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II SÉRIE-A — NÚMERO 44

intended to be used in qualifying for certification under the Convention, should have a full understanding of the assessment system, assessment methods and practice.

SECTION B-I/7

Guidance regarding communication Of information

Reports of difficulties encountered

Parties are requested to include in the reports required by regulation 1/7 an indication of any relevant guidance contained in part B of this Code, the observance of which has been found to be impracticable.

SECTION B-I/8 Guidance regarding quality standards

1 — In applying quality standards under the provisions of regulation 1/8 and section A-I/8 to the administration of its certification system, each Party should take account of existing national or international models, and incorporate the following key elements:

1)' An expressed policy regarding quality and the means by which such policy is to be implemented;

2) A quality system incorporating the organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources necessary for quality management;

3) The operational techniques and activities to ensure quality control;

4) Systematic monitoring arrangements including internal quality assurance evaluations, to ensure that all defined objectives are being achieved; and

5) Arrangements for periodic external quality evaluations as described in the following paragraphs.

2 — In establishing such quality standards for the administration of their national certification system, Administrations should seek to ensure that the arrangements adopted:

1) Are sufficiently flexible to enable the certification system to take account of the varying needs of the industry, and that they facilitate and encourage the application of new technology;

2) Cover all the administrative matters that give effect to the various provisions of the Convention, in particular regulations 1/2 to 1/15 and other provisions which enable the Administration to grant certificates of service and dispensations and to withdraw, cancel and suspend certificates;

3) Encompass the Administration's responsibilities for approving training and assessment at all levels, from undergraduate-type coursés and updating courses for certificates of competency to short courses of vocational training; and

4) Incorporate arrangements for the internal quality assurance reviews under subparagraph 1.4) involving a comprehensive self-study of the administrative procedures, at all levels, in order to measure achievement of defined objectives and to provide the basis for the independent external evaluation required under section A-l/8, paragraph 3.

Quality standards model for assessment of knowledge, understanding, skills and competence

3 — The quality standards model for assessment of knowledge, understanding, skills and competence should

incorporate the recommendations of this section within the general framework of either:

1) A national scheme for education and training accreditation or quality standards; or

2) An alternative quality standards mode) acceptable to the Organization.

4 — The above quality standards model should incorporate-.

1) A quality policy, including a commitment by the training institution or unit to the achievement of its stated aims and objectives, and to the consequential recognition by the relevant accrediting or quality standards authority;

2) Those quality management functions that determine and implement the quality policy, relating to aspects of the work which impinge on the quality of what is provided, including provisions for determining progression within a course or programme;

3) Quality system coverage, where appropriate, of the • academic and administrative organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and the resources of staff and equipment;

4) The quality control functions to be applied at all levels to the teaching, training, examination and assessment activities, and to their organization and implementation, in order to ensure their fitness for their purpose and the achievement of their defined objectives;

5) The internal quality assurance processes and reviews which monitor the extent to which the institution, or training unit, is achieving the objectives of the programmes it delivers, and is effectively monitoring the quality control procedures which it employs; and

6) The arrangements made for periodic external quality evaluations required under regulation 1/8, paragraph 2) and described in the following paragraphs, for which the outcome of the quality assurance reviews forms the basis and starting point.

5 — In establishing quality standards for education,

training and assessment programmes, the organizations responsible for implementing these programmes should take account of the following:

1) Where provisions exist for established national accredition, or education quality standards, such provisions should be utilized for courses incorporating the knowledge and understanding requirements of the Convention. The quality standards should be applied to both management and operational levels of the activity, and should take account of how it is managed, organized, undertaken and evaluated, in order to ensure that the identified goals are achieved;

2) Where acquisition of a particular skill or accomplishment of a designated task is the primary objective, the quality standards should take account of whether real or simulated equipment is utilized for this purpose, and of the appropriateness of the qualifications and experience of the assessors, in order to ensure achievement of the set standards;

3) The internal quality assurance evaluations should involve a comprehensive self-study of the programme, at all levels, to monitor achievement of defined objectives through the application of quality standards. These quality assurance reviews should address the planning, design, presentation and evaluation of programmes as well as the teaching, learning and communication activities. The outcome provides the basis for the indepen-