UAE with those of
international and
best practice.
Assist mobility of
workers inside and
outside UAE through
proper recognition of
their qualifications.
Ensure similar
language and
standards for
qualifications across
all education
providers.
Improve the quality
of qualifications
awarded in the UAE.
OBJECTIVES OF THE QFEMIRATES
2
1
Three types of qualifications
10 levels
 Principal – major class of awards
 Most complex – level 10
associated with each level
 Composite – specific group of learning
outcomes forming part of a principle
qualification
 Component – smallest form of learning of
formal recognition of a set of learning
outcomes e.g. unit/module
 Higher education – levels 5 to 10
 VET – levels 1 to 9
 Secondary school – levels 3 to 4
 Least complex – level 1
Five strands of learning outcomes
(knowledge, skills and competences to be achieved at each level)
Strand 1
Level 10
Knowledge
Strand 2
Skill
Strand 3
Strand 4
Strand 5
Autonomy and
responsibility
Selfdevelopment
Role in
context
Aspects of competence
Ability to apply
Theories and
knowledge and
practices related
use it to complete
to field of work
tasks
Ability to use knowledge, skills and personal and social
abilities in work situations
ARCHITECTURE OF THE QFEMIRATES
ARCHITECTURE OF THE QFEMIRATES
LEVEL DESCRIPTORS
 The 5 strands comprise knowledge, skill, and 3 aspects of competence (autonomy and
responsibility, role in context, and self-development).
EXAMPLE: Descriptor for QFEmirates Level 10
Knowledge
comprehensive, deep
and overarching
knowledge at the
frontier of a professional
field of work or discipline
and at the interface
between different fields
or disciplines
new knowledge, as
judged by independent
experts applying
international standards,
created through
research or scholarship,
that contributes to the
development of a field
of work or discipline
Skills
a range of mastered skills and
techniques, including synthesis,
evaluation, planning and reflection,
required to extend and redefine
existing knowledge or professional
practice or to produce original
knowledge
advanced skills in developing
innovative solutions to critical problems
in research using highly developed
cognitive and creative expert skills and
intellectual independence
highly developed expert
communication and information
technology skills to present, explain
and/or critique highly complex and
diverse matters to specialist academic,
peer specialists/ experts and/or
professional audiences
Autonomy and
responsibility
can act with substantial
authority, creativity,
autonomy,
independence, scholarly
and professional integrity
in a sustained
commitment to the
development of new
ideas or processes or
systems in challenging
and novel work or
learning contexts
can account for overall
governance of
processes and systems
can lead action to build
and transform sociocultural norms and
relationships
Role in context
can originate and
manage complex
professional processes
can lead and take full
responsibility for the
development and
strategic deployment of
professional teams and
self
can initiate and deploy
qualities associated
with professional
leadership of peer
groups and teams
Self-development
can analyse and
critique the state of
learning in a specialised
field and contribute to
its advancement
can self-evaluate and
lead contributions to
professional
knowledge, ethics and
practice including in
unfamiliar and
unpredictable learning
contexts
can consistently and
sensitively manage
highly complex and
diverse ethical issues
leading to informed, fair
and valid judgements
QFEMIRATES
Aspects of competence
OF THE
 The level descriptors are cumulative: assumes the inclusion of all the outcomes in
preceding levels.
ARCHITECTURE
 Level descriptors are learning outcome statements for each level, found in each of the
5 strands.
PRINCIPAL QUALIFICATION TITLES IN THE QFEMIRATES
Generic name
10
Doctoral degree
9
Master degree
(Applied) Master
Master
8
Graduate Diploma
Applied Graduate
Diploma
Post Graduate
Diploma
7
Bachelor degree
(Applied) Bachelor
Bachelor
6
Higher Diploma
Advanced Diploma
Higher Diploma
5
Diploma / Associate
Degree
Diploma
Associate Degree
4
Certificate
Certificate 4
Secondary School
Certificate (G 12)
3
Certificate
Certificate 3
TBA
2
Certificate
Certificate 2
1
Certificate
Certificate 1
Authority to determine
qualification requirements
Higher education
General education
Lifelong
Learning
Vocational
Education and
Training Awards
Commission, NQA
Commission for
Academic
Accreditation
(MOHESR)
Ministry of Education
– General Education
Commission
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Doctoral
PRINCIPAL QUALIFICATIONS TITLES IN THE QFEMIRATES
Vocational
education and
training
Level
QFEMIRATES DOES NOT
Permit direct
assessment
(including RPL)
against the
levels for the
issuance of a
qualification
Dictate the
curriculum for a
course or a
program
Tell you how to
deliver
education and
training or
conduct
assessment
QFEMIRATES DOES NOT
Identify/stipulate
the discipline or
outcome of the
qualification that
will be issued:
e.g. Bachelor of
“Mechanical
Engineering”
AUTHORITY TO ISSUE QUALIFICATIONS
•Commission for Academic Accreditation (Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research)
•Licensure of institutions and academic programs of one academic year or longer
Vocational education and training sector
•Vocational Education and Training Awards Commission (VETAC), NQA-auspiced
•VETAC has authority to issue qualifications, however may delegate this function
to licensed education and training providers (LETPs) that meet VETAC’s quality
assurance conditions.
General education sector
•General Education Commission (Ministry of Education, ADEC and KHDA)
•General Education (G12) Secondary School Certificate or any equivalent
qualifications.
QUALIFICATIONS
•Once licensed and accredited for programs, institutions can issue qualifications
AUTHORITY TO ISSUE
Higher education sector
QFEMIRATES IMPLEMENTATION
Programmes
Partnerships
People
Learners
Evaluation
Piloting
Implementation
National reform
Listen to supply side
National coverage
Work + demand side
International
Drive demand side
Priority areas
Minimum
requirements
Collection/
registration
Inter/national respect
Benchmarking/
recognition
Analysis/reporting
Communication
Cooperation
Collaboration
Information
Shared values
MOUs
Defining standards
Determining
Designating
Engagement
Capability building
Capacity building
Realisation
Requirement
(that QF exists)
(QFE is vitally
important)
(qualifications are
recognised)
Awareness evaluation
Pilot evaluation
Implementation
evaluation
Labour market
Needs analysis
mapping
Recognition
QFEMIRATES IMPLEMENTATION
Policy
Awareness