Consultancy to Design, Develop and Implement a National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

Detailed description of project Back

A critical challenge that faces Barbados is the development of a competent workforce that can compete in a fierce global environment. A well-structured educational system will enable individual and professional development, boost productivity, enhance competitiveness, and promote innovation and entrepreneurial activity. As all human resource development objectives are inter-related, it is appropriate to utilise a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as the foundation on which to build, enable, and facilitate the development of individuals through lifelong learning. Barbados already has in place several of the necessary components of a NQF. The major activities are facilitated through the work of the Technical Vocational Education and Training Council, and the Barbados Accreditation Council, with support from a number of educational delivery entities.

The objective of this consultancy is to design, develop, and implement an integrated, internationally comparable, credit and standards-based National Qualifications Framework.

The specific objectives are three fold:

• Design, develop and implement an integrated, internationally comparable credit and standards-based, National Qualification Framework; develop the Quality Assurance Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines; develop Validation Policies, Systems, and Procedures and an Operations Procedures Manual; Develop a Five-Year Implementation Plan, Promotion and Communication Plan and Monitoring and Evaluation Plan;
• Conduct an Institutional Assessment of the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) to determine its technical and administrative capacity to deliver the NQF; assess the BAC’s legislation to determine its effectiveness for the successful implementation of the NQF and develop a Five-Year Implementation Strategy;
• Collaborate with the consultants for the National Qualifications Register to ensure alignment with the National Qualifications Framework.

Type of services provided

PROMAN provides the services of a Senior National Qualifications Expert /Team Leader and Cambridge Education provides the services of a Senior Quality Assurance Expert and a Junior Training Expert who deliver:

• A National Qualifications Framework for Barbados;
• A Unified System of Credits for the NQF;
• Quality Assurance Policies, Procedures and Guidelines;
• An Operations and Procedures Manual for the NQF – including Validation Policies, Systems, and Procedures for the NQF;
• A Five-Year Operationalization Plan for the NQF;
• A Five-Year Promotion and Communications Plan for the NQF;
• A Five-Year Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the NQF;
• An Institutional Audit Report on the BAC’s capacity to efficiently and effectively deliver the NQF;
• A brief Assessment Report on the BAC legislation for the operationalization of the NQF;
• A Professional Development Plan for the BAC Staff for the NQF management of the NQF;
• A Change Management Strategy for the implementation of the NQF.

PROMAN shares responsibility for managing, backstopping and provision of quality control.