ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 199 [email protected]

International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2017, pp. 199–202, Article ID: IJCIET_08_01_020

Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1

ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication

ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Amani, M Al Hadidi

Faculty of Engineering, Hashemite University,

P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa 13133, Jordan

ABSTRACT

This research sets out Assessment and quality assurance SQA: quality assurance principles,

elements and criteria.

How SQA monitors the way a center carries out its responsibilities depends on the type of

center and the type of qualification being offered.

The most important objective of SQA’s assessment and quality assurance principles and

procedures is to ensure that assessment of SQA

Developing its policy on assessment and quality assurance was one of the first tasks undertaken

by all the engineers. They inherited policies and procedures from its predecessor bodies, and these

had to be integrated. It also had to take account of decisions already made in relation to the new

Higher Still provision.

Assessment and quality assurance SQA works in partnership with centers to ensure that all of

its qualifications are subject to rigorous quality assurance and has now drawn up a number of

quality assurance principles to maximize the effectiveness of its partnership.

Specific elements of quality assurance are based on these principles, and each element consists

of a number of criteria. The elements and criteria are designed to ensure that all SQA

qualifications are assessed to national standards.

By reading this publication, staff in centers should develop an understanding of the criteria and

of the ways we can work together to ensure that all SQA qualifications continue to meet the

requirements of the engineers.

Key words: SQA, QA, Quality assurance, Quality Assessment.

Cite this Article: Amani, M Al Hadidi. Assessment and Quality Assurance. International Journal

of Civil Engineering and Technology, 8(1), 2017, pp. 199–202.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1

1. INTRODUCTION

Quality Assurance systems are a tool to help you run your organization more effectively and efficiently.

They also help to ensure that a minimum standard of quality is being met for a product, service or project.

Quality assurance is achieved through continuously checking performance and demonstrating the quality

of your performance through your policies and procedures.

Each quality standard is different and will have its own way of measuring and developing the quality of

your services. You will have to research and agree internally on what standard is most appropriate for your

organization.

Amani, M Al Hadidi


There are also different cost implications, which also depend on how much resource it will take to

implement. For instance, some quality assurance systems may require external training and some are more

rigorous than others.

Whilst you can usually work towards your own deadlines, the length of time it may take may vary

depending on what existing structures you already have in place, or whether you are starting completely

from scratch.

However, remember the tale of the tortoise and the hare it is better to take time and care to be sure of

reaching your destination. You may also be able to build the implementation costs for a quality assurance

system into a particular project or funding bid.

2. ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Some standards will offer a self assessment that you can complete, or you might be able to obtain one from

your local CVS (or equivalent). A self assessment is the process of critically reviewing the quality of your

own performance and provision as an organization.

It is based on specific criteria or indicators to measure the delivery of your service (including any

outputs or outcomes that are achieved).For many systems it is the evidence that you can provide (to show

how you reach the criteria), which is important.

The next step might be to draw up an action plan to show how improvements will be made, by when

and by whom. It should outline specific tasks or milestones and who is responsible for these.

Many quality systems are externally accredited. This means that someone from outside the

organization will check the evidence submitted and issue the relevant award or certification. The

accreditation will often last for three years, before an organization is externally assessed again

A quality assurance system is a tool for continual improvement and should be reviewed on a regular

basis (rather than swept away for another three years). By keeping it up to date in systematic way, you will

have an excellent framework for organizational development

3. BENEFITS OF ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

As service providers, organization's need to make sure that what they do is of a good standard.

A quality assurance system will help you to deliver high quality services (for your service users)

through a structured framework. It also helps to deliver consistently good services.

For instance by having a structured induction process for volunteers, it can aid the planning process

and save time and resources, as well as making a huge difference to the experience of the volunteer.

Quality standards are also good tools to demonstrate to funding bodies, service users and partners that

you are committed to continual development and can offer a consistent level of quality through a

recognized system

4. AIMS OF ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality management consists of various features reaching from quality assurance to continuous

improvement. For a long period of time, quality assurance has been the most common approach in social

care, with public authorities setting minimum standards for the adequacy of care provided, thus keeping

the most inadequate providers out of the field.

Quality management with broader objectives in terms of quality improvement is focusing on care

processes, implying that desired outcomes derive from the defined quality of ‘care production’ processes.

Furthermore, quality management may also entail the definition and the attainment of desired results or

outcomes of LTC activities, while paying comparatively scant attention to how they are reached.

Assessment and Quality Assurance


It may focus on efficiency of delivery as a proxy for quality or, last but not least, it may focus on

notions of excellence or rely on professional norms of quality performance based on evidence of good

practice.

Quality of care measurements and the use of benchmarking –for instance between hospitals or hospital

departments are relatively well established in the acute health care field, where outcomes may be more

easily operationalized, especially in areas where well-established technical procedures and protocols are in

place.

It is well known that such approaches have advantages but also inconveniences, as they tend to lead to

inappropriate competition as well as to a somewhat mechanical application of predefined measures. Their

use in LTC is still less revalent and more tentative.

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE PRINCIPLES

SQA is committed to quality assuring all its qualifications to ensure public recognition and credibility

through the maintenance of standards. SQA quality assurance is based upon the following principles:

• The SQA assessment and quality assurance system should be understandable to stake holders, effectively

administered, publicly accountable and cost effective to operate.

• qualifications should be accessible to all candidates who have the potential to achieve them

• the criteria which define the performance required of candidates for them to achieve qualifications should be

appropriate to purpose, explicit and in the public domain

• each unit, course and group award should be unique and necessary, and should comply with the relevant

qualification specification

• assessments should be valid, reliable and practicable, and assessment results should be in line with

qualification criteria

• qualifications should be offered in centers which have the resources and expertise to assess candidates

against the qualification’s criteria

• staff in centers should be provided with effective support in assessing candidates for certification

• responsibility for quality assurance should be devolved to centers where this is consistent with the

maintenance of national standard

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE ELEMENTS

In order to ensure that the qualifications SQA offers are designed, delivered and assessed to acceptable

national standards, we have identified key quality assurance elements, based on the quality assurance

principles.

We have divided each element into requirements or criteria. The elements are:

• approval as an SQA center the criteria relate to the management procedures which underpin the

implementation and assessment of SQA qualifications in centers

• approval to offer specific SQA qualifications the criteria relate to resources required of centers for the

implementation and assessment of specific SQA qualifications

• validation of SQA qualifications the criteria relate to ensuring that SQA qualifications are fit for purpose

• internal moderation of internal assessment the criteria relate to the processes by which centers ensure that all

internal assessment is valid, reliable, practicable and cost-effective

• External moderation of internal assessment the criteria relate to external processes by which SQA ensures

that internal assessment is in line with the national standards set out in the qualifications.

Amani, M Al Hadidi


• quality control of external assessment the criteria relate to the processes by which SQA and centers ensure

that external assessment is in line with the national standards set out in the qualifications

• monitoring of SQA’s quality assurance elements the criteria relate to the processes which are used to

measure the success of the other elements in supporting the consistent application of national standard

REFERNCES

[1] Quality Assurance Principles, Elements and Criteria December 1998Publication code: A0798Published

by the Scottish Qualifications Authority Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ, and

Ironmills Road, Dalkeith,Midlothian EH22 1LE

[2] Dr. Antony Joe Raja. V., A Study on Resource Management, Economic Approach, Leadership Quality

in Variouse Organisation in the World. International Journal of Management (IJM), 6 (7), 2015, pp. 37-

46.

[3] SO 1994 Quality Management and Quality Assurance - a Vocabulary. International Organization for

Standardization, Geneva.

[4] Vasantharayalu and Dr. Surajit Pal, An Empirical Study of Total Quality Management (TQM) Practices

on Operational Performance of Indian Manufacturing and Service Firms. International Journal of

Management, 7(6), 2016, pp. 192–202.

[5] WHO/UNEP/VKI 1997 Analytical Quality Assurance and Control. World Health Organization, Geneva.

[6] S V Ranganayakulu, J Narsaiah, B Samrat Goud, S Ravi and K Sudhakar. Quality Assurance of

Structural Aluminum Aerospace Materials through Non Destructive Testing Techniques. International

Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), 8(1), 2017, pp. 110–119.