January 2012
Expressions of Interest for QQAI Board
The closing date for expressions of interest for positions for the QQAI board was 10 January 2012. Application through the website www.publicjobs.ie has now closed.

December 2011
Expressions of Interest for QQAI Board
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn T.D., is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons for positions
for the board of QQAI. View details.

20 September 2011
Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011
Main Elements of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011 more


September 2011
HSI Limerick Business School
HSI Limerick Business School, a private provider registered with HETAC, has informed HETAC that it has ceased to trade with effect from 5th September 2011.

HETAC requires all providers to have protection for learner arrangements in place for all programmes with over three month's duration, without a requirement for learners to pay additional fees.  HSI Limerick Business School has such arrangements in place.

In addition, Griffith College's Limerick campus is assisting HSI with a view to providing continuity of education for its learners. For details of these arrangements see www.hsi.ie.
Griffith College has also opened the following contact numbers to facilitate learners. These are 061- 310031 and 061-317822.  These numbers are open from 9am to 9pm to deal with queries.

28 July 2011
New Arrangements for HETAC Provider, Prospective Providers and Learners Seeking HETAC Direct Awards
Following the publication of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 which provides for the establishment of a new single national agency, Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQAI) replacing HETAC, FETAC, NQAI and IUQB, HETAC has announced new arrangements for applications which may be of interest to existing and prospective HETAC providers.

The Bill provides for significant continuity of function between HETAC and the new agency. Learners and providers can take comfort that their existing programme validations and awards offered by HETAC will continue to be recognised by the new agency. In the light of the necessary preparations for the amalgamation and to ensure quality of service to our providers over the coming period it is necessary to introduce the following deadlines:

• Current HETAC providers wishing to introduce new HETAC-validated programmes (including collaborative and/or transnational programmes) in 2012 should make their applications for HETAC-administered validation reviews by 30 November 2011. Resubmissions of programmes already reviewed will continue to be accepted.
• Application for registration as a HETAC provider will be accepted up to 30 September 2011. HETAC will not arrange any further briefings for prospective applicants after that date until the new legislation is in operation.
• Institutes of Technology wishing to apply for extensions to delegated authority should do so before 30 November 2011.
• Learners seeking direct awards from HETAC on the basis of portfolios of prior learning should apply before 30 September 2011.

The dates specified must be complied with and cannot be extended.

HETAC looks forward to the amalgamation and working with our stakeholders in building on the work to date and in the performance of the functions of the new amalgamated body.


26 July 2011
Publication of Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011
The NQAI, FETAC, HETAC and IUQB today, welcome the publication of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011. The legislation provides for a new single national agency, Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQAI), replacing FETAC, HETAC, NQAI and IUQB. It is anticipated that QQAI will be established in 2012.

View the bill here: http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=18620&&CatID=59

Dr. Padraig Walsh, Chief Executive Designate said,” This legislation will amalgamate the existing national qualifications and quality assurance bodies for learners into one new agency. QQAI will be responsible for a wide range of functions, and will provide a more integrated, efficient and coherent range of services to learners across the further and higher education and training sectors to the highest international standards.”

QQAI will be responsible for building on Ireland’s reputation for quality in education and training and will be strongly positioned to highlight and promote best practice throughout the educational and training system. The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) will be further developed by QQAI, which will in time lead to greater opportunities for learners. The currency of all awards on the Framework remains guaranteed.

Dr. Walsh looks “forward, over the coming months and years, to building QQAI into an organisation serving learners and the public; building on the many achievements of the individual agencies and united by the National Framework of Qualifications.”

HETAC looks forward to the amalgamation and working with our stakeholders in building on the work to date and in the performance of the functions of the new amalgamated body.


14 February 2011
Appointment of New Chief Executive
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Padraig Walsh to the role of Chief Executive of the Council.

Dr. Walsh took up his new role on 14 February 2011. Padraig’s experience spans over 20 years as a successful leader and senior manager in the Irish higher education sector. Since 2005 Padraig has worked with the Irish Universities Quality Board as Chief Executive Officer and has led the Board from a small base in 2005 to the internationally-recognised quality assurance agency that it is today. Prior to joining IUQB in 2005, Padraig was a Senior Lecturer in Bioprocess Engineering at Dublin City University and was from 2001-2005, Director of Quality Promotion at that university.

Padraig is also Chief Executive of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and serves the Interim Board of Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQAI) as Chief Executive Officer Designate of that Agency. He is currently a member of the Scotland Committee of the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the Scientific Advisory Board of the Centre of Accreditation and Quality Assurance of the Swiss Universities (OAQ), the Council of Appeals of the Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education in Portugal (A3ES) and the Steering Committee of the European University Association Institutional Evaluation Programme (EUA-IEP).

Padraig studied engineering in University College Dublin (UCD), graduating with a BE (Chemical) and holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri, USA and a PhD in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from UCD.