About the National Qualifications Authority

10 May 2015

About the National Qualifications Authority

On the 23rd of August 2010, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyanissued Federal Decree No. 1 ‘Establish and Maintain the National Qualifications Authority’. Key functions of the National Qualifications Authority (NQA) are:

•coordinating with related entities the establishment and implementation of an internationallyrecognised education and training system for the UAE

•developing and implementing the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates, the QFEmirates, which is a singular integrated structure covering all qualifications in the UAE

•facilitating the transfer, shift and continuity of learning of individuals between different education and training pathways

•contributing to the enhancement of vocational education and training quality in the country.

NQA aims to deliver outcomes that assist the UAE to keep pace with scientific and technological progress and meet the country’s economic and social development needs.

In order to execute its mandate across the vocational education and training (VET) sector, the NQA Board has established the Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC). This operating body is responsible for managing, coordinating and quality assuring the outcomes of the VET sector. VETAC’s primary focus is to develop the system of vocationally related and occupationally oriented qualifications for UAE’s VET sector.

For more information about the Recognition Guidelines, contact:

Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS)

VETAC

National Qualifications Authority

Address: P.O. Box 63003, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Phone: +9712 815 6666

Fax: +9712 815 6677

Web:

This document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license. You are free to copy, distribute and transmit this work, so long as you attribute it to the National Qualifications Authority and not alter, transform or build upon this work. To view a copy of this license, visit

Contents

Contents

1. Introduction to Recognition at the NQA

2. Definition - Recognition of Qualifications

3. Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC)

4. VETAC Executive Secretariat (ES)

5. VETAC Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS)

6. VETAC Evaluation Committee (EC)

7. Awarding Bodies

8. Process of Recognition of a Qualification

9. Conditions for Qualifications

10. Criteria for Recognition

11. Applying for Recognition

Attachment 1: Application Form for Qualification Recognition

Attachment 2: NQA Recognition Statement

Attachment 3: Glossary of Terms

1.Introduction to Recognition at the NQA

Recognition of a qualification (الإعتراف بالمؤهل) is an official confirmation by the National Qualifications Authority (NQA) that a qualification or award meets the level in theNational Qualifications Framework for the purposes of employment and/or access to education and training in the United Arab Emirates. This is done by comparing a qualification to a level in the National Qualifications Framework. The Recognition of qualification will be communicated to applicants as a specific numerical Level corresponding to the Levels in QFEmirates.

Value of Qualification Recognition For:

Government:

•Consistency and alignment with national skills strategy and targets Learners and Graduates:

•Competencies for successful employment

•Progression to further and higher education

•Opportunity to accumulate and transfer credits

•Enhanced market value

Employers:

•Employees with the skills and abilities needed

•Recognised professional development programmes for their employees

•Endorsement of employer’s internal training programs

Training Providers and Awarding Bodies:

•Recognition of qualifications in the UAE

•Enhanced marketability and reputation

•Competitive edge

2.Definition - Recognition of Qualifications

Recognition is a process whereby a qualification, such as a foreign award, is compared to a level in the National Qualifications Framework for the purposes of employment and/or access to education and training in the UAE. The qualification may be:

Aligned through a processwhereby a qualification, usually developed or issued by a foreign entity, is mapped to a defined level of the NQF to demonstrate that the learning outcomes of that qualification match the learning outcomes of the defined NQF level.

Included through the processwhereby a qualification designed and issued by a UAE awarding body, and covers the learning outcomes associated with the relevant level of the NQF, is recognised (included) within the NQF.

Placed through a processwhereby a qualification developed by a recognised awarding body before the establishment of NQF, even if not described in terms of learning outcomes or may not completely conform to the awards currently included in the NQF, is placed at the relevant level of the NQF.

3.Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC)

The Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC) is the operational body of the National Qualification Authority (NQA) which manages, regulates and coordinates UAE’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and assures the quality of TVET outcomes. VETAC role involves setting and maintaining standards for the development, administration, registration, endorsement and delivery of national vocational qualifications and awards developed by or on behalf of industry.

As a regulator of vocational education and training sector and vocational qualifications in the United Arab Emirates, the VETAC also assumes responsibility to ‘Recognise’ vocational qualifications awarded to individuals overseas or in the UAE.

4.VETAC Executive Secretariat (ES)

The VETAC Executive Secretariat (ES) is an advisory body of the Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC). The Secretariat executes the Council’s resolutions and recommendations and provides technical advice on topics requiring a specialist opinion.

Executive Secretariat members are representatives of NQA and the awarding bodies.

Functional Responsibilities for Recognition of Qualifications:

The functional duties of theVETAC Executive Secretariat (ES) are as follows:

Review established referencing of International framework with QFEmirates

Issue recommendation to VETAC

5.VETAC Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS)

The determination of recognition of vocational qualifications will be carried out through VETAC’s Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS). The EVS will be supported by VETAC’s Executive Secretariat and, where required, will appoint external experts from different industry sectors and subject matter experts to review applications.

Functional Responsibilities for Recognition of Qualifications:

The functional duties of the VETAC Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS) are as follows:

Establish referencing of International framework with QFEmirates

Evaluate and validate vocational and professional qualifications issued by training institutions and foreign VET awarding bodies.

Determine the level of the qualification

Determine the type of qualification – Knowledge and Skills based or Knowledge, Skills and Application based qualifications

Determine the size of the qualification in terms of hours

Maintain data of recognised overseas vocational qualifications, awarding bodies and institutions

Working with international organisations to ensure best procedural practice and to maintain currency of appropriate standards.

Preparing regular statistical reports for the NQA and relevant external agencies and authorities.

The Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS) will be responsible for the Recognition of:

certificated vocational qualifications and awardsfrom country with a framework

certificated vocational qualifications and awards from country without a framework

employer recognised vocational and professional qualifications

Note: only those certificated awards that are at least at Component Award credit volume (number of hours required) and above will be considered for recognition (See Annexure G in Qualifications Framework for the UAE Handbook for details. e.g. 2 credits (30 hours) at Level 1 or 5 credits (75 hours) at level 5).

The Qualification Framework (QF) Handbook is available at

For more information about the qualifications framework, you can also visit the NQA website:

6.VETAC Evaluation Committee (EC)

The VETAC Evaluation Committee (EC) of EVS will research each submitted case, file and produce a report. In some cases it will be necessary to consult with experts in the field who are familiar with the subject specialism and related training qualifications. In such cases the expert(s) will be provided with the complete case file and preliminary report from the EVS. The reported recommendation from the EVS, expert(s) and VETAC Secretariat will be presented to the Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC) for consideration and endorsement.

Evaluation Committee (EC) is chaired by NQA/VETAC

Members: Representative of NQA, Awarding Bodies and invited related employers and stakeholders

Functional Responsibilities for Recognition of Qualifications:

Research information over international qualification databases

Evaluate qualifications in terms of level and size in terms of hours required

Recommend level and size (number of hours required)

Issue recommendation to VES

7.Awarding Bodies

An entity, entitled through legislation or other formal mandate from a regulatory authority, to approve under its remit, the development and issuing of qualifications formally recognising the achievements of a given parcel of endorsed learning outcomes.

An Awarding Body in the UAE is recognised by the National Qualification Authority (NQA) and the Vocational Education and Training Awards Council (VETAC). An Awarding Body licenses eligible organisations as Registered Training Providers (RTP) to deliver NQA endorsed qualifications that are recognised across the UAE. Awarding Body monitors RTPs and ensures compliance with VETAC Quality Assurance Standards for the Registration (QASR) of Training Providers guidelines.

Through the Awarding Bodies, VETAC regulates and quality assures the writing and registration of qualifications and awards that are:

written to meet local industry standards

written in response to a government directive

adopted, adapted and contextualisedwith approval from international Awarding Bodies for local use

submitted by an Awarding Body to confirm alignment to the UAE National Qualifications Framework, the QFEmirates.

Functional Responsibilities for Recognition of Qualifications:

Awarding bodies will act as the first point of contact to apply for the Recognition of qualification.

Awarding body will coordinate with VES and VETAC to recognise the qualification.

License international Awarding Organisations operating in their jurisdiction

Accept and process applications for the recognition of qualification

Authenticate certificates

Collect fees from the applicant

Conduct the recognition process for recognised qualifications in the bank

Issue statement of recognition for the qualifications that are recognised in the UAE.

8.Process of Recognition of a Qualification

9.Conditions for Qualifications

It is necessary to establish criteria for the determination of the qualifications that will be considered for ‘Recognition’ by the VETAC and those that are currently considered for ‘Recognition’ by the UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Conditions of Ineligibility

TheEvaluation and Validation Services (EVS) will not accept applications for recognition that:

are not explicitly vocational or professional in nature.

have already been subject to an recognition/equivalency statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, or other government authority in the UAE

are not presented as a legally authenticated and attested copy of the original qualification certificate

are incomplete in terms of information within fields of the Application Form or in relation to requested documentation

NQA Recognition Guidelines 2015 v3_10.05.2015 Page | 1

10.Criteria for Recognition

During the recognition evaluation, the foreign qualification is assessed against the following features:

Types of qualification

Type 1: Accredited VET Qualifications from country with a framework

Type 2: Professional Qualifications

Type 3: VET Qualifications from countries without framework

Essential components of the training program (learning outcomes, performance criteria and mode of delivery)

Overall structure of the program with respect to learning outcomes, performance criteria

Mode of delivery - face-to-face instruction, any distance learning components or other learning strategies

Inclusion of work placements and dissertations

In the context of vocational qualifications, the inclusion of work-based learning elements and assessment in the workplace. In high level programs the inclusion of dissertations and supervision arrangements

Characteristics and structure of the foreign educational/training system

Regulatory system within the country of origin pertaining to vocational and professional qualifications and awards

Level and outcomes of the qualification (Reference Framework Applied)

Evidence of any prior determinations of Level within a defined qualification framework and consideration of qualification learning outcomes with respect to QFEmirates level descriptors

Standing of the institution (Licensure/Institutional Accreditation, world ranking, professional body accreditation, and other endorsements of quality)

Credentials of the issuing institution within country and internationally

Student workload (credit hours)

Credit hours and the system used to define credits in relation to the Credit Matrix defined for Levels within QFEmirates

Conditions for admission to the training program and any relevant professional experience.

Admission requirements in relation to prior qualifications and experience

The EVS also has a responsibility to verify the authenticity of documents and to ensure that the applicant is the relevant party.

The NQA/VETAC requires an electronic submission when the online system is fully functional, and in the interim period will request one printed copy and one electronic submission.

11.Applying for Recognition

By completing the Application Form for Recognition of Qualifications (Attachment 1), you are applying to the National Qualifications Authority (NQA) for the Recognition of your overseas qualification or award, delivered overseas or in the UAE, to be confirmed at a designated Level within the UAE’s National Qualifications Framework, the QFEmirates.

The Statement of Recognition (Attachment 2) that will be issued on successful completion of this process will indicate the Level of the qualification/award in relation to the outcome descriptors in QFEmirates. It will also indicate the size of the qualification in terms of number of hours delivered. On this basis the qualification holder will be able to apply to institutions in the UAE for further education and training programs at the appropriate level and discipline field, or use the determination for employment purposes.

The Statement may form an important component of a process for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to be carried out in conjunction with an NQA-authorised RPL Centre (see NQA website for further information on RPL). Institutions, training providers and employers will be assured by the Statement of Equivalency from the NQA that the qualification or award is valid and meets local standards and designated level.

The Evaluation and Validation Services (EVS) will only consider completed and certified qualifications and awards.

All Applications for Recognition submitted to the Awarding Bodies will be acknowledged in an email within five (5) working days of receipt. The determination of recognition and issuing of the formal statement will take varying periods of time depending on the responsiveness of the overseas institutions and authorities (normally a response from overseas would be expected in 23 weeks). The status of the Application can be checked by contacting the Awarding Body’s personnel through email or telephone:

For Abu Dhabi and Northern Emirates:

Qualifications,

Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET)

Address: P.O. Box 108800, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Phone: +9712 6132110

Fax: +9712 6132111

Email:

For Dubai:

Qualifications and Awards in Dubai,

Knowledge and Human Development Authority

Address: P.O. Box 500008, Dhabi, UAE

Phone: +9714 364 0000or 800 KHDA (5432)

Fax: +9714 364 0001

Email:

Attachment 1: Application Form for Qualification Recognition

COMPLETE A SEPARATE FORM FOR EACH QUALIFICATION

Type of Qualification  Type 1: Accredited VET Qualifications from country with a framework

Framework:

Country:

Type 2: Professional Qualifications