National Bodies for Education

The National bodies in Ireland are those groups who have the power to give you a qualification in order to recognize your learning. There are a many national awarding bodies in Ireland that have their awards included in the Framework.

The main function of the State Examinations Commission is the assessment, accreditation, development and certification of the second-level examinations of the Irish state, i.e. the Leaving Certificate and the Junior Certificate. The State Examinations Commission or SEC is a non-departmental public body under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland.

The Further Education and Training Award Council (FETAC) was functioning as the national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland. The awards by FETAC were included in the Framework from Levels 1 to 6. The FETAC awards are now made by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

It was a national awarding body for higher education and training.  The awards by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council are included in the Framework from levels 6 to 10. The HETAC awards are now made by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

Institutes of Technology Ireland or IOTI is the representative body for all the thirteen of Ireland’s Institutes of Technology, that are recognized as a major success story in Irish education. The Institutes of Technology operates as a unique system in which they allow students to progress from their two year (associate degree programmes) through a primary degree to the Masters and then a PhD. The Institutes of Technology in Ireland make their own awards at specified levels under delegated authority from HETAC.

For latest updates see official website of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) www.qqi.ie