International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2017, pp. 199202, 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 SQAs 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. 199202.
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.

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 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.

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 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 qualifications 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.

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 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 SQAs 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

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