1.  Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish a structured, transparent, and rigorous validation process for all new academic programmes at National College of Ireland (NCI). Programme validation ensures that all new offerings meet institutional, national, and regulatory quality assurance standards before they are delivered to learners.

This policy ensures that:

• Programme validation follows a structured approval process, including independent evaluation, regulatory submission, and alignment with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and institutional requirements.
• All programmes are evaluated for academic integrity, viability, and compliance with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
• Stakeholder engagement, independent evaluation, and regulatory compliance are embedded in the validation process.
• NCI exercises its devolved responsibility for programme validation in accordance with its delegated authority while ensuring all programmes receive final external validation from QQI.

This policy assumes that all programmes have undergone feasibility assessment, stakeholder consultation, and institutional approval as part of programme development (Programme Development Policy).

2.  Scope

This policy applies to:

• The formal validation process for new programmes after the development phase.
• Approval mechanisms, documentation requirements, and compliance with external awarding body criteria.
• Procedures for validation panels, independent evaluation, and regulatory submissions.
• Validation of all NCI programmes, including those delivered through transnational education arrangements, QQI-validated micro-credentials developed as special purpose awards.
• Professional programmes that do not lead to QQI or other awarding body validation are not covered under this policy but must follow internal approval procedures outlined in the Policy on Programme Development.

This policy does NOT apply to:

• The initial development of a programme (see Programme Development Policy).
• Annual programme review or continuous monitoring (see Programme Review Policiy).
• Establishing and approving transnational or collaborative validation agreements which are managed separately through the Policy on Collaborative Provision and Academic Partnerships.

3.  Policy Statement

NCI is committed to a rigorous and structured validation process that ensures all new programmes meet academic, institutional, and external quality standards. Programme validation follows a structured approval process, including independent evaluation, regulatory submission, and alignment with QQI and institutional requirements. 

This Policy should be read alongside the Programme Validation Procedure.

3.1.  Validation Process Overview

Programme validation at NCI ensures that all new academic programmes meet regulatory, institutional, and stakeholder requirements before being delivered. This process safeguards academic standards, maintains compliance with QQI and other awarding body criteria, and ensures programme sustainability.

All new programmes at NCI must undergo formal validation before they can be delivered. This includes micro-credentials developed as special purpose awards. Where appropriate, QQI may conduct a streamlined or desk-based review. These programmes are typically validated for a maximum of three years.

This includes:

• Internal Validation: A structured academic review conducted by the Academic Programmes and Quality Committee (APQC) to ensure alignment with NCI’s strategic priorities, national qualification frameworks, and quality assurance standards.
• Independent Evaluation: Where appropriate, the APQC may request additional internal or external input from subject-matter experts to assess programme coherence, learning outcomes, assessment methods, and resource adequacy.
• Regulatory Submission: A formal application to QQI or other relevant bodies, ensuring compliance with national and international higher education standards.
• Approval and Implementation: Final approval, after any required conditions are met, allowing for programme launch and integration into the academic portfolio.

Programme validation is a critical governance process, ensuring that all new programmes are designed to:

• Maintain academic integrity and meet defined minimum intended programme learning outcomes (MIPLOs).
• Align with QQI validation policies, sectoral standards, and professional accreditation requirements where applicable.
• Demonstrate viability in terms of learner demand, market relevance, and institutional capacity.
• Incorporate learner, industry, and external stakeholder feedback to ensure programme quality and sustainability.

3.2. Internal Validation Requirements

Before any programme proceeds to external validation, it must first undergo internal validation to ensure academic integrity, institutional alignment, and regulatory compliance. This internal process provides an initial quality assurance checkpoint, ensuring that only well-developed and robust programme proposals are submitted for external review.

All programmes seeking validation must:

Align with National and Institutional Standards

• Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) must be mapped to the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
• The programme must adhere to QQI validation policies or other relevant awarding body requirements.
• The structure, curriculum, and assessment strategy must support the achievement of Minimum Intended Programme Learning Outcomes (MIPLOs).
• Micro-credentials must be aligned with QQI’s definition of special purpose awards and follow the requirements set out in QQI’s 2024 Guidance for Micro-Credentials, including scope (5–30 ECTS), purpose, and standalone integrity.

Undergo Internal Review and Approval

• Internal validation is conducted by the Academic Programmes and Quality Committee (APQC). The Committee evaluates the academic case for the programme, including curriculum coherence, academic integrity, alignment with QQI requirements, and strategic fit.
• Where necessary, the APQC may consult additional internal or external academic experts to support its review.
• Conditions or recommendations set by the APQC must be addressed prior to submission for external validation.

Demonstrate Resource Feasibility

• The programme team must confirm that sufficient teaching staff, facilities, digital infrastructure, and learner supports are in place.
• Programmes delivered in blended or online modes must be developed in consultation with the Teaching Enhancement Unit and comply with the Policy on Blended and Online Learning Programmes. Where asynchronous delivery is proposed, the Asynchronous Learning Development Policy must also be followed.
• Validation documents must detail the digital infrastructure, learner support, and staff training needed to ensure quality and compliance with assessment and accessibility requirements.
• Apprenticeship and work-based learning programmes must align with sectoral and employer requirements.

Include Stakeholder Consultation

• The programme must show evidence of engagement with academic staff, industry partners, professional bodies, learners, and alumni to ensure its relevance and sustainability.
• Where applicable, feedback from accrediting and professional bodies must be incorporated into programme design.

Once internal validation is complete, the programme may proceed to external validation

3.3. Devolved Responsibility for Programme Validation

As part of its delegated authority, NCI holds devolved responsibility for programme validation, allowing it to appoint and manage Independent Evaluation Panels (IEPs) before submission to QQI for external validation. This ensures that programmes meet academic, regulatory, and institutional quality standards before formal external approval.

All validated programmes, regardless of whether they fall under devolved responsibility or standard validation routes, must be submitted to QQI for external validation before they can be delivered.

3.3.1. Scope of Devolved Responsibility

Devolved responsibility applies only to programmes where NCI has been granted authority to manage the initial independent evaluation process, specifically:

• Taught NFQ Level 6-9 programmes in:
  • Business
  • Computing
  • Psychology (excluding clinical psychology)
  • Education
• Devolved responsibility does not apply to:
  • First-time collaborative provision, where no prior agreement exists.
  • Transnational programmes in new locations.
  • Programmes leading to joint awards, which require additional regulatory oversight.
  • Statutory Apprenticeship programmes, which follow a distinct validation framework​

3.3.2. Independent Evaluation Panel (IEP) Requirements

For programmes under devolved responsibility, an Independent Evaluation Panel (IEP) is convened by NCI prior to submission to QQI.

The QIE Office manages panel formation and ensures compliance with:

• QQI’s Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Declaration.
• Guidelines for Independent Evaluation Panel Composition.

The IEP must include:

• One external academic expert in the programme discipline.
• One industry/professional sector representative, where applicable.
• An independent chairperson, responsible for oversight.
• A report writer, to ensure alignment with QQI validation criteria.

3.4. External Validation of Programmes

All new programmes at NCI must undergo formal external validation to ensure compliance with national academic standards, regulatory requirements, and institutional quality assurance frameworks. External validation is conducted by QQI or another relevant awarding body and is required for all programmes, including those that have undergone an Independent Evaluation Panel (IEP) review under devolved responsibility.

3.4.1. Submission to QQI or Other Awarding Bodies

External validation is the final step before a programme can be offered to learners. The QIE Office is responsible for managing the submission process, ensuring that:

• The programme documentation is complete and meets all QQI submission criteria.
• Any conditions or recommendations from an Independent Evaluation Panel (IEP) under devolved responsibility have been fully addressed. For programmes under devolved responsibility, the Independent Evaluation Report (IER) is submitted to QQI for review before final validation approval is granted
• The Programme Director and Dean have approved the submission for external validation.
• Stakeholder consultation, industry relevance, and resource availability are fully documented.

3.4.2. Final Approval and Programme Implementation

• QQI (or the relevant awarding body) will conduct its own external validation panel review before granting approval.
• If conditions are set by the external validation panel, these must be addressed before formal approval is issued.
• No programme may be delivered until external validation is confirmed and recorded in the institutional quality assurance system.

3.5. Handling of Validation Outcomes

The validation process may result in one of three possible outcomes: full approval, conditional approval, or rejection. This section outlines how each outcome is managed to ensure programme quality, regulatory compliance, and institutional oversight.

3.5.1. Full Approval

If a programme receives full approval from QQI or another awarding body, it may proceed to implementation. Before the programme is delivered:

• The QIE Office ensures the validation documentation is recorded in the institutional quality assurance system.
• The programme is added to the academic portfolio and scheduled for delivery in alignment with institutional planning.
• Any additional accreditation, professional body recognition, or funding approvals are confirmed where applicable.

3.5.2. Conditional Approval

If a programme is approved with conditions, NCI must address the specified requirements before full approval is granted.

• The programme team, under the direction of the Programme Director, must submit a formal response detailing how conditions have been met.
• The QIE Office oversees the process and ensures all changes are implemented in compliance with QQI’s validation criteria.
• Once conditions are met, a final confirmation of approval is issued by QQI or the awarding body.
• The programme may not be delivered until all conditions are satisfied and approval is confirmed.

3.5.3. Rejection or Requirement for Major Revisions

If a programme is not approved, or if QQI requires significant revisions before reconsideration, NCI follows a structured approach:

• The QIE Office and Programme Director conduct a post-validation review to analyse the feedback and identify key areas requiring revision.
• A revision plan is developed in consultation with academic leadership and relevant stakeholders.
• The programme may be:
  • Re-submitted for validation after substantial revision, following the internal and external validation processes.
  • Withdrawn from consideration, if strategic priorities or feasibility concerns arise.

If a programme validation outcome is disputed or if an applicant seeks to appeal a validation outcome, NCI follows the Procedure for Handling Disputes & Failed Validation Outcomes (SOP) to ensure transparency and fair resolution.

3.6. Governance and Oversight

The Programme Validation Process at NCI is governed by institutional structures that ensure quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and strategic oversight. These governance mechanisms ensure that all validation activities align with national standards and institutional policies.

3.6.1. Institutional Governance Responsibilities

• The Academic Programmes and Quality Committee (APQC) provides academic oversight of all programme validation processes. The Committee is responsible for reviewing the academic case for each programme and ensuring alignment with NCI’s strategic priorities, QQI validation policies, and institutional quality assurance standards.
• The QIE Office manages the internal validation process and supports the work of the APQC. It coordinates validation events and ensures that all submissions to QQI or other awarding bodies are compliant with regulatory and procedural requirements.
• The Programme Lifecycle Manager supports validation planning and ensures that programme timelines align with institutional intake cycles, staffing readiness, and strategic roll-out.
• Programme teams, led by the Programme Director and Dean, are responsible for preparing validation documentation, ensuring alignment with national qualifications frameworks, and responding to any conditions or recommendations arising from the internal or external validation process.

3.6.2. External Validation Governance

• QQI conducts external validation reviews to assess programme quality and compliance before final approval is granted.
• Independent Evaluation Panels (IEPs), convened under NCI’s devolved responsibility, ensure an impartial review before submission to QQI.
• Collaborations, transnational provision, or joint awards require additional regulatory oversight, in accordance with QQI policies.

4.  Roles and Responsibilities

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