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Framework for Qualification Standards in Higher Education 2013

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Page 1: Framework Qualification Standards · 5.1 NQF level descriptors 12 5.2 The HEQSF 13 5.3 HEQC accreditation of programmes 14 ... type and the student achievements that are evidence

Framework for

Qualification Standards

in Higher Education

2013

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Contents

Abbreviations 2

1. Introduction 3

1.1 Legislative background 3

1.2 Standards development in the context of quality assurance 4

2. Standards in higher education 5

2.1Qualificationstandards 6

3. Principles and characteristics of standards in higher education 7

4. What can, and cannot, be expected of standards 9

5. Standards in the context of related higher education frameworks 11

5.1 NQF level descriptors 12

5.2 The HEQSF 13

5.3 HEQC accreditation of programmes 14

5.4 Professional body approval/registration 14

6. Mapping qualification standards 15

7. What do qualification standards address? 18

8. How are qualification standards expressed? 21

8.1 Learning contexts and tuition modes 22

8.2 Work-intergated learning 22

8.3 Articulation 23

8.4 Duration 23

9. How many layers should standards address? 24

9.1 Layers 24

9.2Qualificationtypesandvariants 25

9.3Designatorsandfields 26

9.4Standardsforsub-fields(qualifierswithinthesamedesignators) 27

10. How will this approach affect higher education institutions? 28

11. The way forward 28

Annexure A 30

Annexure B 33

Annexure C 38

References 40

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Abbreviations

CESM ClassificationofEducationalofSubjectMatter

CHE Council on Higher Education

DHET Department of Higher Education and Training

HEQC Higher Education Quality Committee

HEQF HigherEducationQualificationsFramework

HEQSF HigherEducationQualificationsSub-Framework

NQF NationalQualificationsFramework

PQM ProgrammeandQualificationMix

QC Quality Council

QCTO Quality Council for Trades and Occupations

SAQA SouthAfricanQualificationAuthority

SGB Standards Generating Body

WIL Work-IntegratedLearning

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1. Introduction

1.1 Legislative background

IntermsoftheHigherEducationAct(no.101of1997)andtheHigherEducationAmendmentAct(no.39of2008),theCouncilonHigherEducation(CHE)isresponsibleforqualityassuranceforhighereducation,andforimplementationoftheHigherEducationQualificationsSub-Framework(HEQSF).

TheHEQSF,inturn,assignstotheCHEtheresponsibilityfordevelopingstandardsforallhighereducationqualifications.

The development of standards is an important element in contributing to the successful implementation of the HEQF, as standards provide benchmarks to guide the development, implementation and quality assurance of programmes leading to qualifications. Standards registered for higher education qualifications must have legitimacy, credibility and a common, well-understood meaning.

(HEQSF,asrevised,January2013)

This approach emphasises the notion that standards are envisaged as developmental guidesforprogrammedesignanddelivery,ratherthanasrigidinstrumentsforregulatingcompliance.Ittakesintoaccountthecharacteristicsthatoughttoinfluencetheprocessasitunfolds,ifitistoberegardedbyallinterestedpartiesasbeingbeneficialtothehighereducationsector.ItiswithinthiscontextthattheCHEproceedswithitsmandate.

AstheQualityCouncil(QC)forhighereducation,theCHEisrequired–takingintoaccountthefunctionsoftheSouthAfricanQualificationsAuthority(SAQA)–toproduceandimplementpolicyandcriteriaforthedevelopment,registrationandpublicationofqualifications,andtorecommendtoSAQAqualificationsforregistration(NationalQualificationsFramework(NQF)Act,no.67of2008).Qualificationstandardscompriseacoreaspectofthisprocess.While, in terms of the NQF Act, SAQA will register higher education qualifications onlyon recommendation of the relevant QC (the CHE), the actual relationship between thedevelopment of standards for qualification types and the SAQA registration of specificqualificationsawardedbyinstitutions,requiresfurtherunpacking.

TheCHEroleinthedevelopmentofstandardsneedsclarification.TheCHEitselfhasneithertheintentionnorthecapacitytodevelopstandardsonitsown.Theactualdevelopmentwillbedonebyexpertpeergroupsdrawnfrominstitutionsandfieldsofstudyorprofessions,coordinatedbytheCHEonthebasisofaframeworkapprovedbytheCouncil.ExpertpeergroupswillcomprisecommunitiesofpracticethatwillbeauthorisedbytheCHEtoperformthese tasks.

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1.2 Standards development in the context of quality assurance

The role of the CHE as the QC for higher education means that its responsibility for standards shouldproceedalongsideitsotherstatutoryresponsibilitiesintheareasofqualityassurance,includingtheaccreditationandre-accreditationofprogrammes,institutionalreviews,andnationalreviewsoffieldsofstudy.ThecoexistenceofalltheseresponsibilitiesinthesamebodyputstheCHEinaprivilegedpositiontoadvancetheobjectivesoftheNQFwithinthehigher education system. The model for standards presented here takes cognisance of someofthecomplexitiesanddifficultiesexperiencedintheimplementationoftheHEQSFinrelation,forexample,totheprogrammeaccreditationaspectofthequalityassurancefunction. In themselves, standards do not constitute an additional mechanism of qualitycontrol.Theirroleistoprovidebenchmarks,agreedonbyacademicexperts,toinformandguidethedesign,approvaland,whererequired,theimprovementofprogrammesleadingtotheawardofqualifications.

TheNQFdistinguishesveryclearlybetweenthevariousqualityassuranceandstandards-setting roles of the three QCs: the CHE, the Quality Council forTrades and Occupations(QCTO),andUmalusi(QCfortheGeneralandFurtherEducationandTraining(GETandFET)bands),whichwilleachperformtheirdutieswithintheparametersoftheirsub-qualificationframeworks.TheNQFActproposesthatthereshouldbearticulationbetweentheseSub-Frameworks.Inotherwords,therehastobecoherencebetweenthestandardsestablishedatcorrespondinglevelsoftheSub-Frameworks.Atthesametime,thereisalikelihoodthateachQCwillneedtoadoptanapproachtostandardsthatfitswellwithitsparticularareaofjurisdictionanditsparticularneeds.

Theapproachesmaynotbeidenticalinallrespects.Therewillbedifferencesinthemethodsofgeneratingstandards.Forexample,whereasprescribingqualificationspecificationsandverifyingthequalityofexternalexaminationsaresignificantwaysofestablishingstandardsfortheGETandFET,inhighereducationtheseaspectsofqualityassurancearemuchmoreappropriately left to the institutions themselves.

The approach of the CHE to standards development is regarded as appropriate for higher education,andforitsSub-FrameworkintheNQF.Standardsdevelopmentisanecessaryaspect of implementation of the HEQSF. One of its aims is to enhance public perceptions of consistencybetweensimilarqualificationsofferedbydifferentinstitutionsandindifferentfieldsofstudy.Theaimofastandardistostateanagreedpurposeunderlyingaqualificationtype and the student achievements that are evidence of the purpose being attained. The standardstateswhataprogrammeleadingtothequalificationtypeintendstoachieveandhowwecanestablishthatithasbeenachieved.Thiswouldassureanationallyagreedandinternationallycomparablefitnessforpurpose.

Standardsaimtoprovideinstitutionswithbenchmarksforqualificationsthatmaybeusedforinternalqualityassuranceaswellasexternalcomparison.ForHEQCqualityassurance,standardswillbepartofthecriteriausedintheprocess.Forexample,astandardprovides

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thespecificqualification-typecontextinwhichaccreditationCriterion1willbeappliedtoinstitutional programmes.

PlanningbytheCHEforhighereducationstandardsgoesbackanumberofyears,atleasttothepublicationinJuly2004bytheerstwhileDepartmentofEducationofadraftHEQFforpubliccomment.Overthelastfewyears,therehasbeenlimitedprogressingivingeffecttotheroleofstandardsdevelopment,duelargelytoaneedforconfirmationoftheallocationofdedicatedfundingandtoclarificationoftheorganisationalstructureandcorefunctionsofaStandardsDirectoratetoensurealignmentwiththeCouncil’smandate,asprovidedforbytheNQFandtheHEQF.Theissuesoffunding,structureandfunctionshavesincebeenaddressed,andtheCHEisreadytoproceedwithitsstandardsdevelopmentmandate.

2. Standards in higher education

Thenotionofstandardsforhighereducationqualificationsisnothingnew.Institutionshavealwaysappliedtheirowninternalmeansofmaintainingstandards.Themeansarevaried;they range from requirements for admission into a qualification, to the maintenance ofstaff-studentratiosthatareappropriateforeffectiveteachingandassessment,tovalorisinga hierarchy for the measure of student success (for example, first, second, third classpasses).Probablythemostrelied-onmeansofassuringparityofstandardsisthesystemof external examination, in which peers from other institutions validate the assessmentinstrumentsandthegradingofstudentachievement intheirdisciplines(althoughrarelyacrossqualificationsasawhole).

These means, when diligently practised, have considerable value in establishing andmaintaining standards for higher education. However, their main limitation is that theyareinstitutionallycontrolledandlocalised.Theirefficacyacrosstheentiresector,andforallcomparablequalificationsofferedbythesector,assumesabsoluteparitybetweenallinstitutionsinthewaysinwhichqualitycriteriaareapplied,andthelevelsatwhichtheyareapplied.Themainaimofanationalsetofstandards,asmandatedtotheCHE,isnottodisplaceexisting,internalmeansofqualitycontroloverqualifications,buttoprovideforanagreedmatrixofbenchmarksagainstwhichinstitutionalassessmentcriteriaandawardscan be evaluated.

Historically,highereducationstandardshavebeentheprerogativeofdisciplinaryexpertgroups. The CHE approach to standards does not intend to minimise the influence ofdisciplinaryexpertise.However,suchgroupshaveexertedtheirinfluenceonthecontent,assessment criteria and outcomes of qualifications in their fields without necessarilycomparingthemwithsimilaraspectsofequivalentqualificationsawardedinotherfields.Thishasresulted,atleastpartially,inadisciplinaryatomisationofqualificationstandards.Thereislittleifanyevidencetodemonstratethatthestandardsthatareapplied,forexample,toamaster’sdegreeinmedicine,arecomparabletothestandardsrequiredforamaster’sdegreeinbusinessadministration,orthatthestandardsforadiplomainsomatologyare

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comparable to those for a diploma in electronic engineering, despite the fact that theyaspire to the same generic outcomes described by the NQF level descriptors.

Whileacknowledgingresponsibilityforreachingclearly-definedstandardsenvisagedbytheCHEmandate,thisFrameworkemphasisesthedevelopmentalaspectoftheprocess,takingintoaccountthemanyconceptualandcontextual issuesthatareassociatedwiththeformulationofnationallyagreedandappliedhighereducationqualificationstandards.The Framework proposes that the development of standards is an on-going processaddressing a multiplicity of complex principles and involving a variety of interested parties. It is a process fundamentally different from the notion of a singular once-off ‘setting’which,while itmaybeappropriatetothestabilisationofconcreteinphysicalstructures,isarguablylessappropriateforhighereducationstandards.TheCHEtaskis,furthermore,distinguishedfromtherolethathasbeenplayedbystandardsgeneratingbodies(SGBs)under the auspices of SAQA.

For these reasons, the term ‘development’ is used in preference to either ‘setting’ or‘generation’. The development of standards needs to take into account a number offundamentalissues,includingthefollowing:what‘standards’meaninthepublicimagination,theextenttowhich‘standards’forhighereducationqualificationsaresimilarto,ordepartfrom, notions of ‘standards’ as they are applied in other domains, and the capacity ofhighereducation‘standards’toplayameaningfulrolenotonlyinestablishingbenchmarksfor assuring quality, but also in developing quality in the sector, while recognising thefundamental importance of higher education institutions to promote their own internalprocesses of quality assurance.

2.1 Qualification standards

Thereacleardistinctionsbetweenqualificationstandards(whichtheCHEaimstodevelop)and other fundamentally different kinds of standards sometimes employed by highereducation, for example, content standards, teaching and learning standards, standardsfortheassessmentofstudentachievement,andstandardsforinstitutionalperformance.A qualification standard is largely determined by the purpose and characteristics of aqualificationtype.Itisagenericstatementofthelearningdomains,thelevelofachievementand the graduate attributes that characterise and are required for the award of thequalification.

As generic statements of achievement, qualification standards apply to all programmesleadingtotheawardofthequalificationtype.Giventherangeanddiversityofknowledgefields, disciplines and professions that comprise higher education, and their distinctiveblends of learning domains and required achievements, itwill be necessary for genericqualification-type standards to be interpreted, articulated and applied according to theparticularcharacterofthefield,disciplineorprofession.TheCouncilwill, inconsultationwithrelevantacademicsand,whererelevant,professionalexperts,developthesespecificapplications.Inprinciple,theywillbeorganisedinlinewiththeClassificationofEducationSubject Matter (CESM) categories (Department of Education, 2008). Selection of fields

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and disciplines for the development of field- and discipline-specific standards is at thediscretionoftheCHE,afterconsultationwiththehighereducationsector.AnexplanationofthemaintermsusedintheFramework,relatingtoqualificationstandards,is included as Annexure B.

3. Principles and characteristics of standards in higher education

Qualificationstandardsshouldbeinfluencedbyanumberofprinciples(CHE,2006).

• Theyfosterandprovideacentralroleforcommunitiesofpractice,inthatthepreferredorigins of standards are expert groups of peers representing knowledge fields anddisciplines. While the standards authority, the CHE, must assure the embodimentof constitutional values and mediate between diverse influences and expectationsemanating variously from the higher education sector, the state, the marketplaceandcivilsociety,groundingstandardsincommunitiesofpracticewouldbethemostbeneficialwayofdevelopingwell-focused,informedresultsthatenhancethestatus,validityandreliabilityofstandardswhile,atthesametime,recognisingtheneedamongHEIsforself-regulationandacknowledgementofinter-dependence.

• Theymoveessentialfeaturesofhighereducationqualificationsfromconventions(withassociatedquestionsofwhoseconventionsarebeingapplied,whethertheyremainintouchwithintellectualanddisciplinarydevelopments,andwhethertheyareconducivetocontextualdiversity)to(publiclyknown,quality-assurable)compacts.

• They are generative, rather than prescriptive, and allow for innovation and creativityas principles, rather than bureaucratic or administrative processes for superficialcompliance. Within a dynamic relationship between institutional autonomy andnationally-generated standards, higher education institutions are able to designprogrammesthatarefitforpurpose,inthesenseofbeinglinkedtothemissionsandcontextsoftheinstitutionsthemselves,andtheircapacitytobecontinuallyresponsivetochangesinknowledgefieldsandsocietyatlarge.

• Whileallowingforon-goingdisciplinaryandinter-disciplinarydevelopment,standardshave a reasonable durability, to enable medium- and long-term programme andqualificationplanningonthepartofinstitutions.

These principles should form the basis for development of standards for higher education qualifications.Theyrecognisethedynamicanddiversecontextsinwhichhighereducationprogrammesareoffered.Thisimpliesthattheestablishmentofstandardsismuchmoreaprocessofkeepingabreastofacademicdevelopments,nationallyandinternationally,thanit is an end-product.

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Takingintoaccounttheprinciplesstatedabove,theCHEproposesthefollowingfundamentalcharacteristicsonwhichstandardsforhighereducationqualificationsshould be based:

• Recognisingtheneedtoavoida‘one-size-fits-all’approach,giventhemanycontextualdifferences existing between higher education institutions in South Africa. Whilequalificationstandardsmustbebasedonanagreedandequitablyappliedthresholdofpurpose-informedachievement,contextual factorsmayallowforvariations inthewaysinwhichachievementismanifested;

• Accommodating long-held practices of institutional autonomy while allowing for astrengtheningofinstitutionalaccountability;

• Matching standards development to the development of flexible approaches toprogramme accreditation, so that higher education institutions which meet certainrequirements can themselves exercise aspects of this function in terms of the national standardsdevelopedforhighereducationqualifications;

• Avoidingallformsofover-regulation,andmakingthedevelopmentandapplicationofstandardsassimpleandtransparentaspossible,includingthedevelopmentofclearcriteriaagainstwhichjudgementscanbemade;

• Acknowledging that qualification standards, while they necessarily address thepurposeandtheoutcomesofprogrammes,are–whiletheyoughttoinformandguidethem–notthesameasstandardswhichfocusontheirdelivery,forexample,standardsofpedagogyorstudentachievement;

• Distinguishing clearly between the separate roles and responsibilities in this field oftheDepartmentofHigherEducationandTraining(DHET),SAQAandtheCHE.DHETis responsible for registering private higher education providers and for approving newqualificationsandprogrammes intermsofapublichighereducationprovider’sProgramme and Qualification Mix (PQM). SAQA is responsible, in consultation withthe CHE, for the development of NQF level descriptors for higher education levelsand for the registration of higher education qualifications in terms of the criteria forthe designation of qualifications set by the CHE and the standards for qualificationsdeveloped by the CHE. The CHE through its Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) isresponsiblefortheaccreditationofhighereducationprogrammesleadingtoqualificationsintermsofthestandardsdevelopedbytheCHE.Becausestandardsdonotaddressspecificinstitutionally-designedprogrammes,theydonotdetermine,forexample,PQMapprovalorSAQAregistration,althoughtheywillfacilitateabetterunderstandingofwhatunderpinsthoseprocesses;

• Recognising the fundamentally important role of expert peer groups of differentknowledge, professional and vocational fields, as well as professional bodies andassociations, in the development and revision of standards for higher educationqualifications. Since standards for qualifications relate to the role and emphasis of avariety of knowledge contexts, it stands to reason that appropriate expert and peergroupswouldbebestequippedtodevelopstandardsforqualificationsintheirfieldsofexpertiseandexperience.Thelearningbenefitsofsuchpeergroupactivitieshave

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alreadybeenobservedasoneofthepositiveoutcomesoftheHEQCnationalreviewsofselectedprogrammes;

• Acknowledging that, while the CHE is given authority to establish standards for allhighereducationqualifications,itshoulddosoincloseconsultationwithprofessionalbodies, which perform a separate function of setting requirements for professional designation/registration. There should be no serious disjuncture between theseprocessesandthestandardsthatemergefromthem;

• Avoidinginterpretationsofterminologywhichgiverisetonotionsofhierarchies,rankingsor classifications across institutions. This aspect is of particular importance so thatstandards development can take place in an environment of equity and collaboration. Itisessentialthatstandardstaketheircuefromthedifferentpurposesofqualificationsandthedifferentcontextsinwhichtheyareoffered,anddonottranslateintosignalsoftherankingofqualificationsofferedbydifferentkindsofhighereducationinstitutions.Thisdoesnotmean,however,thatstandardsshouldnotservethepurposeofenablingthe enhancement of quality and efficiency of programmes,whether existing or newones,whenitoriginateswithininstitutions.Inanycase,rankingscanneverbeaproxyfor effective quality assurance, which focuses on intrinsic (for-purpose) rather thanrelativistic criteria.

4. What can, and cannot, be expected of standards

Qualificationstandardsencapsulatestudentachievementandgraduateattributesattheexitlevel.Theydonotdealwithmatterssuchashowaprogrammeleadingtotheawardofaqualificationisconstructed,orhowitisdelivered,orhowtheachievementisassessed.Those aspects are the responsibility of the awarding institution.When the CHE involvesitself insuchaspects, itdoessobymeansofotherapproaches,suchasmonitoringandevaluation of the sector, national reviews of fields and professions, or accreditation ofprogrammes leading to the qualifications. Standards development is distinct from, butgoesinparallelwith,andwillinformotherqualityassuranceprocesses.Standardswillalsoassistinensuringthatallhighereducationqualificationsmeetthecriteriaforregistrationby SAQA.

Inthiscontext,themainpurposesofstandardsdevelopmentareto:

• provide a framework for the consistent and coherent development and design ofqualificationsandtheircurriculaacrossthehighereducationsystem;

• clarifythemeaning,purposeanddistinctivenessofqualificationtypesandvariants;

• guidetheaccreditationandrecognitionoflearningprogrammesbycontextualising,in

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termsofqualificationtypes,therequirementsestablishedbytheHEQC;

• contribute to the quality assurance of learning programmes, within and betweeninstitutions;

• provide broad guidelines for the achievements expected for the award of a highereducationqualification;

• in terms of a global context, establish benchmarks for international comparability ofqualifications;and

• strengthen public confidence in the value and credibility of higher educationqualifications.

Institutions will wish to use the standards as benchmarks to guide the design of newprogrammes,andreviewofexistingones.Theywillfindthemtobeofbenefitininternalcomparative evaluation of programmes offered in different fields, disciplines andprofessionsleadingtothesamequalificationtype.Standardsshouldassistinstitutionsintheirrelationswithprofessionalbodies,employersandthepublicatlarge.Theymaybeofvaluewhenmakingjudgementsaboutarticulationoftheirprogrammeswithprogrammesofferedbyotherinstitutions,aswellasdecisionsaboutstudentaccessandtherecognitionof prior learning. Standards should also guide institutions when evaluating the nationalandinternationalcomparabilityoftheirownqualifications.Theyneedtobepublishedinaformthatisaccessibletostudentswhomaywishtoassessthelevelofachievementthatisexpectedbyeachqualificationtype,andwhetherthatlevelisrepresentedinaparticularprogramme.

Whilethepotentialbenefitsofqualificationstandardsinhighereducationareproposed,itisimportanttoidentifylimitsonwhatstandardscanbeexpectedtoachieve.

They should NOT:

be expected to provide a resolution to all issues surrounding the academic quality of learningprogrammesandassociatedqualifications;

enforce the adoption of a particular educational philosophy, pedagogical model orassessmentregime;

dictatetoinstitutionsthedesignoftheirprogrammes,otherthantheneedtoensurespecifiedstudentachievementsattheappropriatelevelofthequalification,andinlinewithitspurpose;

guaranteetherecognitionoflearningcreditsforstudentsmovingfromonequalificationtoanotheroroneeducationalprovidertoanother;nor

provide a platform for addressing institutional issues that fall outside of the purposes of standards development as described above.

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Thesemattersfallbeyondtheambitofqualificationstandards.

Crucially, standards should not form the basis for any kind of ranking, differentiation ordistinction (tacit or otherwise) between higher education institutions. The only rankingrelevant to qualification standards is the ‘ranking’ of the NQF levels. A key aspect ofinstitutional differentiation is the selection of qualifications that each institution offers.Because the standards address qualification types, any ranking of institutions based ontheprogrammestheyoffer,leadingtothosequalifications,wouldbebeyondthescopeorcontrol of the standards themselves.

Thestandardswillfocusonqualificationtypes,butwillnotattempttoinfluencethedesignanddevelopmentofprogrammesthatleadtothequalification.Theinstitution’smission,goals,contextandprioritieswilllargelyinfluencetherangeofqualificationtypesthatitwilloffer.Ifthequalificationtypehasanagreedstandard,andtheinstitution’sprogrammemeetsthatstandard,itcouldbeapprovedaspartofitsrangeofofferings.Differentiationonthebasisofqualification-typecombinationswouldbeclear,butthiswouldnotbedeterminedbythestandardsthemselves.Qualificationstandardsmayindeedhavethepositiveeffectofensuringthatcriteriaforany‘marketplace’rankingofinstitutionsarebasedonnationally-establishedbenchmarksforthequalificationsthatinstitutionsaward.

Addressingthestandards,oncedeveloped,willbetheresponsibilityoftheinstitutionitself,as part of its internal quality assurance, often in liaison with a professional body. In thisrespect,qualificationstandardsshouldbeofparticularbenefitincaseswheretheinstitutionfindsthataprogrammeisinneedofimprovement.TheroleoftheCHEwillbetoensurethatanyprogrammerecommendedtoSAQAforregistrationasaqualification,meetsthestandardsofthequalificationtype.Qualificationstandardswillinformaccreditationandre-accreditationofprogrammes,aswellasnationalreviewsoffieldsofstudy.

5. Standards in the context of related higher education frameworks

It is important that qualification standards add value to the already existing context inwhich higher education qualifications are regulated. Standards should not duplicate therolesplayedbyotherframeworks,norshouldtheybeperceivedasanimposedtechnicistorbureaucraticdevicewhichwilladdanotherhurdlethatprogrammesandqualificationsmustcrossinordertogetapproved.Topreventsuchundesirableconsequences,standardsmust guide and oversee aspects of qualifications that are distinct from those aspectsgovernedbyotherframeworks.

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5.1 NQF level descriptors

The NQF Act assigns to SAQA the task of developing the content of level descriptors for eachlevelontheNQF,butitdoessobyreachingagreementonthecontentwiththerelevantQC.TheQC–inthecaseofhighereducation,theCHE–hasinturntheresponsibilityforconsidering and agreeing to the level descriptors contemplated by SAQA, and ensuringthat they remain current and appropriate.

Leveldescriptorshavealwaysbeeninherentinourqualificationsframeworks.Theyseektoidentifypredictablelevelsofcomplexityandknowledgeforprogrammes(whetherwholequalificationsornot)developedateachlevel,whilealsoprovidingfortheaimsofportabilityand articulation. Standards in higher education seek an alignment of the level descriptors with the qualifications permitted by the HEQSF.This alignment calls for an approach tolevel description that assumes an undifferentiated base of knowledge with genericoutcomescommontoallofferingsataparticularlevel.Thiswouldavoidanapproachthathas,asitsstartingpoint,theprinciplesthatqualificationtypesanddescriptors,onthesameNQFlevel,willhavedistinctiveanddifferentiatedknowledgebasesgroundedinspecificpurposesandcharacteristics,andthattheresultsoflearningareconsequencesof,ratherthan precedents for knowledge as it reveals itself in contextually appropriate design ofprogrammes.

Insomeliterature,leveldescriptorsandstandardsareregardedasmoreorlesssynonymousin the sense that they can be regarded as criterion-referenced, hierarchical indicators.However, while it is the case those NQF level descriptors serve as the outer and most‘generic’ level of specification in the ‘nested’ approach of the HEQSF, it is also true thattheyaredesignedtocoverallofferingsatalevelontheNQF,includingqualifications,part-qualificationsandshortcoursesofferedineveryfieldanddisciplineofstudy.Forthatreason,theyattemptnospecificreferencetotheessentialknowledgedomains,skillsandappliedcompetence that ought to characterise each whole qualification type. Level descriptoroutcomesdonotattempttoaddressthespecificpurposeofaqualification,noraretheyabletodistinguishbetweendifferentqualificationsonthesameNQFlevel.Standardsdonotreplaceleveldescriptors,butleveldescriptorsareconsideredtoplayaroledifferentfromaqualificationspecification.

The HEQSF establishes qualification type descriptors, which are nested within an outerlayer of level descriptors on the NQF. Although qualification standards are informed bytheNQFleveldescriptors,theydiffer in importantways.Whileleveldescriptorsapplytoallofferingswithoutcomessetatthesamelevel(qualificationaswellasnon-qualificationprogrammesandshortcourses),qualificationstandardsaimtorepresentthefeaturesthataredistinctivetoaparticularqualificationtype.Forexample:althoughaBachelorHonoursdegree has the same exit level on the NQF as a Postgraduate Diploma, the distinctivefeaturesofeachqualificationtypewillresultindistinctivestandardsforeachtype.

Not every category of level descriptor may be equally relevant to and appropriate for each qualificationtype.Itistheparticularpurpose,characteristics,knowledgeandskillsdomains,

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andstudentachievementexpectedofaqualificationtypethatdetermineitsrelationshiptotheleveldescriptors,andtherelativeemphasistobeplacedoneachdescriptor.

5.2 The HEQSF

Annexure CincludesasummaryoftheprincipalcharacteristicsoftheHEQSF,andhowtheHEQSFrelatestoqualificationstandards.ThisFrameworkforStandardsDevelopmenttakestherecentamendmentsintoaccount.Therearesignificantimplicationsintherevisionforstandardsdevelopment,atanumberofNQFlevels,suchastheproposalsfornewvariantsofqualificationtypes.

One can find a brief statement of the purpose of each qualification type in the HEQSF.However,thebriefandgeneralisedpurposecontainedintheHEQSFisnotadequateenoughtorepresentappropriatelythebroaddiversityofqualificationfieldsandspecialisationsthatarecontainedwithineachqualificationtype.Ifthepurposeofaqualificationisregardedasfundamentaltoitsvalue,thenoneoftheaimsofstandardsistoexpandandparticularisethebroad(and,insomerespects,vague)purposestatementsoftheHEQSFtoreflectthecharacteristicsofthequalificationsthatthestandardsgovern.

There is also limited synergy between the purpose statements of the HEQSF and the‘categories’ of outcome included in the draft NQF level descriptors.There are ten suchcategories:

• Scopeofknowledge

• Knowledgeliteracy

• Methodandprocedure

• Problem solving

• Ethics and professional practice

• Accessing,processingandmanaginginformation

• Producing and communicating information

• Context and systems

• Managementoflearning

• Accountability

Insomecases,forexample‘Scopeofknowledge’,thereisareasonablesimilaritybetweentheNQFleveldescriptorandtheHEQSFpurposestatement.Inrespectofothercategories,forexample,‘Ethicsandprofessionalpractice’and‘Accountability’,theHEQSFiscompletelysilent,whileinthecase,forexample,of‘Managementoflearning’,leveldescriptoroutcomesaresoindistinctfromoneleveltothenextthatapplyingthemtoqualificationtypeswouldhavelittlerealbenefit.WhatthissuggestsisthatneitherNQFleveldescriptorsnortheHEQSFareintendedtoaddress,orindeedcapableofaddressing,fullytherelationshipbetween

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qualificationpurposeandqualificationcharacteristics,arelationshipthatisfundamentaltothefitnessforandfitnessofpurposethatoughttodeterminethequalification.Bridgingthisgap is one of the tasks of standards development.

5.3 HEQC accreditation of programmes

CriteriaforaccreditationbytheHEQCofaprogrammeleadingtoaqualificationincludetherequirement to demonstrate the programme’s fitness, intellectual credibility, coherenceandcapacityforarticulation(Criteria for Programme Accreditation,CHE,2004,Criterion1).There is little doubt that these qualities are central to any notion of standards in higher education. Would criteria for programme accreditation not then cover much of the ground that standards might embrace?

Therearesomeimportantdifferences.Requirementsforaccreditationareverygenerallystipulated and do not give any explicit guide to potential providers or to the judges ofproposed new programmes. In applications, responses to Criterion 1 are adjudicated byknowledgeablepeers,butintheabsenceofmoreexplicitbenchmarks,thesecoverawiderangeofpossibilitiesanddisputesbecometrickytoarbitrate.Farfrombeingsimplyadjunctsto existing criteria for accreditation, standards aim to establish the core credentials ofqualifications;assuchtheyareintendedtomaketheprocessofprogrammeaccreditation–aswellasreview,whetherinternalorexternaltoinstitutions–betterbenchmarked,andthusmoretransparentandeven-handed.However,thedevelopmentofstandardsandtheapplication of criteria for accreditation are not mutually exclusive matters. They inform and relate to one other.

5.4 Professional body approval/registration

Legislatedprofessionalbodies(councilsandassociations)havetheirowncriteriaforapprovalofprogrammesleadingtotheregistrationofgraduates.Inthecaseofsuchqualifications,standards developed by the CHE and professional body criteria should be informed by oneanotherandare,ideally,aligned.Inmanycases,however,professionalbodycriteriagobeyondHEQSFpurposestatementsandtheHEQCrequirementsforaccreditation,andmaydifferfromhighereducationstandardsinsofarastheymayincluderequirementsspecifictotheoccupationalcontextsforwhichtheyareintended,relatingtocontent,valuesandattitudes, on-going professional development, ethical issues, awareness of client needsand environment, and knowledge of the relevant regulatory framework (and, in doingso, they come closer to addressing the range of outcome ‘categories’ of the NQF leveldescriptors).

Professionalregistrationusuallyaffirmsprovencompetencetoperforminaspecificworkcontext.Insomecases,work-placecompetenceisdemonstratedwithinthequalification;inothercases,beyondthequalification.Therelationshipbetweenqualificationoutcomesand demonstration of professional competence is not uniform.

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Atthesametime,adistinctionneedstobedrawnbetweenstandardsforhighereducationqualifications on the one hand and; on the other, criteria determined by a recognisedprofessional body for conferring on an individual a professional designation.

Alignmentbetweentheawardofaqualificationbyaninstitutionandtheextenttowhichitmeetsaprofessionalbody’srequirementsfordesignationisamatterthatneedstoberesolved between the awarding institution (or the sector as a whole) and the relevantprofessional body. However, the development of qualification standards in consultationwithcommunitiesofpracticeimpliesthatrepresentationfromprofessionalbodieswillbeessentialinallcaseswheretheapplicationofgenericqualificationtypestospecificfieldsof study needs to be informed by particular professional requirements. This should help toensurecompatibilitybetweentheinstitution’squalificationandtherequirementsoftheprofessional body.

In the process of development of qualification standards, the CHE intends to ensure,throughitsestablishmentofcommunitiesofpracticewheretheyaffectprofessionalfields,an appropriate representation of institutional and professional interests. The structure of thesegroupsislikelytodifferfromcasetocase.Inthecaseofqualificationsleadingtoarecognised professional designation, participation by professional bodies is essential. Incasesofprofessionalorpara-professionalfieldsofstudythatdonothavelegislatedbodies,theconsultationprocesswillneedtobedeterminedbytheCHEonacase-by-casebasis.Inallcases,theprincipleofapeergroupofacademicexpertsoughttobeparamount.

Registration by SAQA of a professional designation must be done separately from registration ofaqualificationontherecommendationoftheCHE.Thereisadistinction.Qualificationstandardsrecognisetheautonomyofhighereducationinstitutionstodesign,deliverandassesstheprogrammesthatleadtotheinstitutionalaward,providedthattheymeetthestandardsforthequalificationtype.Criteriafordesignation/registrationasaprofessionalare the prerogative of the relevant professional body.

6. Mapping qualification standards

Education at NQF levels 5-10 encompasses a broad spectrum of programmes leading to qualifications.Whilethereareanumberofcriteriathatcanbeusedtolocateprogrammesinthisspectrum,awidelyacceptedbenchmarkistheamountoflearningthatoccursinthecontextofaspecificworkplace(andisinfluencedbyworkplaceinterests)inproportiontothe amount of learning that happens in the institution of learning.

Atoneendofthespectrumarequalificationsthatfocusonspecifictradesoroccupationsinwhichproceduralandsituationalknowledgeandwork-basedskillsareparamount,andwork-integratedlearning–mainlyintheworkplaceitself–isatthecoreofthequalificationdesign.Thesequalificationsareoftenreferredtoasvocationalqualifications,inthattheyarerelatedlargely,ifnottotally,toaspecificskills-set,orvocation.Inmanycountries,theyare

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offeredina‘dualeducationsystem’,withindustry-basedapprenticeshipbeingcombined(andoftensimultaneous)withinstitutionally-basedtraining.

Attheotherendofthequalificationspectrumarewhatareoftendescribedas‘formative’or ‘general’ programmes inwhich curriculum and outcomes emphasise conceptual andstrategicknowledge,andrelativelylimitedreferenceismadetoworkplacecompetencebeyond the academy. Along the spectrum are gradations in the relative emphasis on procedural and declarative knowledge. Between highly contextualised and highlyconceptualised programmes there are many that – although assuming limited new knowledgebeingacquiredintheworkplace–requiresomeextentofskilledapplicationofacquiredknowledgeinarelevant,sometimessimulated,context.

Alongthespectrumthenatureoftheproficiencyrangesfromproficiencyinaparticular or a broad-ranging vocation(podiatryorhospitalitywork,forinstance),proficiencyinaprofession (law,engineeringorteaching,forexample,withspecialisationsatmoreadvancedlevels),orproficiencyinaspecialised knowledge area,beitdisciplinaryorinter-disciplinary.Themoretask-specifictheproficiency,themorecontextually relevant and coherent the curriculum mustbe;themoreknowledge-specialised,themoreconceptually relevant and coherent.Different points of emphasis in the relationship between contextual and conceptualrelevance suggest grounds for approaching the development of higher education standardsonthebasisofamatrixofqualification‘pathways’thatreflectthecontextual-conceptualspectrumofrelevanceandcoherencereferredtoabove.InthisFrameworkthepathwaysaretermed:

• vocationalpathway

• professionalpathway

• general(sometimesreferredtoas‘academic’)pathway

Theaimofestablishinganymodelofqualificationpathwaysisnottosuggestthattheyarecategoricallyabsolute,butrathertodevelopaframeworkthatwouldenabletheimplicitintentions of the HEQF to be made clear by means of generative standards that articulate thepurposeandcharacteristicsofhighereducationprogrammesinawaythatalignstheirdistinctive aspectswith their overall purpose as qualifications. Standardswill guide (butnotspecify)ratiosofknowledgemixonthebasisofthepurposeandcharacteristicsofthequalificationtype,asdescribedintheHEQSFandexpandedoninstandardsstatements.Itwouldbecounter-productivetotrytowriterulesforcontextual-conceptualmixesthataresupposedtoapplytothepathways.

Thereisnosuggestionthatdifferentqualificationsfallingwithinasinglepathwayarealikeorhomogeneous.Forexample,engineershaveaquitedifferentknowledgeandskillsbaseto social workers or doctors. What these professional qualifications have in common isthat they all have to have a specialised mix of theory and the application of relevant skills inpractice.Themixwillbequitespecificforeach,anddebatescanbeobservedamongstexperts ineachfieldastotheappropriatenatureofthemix:howmuchproblem-based

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learning should doctors have, for example? Or how much school-based training shouldtraineeteachershave?Ineachcasethedebatewillrevolvearoundwhatisappropriateforthetraineetobecomeacompetentprofessionalinthatfield.

This is quite different from concerns relating to qualifications in the general pathwaywhere debates are far more likely to focus on the necessary proportion of researchmethodology, in a field like social anthropology, for example, as compared to coverageanddisciplinarybreadth.Inthiscasethequestionis:whatdoesittaketobeadisciplinaryorinter-disciplinaryadept?Theissuewillbethekindsandlevelsofproficiencyaimedforindifferentqualifications.Equallyimportantisthataqualificationshouldnotbepre-emptivelytype-castintoapathway,butthatclassificationshouldbetheoutcomeofananalysisofits standards-related characteristics. In a nutshell, applying the concept of qualificationpathwaysmustavoidanyandeverynotionofthestrait-jacketingofeitherqualificationsortheinstitutionsthatofferthem.

Thespectrumofpathwaysreferredtoabove,basedonproportionalemphasisoncontextualandconceptualknowledge,isausefulwayofmappingtherangeofqualificationsofferedonNQFlevels5-10.Itisinthenatureofhighereducationthatqualificationsinitsrealmarebasedonthepremisethataconceptualbaseofknowledge(providedwithintheawardinginstitution) laysthegroundworkfor,andprecedestheapplicationofsuchknowledgetotheskillsandappliedcompetencethatwouldberequiredofagraduateintheworkplace.Suchqualificationscanbedistinguishedfromotherqualifications(orpart-qualificationsandshortcourses)forwhichworkplace-basedneeds,skillsandappliedcompetenceprovidetherationaleandexperientialbasisfortheinstitutionally-groundedknowledgethatservestoconceptualise,justifyandenhancesuchskillsandappliedcompetence.

This implies two different approaches to the award of a qualification: one, from aconceptually-grounded (institutional) identification of a knowledge base necessary forcontextualapplicationand, two, fromacontextually-grounded(workplace) identificationofaskillsandappliedcompetencebasethat,throughthequalification,isbolsteredbyaconceptual underpinning. The ambit of the CHE as QC lies largely in the former approach. Usingthe‘pathway’spectrumasaguide,thisinturnimpliesthatqualificationsthatexhibitthe characteristics of the general (academic) and professional pathways, and thosequalificationsthatexhibitthecharacteristicsofthevocationalpathwayandaresecondormoreadvancedqualifications,especiallyinthebandofNQFlevels7-10,wouldnormallybelocatedwithinthejurisdictionoftheCHE.

Pathwaysareintendedtoinformdifferentiationbetweenqualificationtypesbutnotbetweeninstitutions,thelatterbeingdeterminedbyinstitutionalPQMs.Qualificationstandardsmakenodistinctionbetweeninstitutionsthatofferthosequalifications,whethertheybepublicorprivate.Therewillbecorrelation,however,betweeninstitutionalmissionandgoals,andthepathway(s)thatcharacterisetheprogrammeofferings.

Likewise,standardsinformqualificationtypes,irrespectiveoftheinstitutionaltypewheretheyareawarded.Referencestoqualificationpathwaysandknowledgemixesareintendedto assist institutions in matching their qualification offerings with their mission, goals,

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prioritiesandcontexts.Theydonotinthemselvesplacelimitationsonthequalificationsthataninstitutionmayoffer,aslongasitisabletomeetthestandardsforthosequalifications.ItisnotthefunctionofqualificationstandardstodeterminethePQMofaninstitution,orhowitmayvaryfromtimetotime.Anexpertcommunityofpracticewilldeterminetheparticularconceptual-contextualblendthataqualificationtypeshouldhave,andinstitutionsshoulddecide(subjecttoPQMapproval)whatqualificationtypestheyarebestabletooffer,andinwhatfieldsofstudy.

7. What do qualification standards address?

To represent the conceptual-contextual spectrum of competence, the Frameworkenvisages a taxonomy of learning domains that, without being excessively complex,is capable of reflecting the distinctive characteristics of the vocational, professionaland general pathways respectively. A survey of international practice shows that, whilethereare differences in thenumber of domains (for example,autonomy, independence,accountability, breadth of practice, making informed judgements, ethical and moraldevelopmentarevariouslyidentifiedasdistinctivedomains),whatiscommonisthatthedomainsinclude,atleast,aknowledge-base,askills-base,andtheapplicationthereofina relevant context.

This taxonomy characterises many national frameworks and standards, although actualtermsmaydiffer.InthisFrameworkthedomainsarereferredtoas‘knowledge’,‘skills’and‘applied competence’. Different knowledge-skill-applied competence blends are bettersuitedtosomequalificationtypesthantoothers.Itshouldbeemphasised,however,thattheuseof‘pathways’and‘learningdomains’aimstorepresentaspectrumofcontextual-conceptualprominence,notwater-tightcompartmentsintowhichqualificationsmustbeforce-fitted.

ThecurrentSAQA(2000)registrationproceduresrequirethestipulationofexit outcomes and assessment criteria.Theassessmentcriteriacomeclosesttowhatareconventionallyregarded as standards, as distinct from outcomes. There are two principal problemswiththeassessmentcriteriaaspresentlyregistered.Thefirstisthattheyareverylargelyprovider-supplied, which means that the same qualification (e.g. BCom) can have verydifferent assessment criteria registered by different providers on the same NQF level.(Therearenoteworthyexceptions,liketheBScEngineering,whichisregulated,intermsofprofessionalapprovalandgraduateregistration,byalegislatedprofessionalcouncil.Note,however,thepointmadeaboveaboutthedistinctionbetweenqualificationstandardsandcriteria for professional designation.) When provider-based qualifications are effectivelyconverted into national qualifications, this is done without any national standards beingstipulated.The second problem is that the assessment criteria, as registered, present asimplelistofsubjectandskillprocedurestobecovered.Whilethisisastart,andwhilethese

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listsofassessmentcriteriamayprovehelpfulinthefleshingoutofstandards,theydonotaddress the issue of the purposeofthequalificationdirectly,andthereforemakenofurtherdistinction,inimportantareas,betweenprogrammesleadingtothesamequalification.

Onewayofseekingto identifythedistinctivenessofaqualification,andofprogrammesleading to its award, is to compare the extent to which the blend of learning domains(knowledge, skill, applied competence) reflect the purpose of the qualification, and theextenttowhichtheblendisreflectedintheattributesofagraduateorrecipient.

Althoughoutcomesandgraduateattributesshouldnotbeconstruedasmutuallyexclusive,outcomes refer to knowledge, skills and competences that have been demonstratedthrough formal assessment. Graduate attributes speak to such outcomes, but alsoencompass values, attitudes, critical thinking, ethical and professional behaviour, andthecapacityofagraduatetotakewhathasbeenlearntbeyondthesiteoflearning.Thesignificanceofgraduateattributesrelativetodemonstratedoutcomeswillvaryfromfieldtofield.Theywillhaveparticularimportancefor,andrelevanceto,qualificationsthatleadto professional or vocational practice.

The Framework proposes to incorporate the concept ‘graduate attributes’ in preferenceto the more restricted (and limiting) term ‘outcomes’. The notion of outcomes does notapply equally well to all qualification types and to all knowledge domains. Outcomescan arguably be better articulated and measured within knowledge domains that areessentially hierarchical and cumulative (for example, the ‘hard’ sciences) than they canbein,forexample,thearts.Theconcept‘graduateattributes’,however,incorporatesandexpands on the notion of outcomes.

Articulating graduate attributes in a meaningful waywillnotbeeasy,especially incaseswheresuchattributesarereflectedmoreinattitudesthanintheconcretedemonstrationofspecificknowledgeorskills.However,thereisconsiderableinternationalresearchonhigh-impact educational practices that lend themselves to the manifestation of broadly-framed graduateattributes.Whatisrequiredemergesfromstatementsofwhatagraduateisabletodoorshow.Anexamplefromaprofessionalfield: ‘analysegivensituationsforethicalissuesandproposeapproachestoaddressingtheissuesdetected’.

Graduateattributeshave,ofcourse,anumberofpointsofreference.Somearesharedbythehighereducationsectorasawhole(suchasattributesrelatingtoacademicauthenticity);somewillemanatefromthespecificmissionandethosoftheawardinginstitution;othersareshapedbythedisciplinarycontextandknowledgeinwhichtheyareconceptualisedandtaught(Jones,2009).Itisthelast-mentionedtypeofattributethatqualificationstandardsoughttoidentify,takingintoaccountthefactthattheywilloftenfindcommongroundwithattributesofamoregenerickind.Tothisend,standardsshouldaddresssuchquestionsasthefollowing:

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• What is the purpose of the qualification?What blend of conceptual and contextualknowledge, skill and applied competence is appropriate to the purpose of thequalification,atthespecifiedlevelontheNQF?

o Whatistheappropriateratiooffocusonconceptualknowledge?

Concepts,principles,theories,perspectives

Facts,formulae,axioms

o Whatistheappropriateratiooffocusoncontextualknowledge?

On-the-joboron-site

Service learning

By formal instruction (work-directed theoretical, problem-based, project-basedlearning,etc.)

o Whatthereforeistheappropriatepathwayofthequalification?

• How does the exit-level blend of learning domains (knowledge, skill, appliedcompetence), shown by the graduate attributes expected for the award, representthepurposeofthequalification?

• In what contexts and under what conditions are the exit-level learning domainsdemonstrated through assessment?and,

• How do standards for a qualification relate to the outcomes set out in NQF level descriptors? Alternatively, how do the level descriptors represent the standardsdevelopedforqualificationsoneachNQFlevel?Certainleveldescriptorsare,arguably,moreappropriateforsomequalificationpathwaysthantheyareforothers.Forexample,a level descriptor relating to ‘ethics and professional practice’ would be relativelymore significant for a professional pathway qualification than for one on the generalpathway. While all categories of descriptor would have some relevance at all NQFlevels,theirrelativeweightingwouldvaryfromoneleveltoanother.Developingasetofleveldescriptorsthatmeetstheneedsofallqualificationtypesandfieldsofstudyislikelytoprovefutile.Analternativeisforqualificationstandardstobealignedwithanappropriate selection of descriptors of the SAQA variety.

Mostimportantly,inaddressingsuchquestions,whatistheappropriatelineofdistinctionbetween what is specified in national standards on the one hand, and on the other,institutionally-determined and contextually-relevant application of a set of national standardsforthequalificationtype?

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8. How are qualification standards expressed?

ThestartingpointforastandardisthequalificationdescriptorintheHEQSF,whichdefines:

• thequalificationtype;

• variants of the qualification type (for example, 360-credit and 480-credit Bachelor’sdegrees,or240-creditand360-creditDiplomas);and

• thepurposeofthequalification,anditsdistinctivecharacteristics.

As andwhen necessary, the purpose and characteristics of the qualification type in theHEQSF are elaborated or expanded on.The next step is to recommend the knowledgeblend appropriate to the purpose of the qualification type. This proposes a blend ofconceptualknowledge(procedural,declarative)andcontextually-relevantknowledge,skillandappliedcompetence.Guidedbythepurposeofthequalificationanditsappropriateknowledge blend, the standard is represented as a series of statements describing theachievementsandattributesexpectedforanawardofthequalification.

The manner in which student achievement is manifested will vary. Some aspectsrepresentknowledgeandskillsthatshouldbedemonstratedthroughformalassessmentintheprogrammeleadingtothequalification.Thesewouldbeofprimaryimportancetoinstitutionswhenconsideringthedesign,contentmixandassessmentofaprogramme.

Others represent more general attributes that might be evaluated in various combinations offormalandnon-formalways,andwhicharenolessimportanttotheaward.Theymayinclude such attributes as appropriate application of knowledge and skills in situationsbeyond the institution, such as in a workplace or other relevant context; the ability tocommunicateinformation,arguments,analyses,problemsandsolutionstospecialistsortonon-specialists;capacitytotransferknowledgeandskillsnecessaryforemploymentorfurtherstudies;recognitionofthelimitsofknowledgeandskillsandhowtoaddressthelimits;capacitytoengageproductively inrelevantprojects,eitherorboth individuallyorcollaboratively; awareness and appreciation of the social and ethical norms and valuesthatcharacteriseaparticularfieldordiscipline;andabilitytoadaptknowledgeandskillstodiverse cultural contexts.

Attributes of this type are often less immediately amenable to evidence-based assessment. Fields and disciplineswill find diverse combinations of means for ensuring that all suchattributesrelevanttothequalificationtypeareappropriatelyevaluated.

Takingthisspectrumofachievementsandattributesintoaccount,thestandardsstatementsare arranged in terms of: aspects that the student ‘has demonstrated’ through formal assessment, and aspects in which the student ‘is able to’ show competence through

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meansthatwillreflecttheparticularpurposeandnatureofthequalification.Thisformatisillustratedintheaccompanyingexemplar(Annexure A).Thestandardsstatementsintheexemplar take into account the categories of NQF level descriptors referred to in section 6.2.

The standard is expressed as a thresholdstandard.Itisintendedasaqualitativestandard;quantitativeaspectssuchascreditallocationsareregulatedbytheHEQSF.Thequalificationmaybeawardedwhenthestandardhasbeenmetorexceeded.

However,qualificationstandardsarenotintendedtobemereinstrumentsforcompliance.One of the aims of standards is to encourage and enable developmentwhereitissoughtinthequalityandtheequivalenceofprogrammesleadingtothequalification.Tothisend,each qualification standard should be complemented with some form of illustration ofapproaches that may be used to guide the development of above-threshold graduate achievement and attributes. Institutions would, as and where appropriate in terms oftheirownprogrammeevaluation,havetheincentiveofstandardstostrivetomovefromthresholdtoadvancedgraduateoutput.Thiscouldbedone,forexample,throughagapanalysis, identifying gaps between the actual and an institutionally determined target.Such complement should, however, be represented in a form that is not construed asprescriptive,orthatmayconstraininitiativeandinnovation.Approachestoabove-thresholdachievement may take the form of illustrative examples agreed on by an expert community of practice. However, generic illustrationwould have to be interpreted according to thespecificcharacteristicsoffieldsofstudy,disciplinesandprofessions.

8.1 Learning contexts and tuition modes

Standards must recognise the logic and value of particular learning contexts. They do not seek to link a qualification type with a particular learning context or range of contexts.Approaches to teaching, learning and assessment methods remain the responsibility oftheinstitution.Thematchbetweenpurposeandthelearningcontextwouldbeevaluatedviaotherqualityassurancemeans,bothinternalandexternal.Furthermore,standardsdonotdistinguishbetweenmodesoftuition.Whateverthemodeoftuition,thereneedstobecomparabilitybetweenwhatthequalificationsachieve.Theinstitutionselectsthemodeoftuition(orcombinationofmodes),andaccountsforitscompatibilitywiththequalification.

8.2 Work-integrated learning

Taking the knowledge blend together with the achievements and attributes that arerequired to demonstrate competence, the standard also recommends an appropriatecombination of contexts and conditionsinwhichassessmenttakesplace.Standardsassumethatdifferentqualificationtypes,andthepathwaysandfieldsofstudyforwhichtheyareawarded,havedifferentapproachestotheintegrationofwork-basedlearning.Thestartingpointforastandardofaqualificationisitspurposeandhowgraduateachievementsreflectthat purpose.Wherework-integrated learning (WIL) is fundamental to the purpose and

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achievements,thiswillbeaddressedinthestandard,butthestandardwillnotprescribetheactualratioofinstitution-based/work-basedlearningorthemethodsbywhichWIListo be assessed.

8.3 Articulation

The CHE recognises its responsibility to ensure that its standards-development mandate takes into account the imperatives of access, articulation, progression, portability andpublicaccountability.Whileacknowledgingtheseneeds,theCHEsuggeststhatit isnottheroleofqualificationstandardsthemselvestodeterminecriteriafortransferringcredits,andforprogressionacrossqualificationpathwayswithdifferentqualificationpurposes.

Qualification standards will guide articulation between qualification pathways andprogramme orientations. However, higher education qualification standards (unlikestandardsforSub-Frameworksdealingwithnationalqualifications)donotengagedirectlywiththecurriculumandcontentofprogrammes.Becausemattersrelatingtoarticulationand transfer are determined largely at the level of curriculum content and sequence in programmes,andbecausetheyareissuestobehandledbyandbetweeninstitutionsonthebasisoftheirrespectiveprogrammes,theinfluenceofqualificationstandardsonthesematterswillbeaccordinglylimited.Whiletheywillhavevalueinestablishingbenchmarksforprogressionfromonequalificationtoahigherqualification,theywillhavelessinfluenceonspecificcreditaccumulationandtransferbetweenqualificationsorbetweeninstitutions.Higher education standards are not designed to interfere with institutional rights andresponsibilities in these matters.

8.4 Duration

Qualificationstandardsarenotenvisagedasstatic,permanententities.Theirdurationwillneedtobeevaluatedintermsoftheircontinuingvalidity.The‘shelf-life’shouldextendforaslongasthestandardforthequalificationtypeisdeemedtoremaincurrent.Dependingon disciplinary, inter-disciplinary and field developments, the ‘life’ may vary from onequalificationtypetoanother.Ingeneral,a‘shelf-life’of5to8yearsmaybeconsideredasa benchmark.

Anapproachtoaddressingthedistinctivecharacteristicsoffieldsofstudy,professionsanddisciplines,andtheirrepresentationinqualificationdesignatorsandqualifiers,isaddressedinthefollowingsection.

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9. How many layers should standards address?

9.1 Layers

Qualification-type standards are generic statements encompassing all qualifications ofthattype,inallfieldsofstudyanddisciplines.Differentfieldsofstudywillfinditnecessarytointerpretthesegenericstandardsaccordingtothespecificidentity,characteristicsandoutcomes of the field. In principle, standards can be generated for a number of layersspecifiedintheHEQF‘nestedapproach’:

• NQF levels

• Qualificationtypes(theHEQSFspecifiesninetypes)

• Qualificationtypesandvariants(forexample,doctoratesandprofessionaldoctorates)

• Acombinationofsomeorallof:qualificationtypes,variants,designators,andspecialisedqualifiers

The Framework proposes a gradation from qualification type (for example, a Bachelor’sdegree) to a qualification in a particular field of study (for example, a Bachelor’s degreeinEngineering).Theawardofthequalificationwillneedtomeetthegeneralstandardsofthattype,irrespectiveofthefieldofstudy.ThisimpliesthattheCHEwillberesponsibleforensuringthatallawardsofaqualificationtype,irrespectiveofthefieldofstudy,meetthequalification-typestandards.

A decision on the number of layers to be addressed should be based on both qualitative andquantitativecriteria.Onthequalitativeside,thequestionistowhatextentstandardsforaqualificationshouldbeprimarilycharacterisedbycommongroundcoveredwithinthequalificationtypeordescriptoritself,orwhethertheprimarycharacteristicsarefeaturesofaparticularknowledgefieldordiscipline.Forexample,areaBachelor’sdegreeinsocialscienceandaBachelor’sdegreeincommercecharacterisedmorebywhattheyhaveincommonasbachelor’sdegrees,orbythedistinctivecharacteristicsofdifferentdisciplines?Likewise,wouldthedistinctivelycharacteristicfeaturesofaBCominAccountancyandaBCominTaxationoutweightheircommonfeatures?HowwouldthefeaturesofaBCominTaxationdifferfromthefeaturesofaDiplomainTaxation?Answerstothesequestionshaveaverysignificanteffectonamodeldevelopedforstandardsgeneration.

Thereisalsoaquantitativeissue.Ideally,thedevelopmentofstandardsoughttomaintainabalancebetweenintellectualfeasibility,basedontheprinciplesofcredibility,legitimacy,comprehensibility and integrity, and the dangers of administrative and bureaucraticinundation.Toillustratethepoint:restrictingstandardstoqualificationtypesandvariantswould mean a manageable number of qualification standards to be generated. If thatscope was to be extended to a separate set of standards for qualification designators,

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then (applying the twelve designators cited in the HEQSF as examples for a bachelor’sdegree) the number of separate standards required would rise to well over a hundred.Evenonthisscale,dangersareapparent:thesheerquantityofstandardstobedevelopedcouldoverwhelmthecapacityofthehighereducationsectortoensurethattheexerciseisdesignedforanefficientandbeneficialresult.

The scale of the potential exercise does not end there. The HEQSF is silent on the role of an organisingbasisforthedevelopmentofstandards,suchasthesystemofoccupationally-relatedorganisingfieldsusedbySAQA.Ifasystem,suchastheDHETsystemofClassificationofEducationalSubjectMatter(CESM)categorieswereused,thenthenumberofseparatestandards (by type, descriptor and organising category, even if restricted to first-orderCESMs)would increase to a probably unmanageable level.And this numberwould notaccountfordistinctionsbetweenspecialisationareaswithinfirst-orderCESMs.

Therearepotentialpitfallsatbothpolesofthe‘nested’approach.Ontheonehand,developingstandards only for the broadest layer of qualification specification (by qualification type)couldresultinstandardsthataredeemedtobetoogeneric,andpossiblytoonebulous,to be of any real value for design and quality assurance of a multiplicity of programmes ofthattype.Againstthat,theuseofexpertdisciplinaryandspecialisationgroupswouldbe the key to an application of broad standards to their particular areas of expertise. On theotherhand,generatingstandardsfor themostspecific layer (separatestandardsforeach descriptor and qualifier), while it would be of certain benefit for quality assurancewithineachknowledgefield, itwouldhave,arguably, limitedvalueforqualityassuranceacross and betweenknowledgefieldsand,thus,forqualificationsper se. A balance needs tobesoughtbetweenthecontrastingdangersofthequalification-typehomogenisationofstandards and their per-discipline atomisation.

9.2 Qualification types and variants

Takingthesefactorsintoaccount,theCHEproposes,atleastinitially,todevelopstandardsin the following manner. The aim is to find a balance between generic qualification-type standards, and the manifestation of those standards in terms of the distinctivecharacteristicsofknowledgefieldsanddisciplines.ThisproposalisbasedonthereviewedHEQF(nowcalledtheHEQSF).OnaccountoftheCHEobservationthat,inthelongterm,the Higher Certificate at level 5 and theAdvanced Certificate at level 6 may not remainexclusivelywithin the jurisdiction of the HEQSF, these qualifications are, for the present,held in abeyance insofar as higher education standards are concerned.

At the generic level, the starting point will be qualification-type variants and theirapplicabilitytoqualification‘pathways’.Thissuggeststhatthematrixshowninthefigurebelow will apply. It comprises a total of 18 variants. The Framework proposes that, atleastprovisionally,standardsdevelopmentbytheCHEshouldfocusonthequalificationsincludedintheshadedblocks,namely14(possibly15)variants.

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Figure: qualification types and variants

NQF level Vocational pathway Professional pathway General pathway

10Professional

Doctoral degreeDoctoral degree

9Professional

Master’sdegreeMaster’sdegree

8 Postgraduate DiplomaPostgraduate Diploma

Bachelor’sdegree

Honours degree

Bachelor’sdegree

7 Advanced DiplomaBachelor’sdegree

Advanced DiplomaBachelor’sdegree

6Diploma

(240cr)

Diploma(360cr)

(Possible)Diploma

(240cr)

6AdvancedCertificate

(120cr)

5HigherCertificate

(120cr)

9.3 Designators and fields

If,however,genericstandardsbasedonthesevariantsaretobeacademicallycredibleandmeaningful,theywillneedtobetestedagainstandappliedtospecificfieldsandperhapsevendisciplineswithinthosefields.Forthistohappeninawaythatallowsforanappropriatebalancebetweengenericstabilityanddisciplinaryapplication,thetwoprocesses,namelythedevelopmentofqualification-typestandardsandtheassimilationofthosestandardswiththeparticularfeaturesandcharacteristicsofprogrammesleadingtoqualificationsofaspecialisednature,will ideallyrunsimultaneously.TheCHEproposesthat,intheinitialstagesofstandardsdevelopmentatleast,thescopeshouldbehighlyselective,andshouldbebased–duringafirstphase–onthefollowingconsiderations.

Qualification types should be selected according to a particular need to distinguishbetweenproposedvariants(forexample,generalandprofessionaltypesatdoctoralor/andmaster’slevels;orthefourproposedvariantsofthebachelor’sdegree;ortheproposedofferingofbotha360-creditanda240-creditdiploma).

Forthoseidentifiedqualificationtypes,CESM-relatedfieldsshouldbeselectedinlinewithoneormoreofthefollowingcontingencies:

1. requestfromtheMinister;2. selectionofafieldforHEQCnationalreview;

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3. selectionofafieldwhichhasrecentlymodified,or is intheprocessofmodifying itsprofessionalorvocationalrequirements;

4. requestfromarepresentativeandauthoritativepartyinhighereducation(forexample,aforumorassociationofdeputyvice-chancellorsorfacultydeans);

5. selectionbytheCHEonanyotherrelevantground(forexample,mattersarisingfromtheprocessesofinstitutionalrevieworprogrammeaccreditation).

9.4 Standards for sub-fields (qualifiers within the same designators)

Taking this proposal into account, the question arises whether it will be necessary todevelop separate standards for sub-fields or disciplines within a field, or whether fieldstandardswillsuffice.Forexample,wouldtherebeaneedintheengineeringfieldtohaveseparatestandardsfortheelectrical,electronic,chemical,civilandaeronauticalsub-fields?Orwouldtherebeaneedinthefieldofpsychologyforseparatestandardsfortheclinical,occupational,counsellingandindustrialsub-fields?

TheCHEproposesthat,inprinciple,thatshouldnotbenecessary,onthegroundsthatthedistinctionswouldmanifestthemselvesinprogrammecontent,curriculumorganisationorotheraspectsoftheprogramme(orthespecificrequirementsofaprofessionalbody)thatarenotenvisagedasbeingwithinthescopeofqualificationstandards,astheyhavebeendefined above.There maywell, however, be exceptions that arisewhen field standardsare tested against specific sub-fields or disciplines.There may also be a need to adoptamodifiedapproachinthecaseofnon-degreequalifications,wheredesignatorsdonotapply.

Theapproachimpliesthat,atleastinaninitialstage,amanageablenumberofstandardswillbedeveloped.Oncethefirstphaseoftheprocesshasbeencompleted,theCHEwillevaluatetheoutcomeandproceedaccordingly,takingintoaccounttheextenttowhichthisapproachaddressestheaimsandprinciplesofqualificationstandardsthatwereoutlinedabove.

The initial task for the CHE is to establish the fundamental principles on which thedevelopmentofstandardsforhighereducationqualificationsistobebased,bearinginmindtheneedforintellectual–and,indeed,practical–modesty.Theprocesswillrequire,asafirststep,extensivediscussionwithallinterestedparties,comprisingthehighereducationsectorinitsinstitutional,governmentalandprofessionalaspects.

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10. How will this approach affect higher education institutions?ThisapproachtoqualificationstandardswillinfluencethedevelopmentofprogrammesbyHEIsinthefollowingways:

• Themission,goalsandresourceallocationofaHEIarelinkedtooneormorequalificationpathway(s),andtosomeorallqualificationlevelsandtypesprovidedforbytheHEQSF.This should be an enabling process internal to the institution, not an external type-casting.TheHEIwill,fromtimetotime,reviewtherelationshipbetweeninstitutionalandprogrammeprofiles.

• Aproposedprogrammeislinkedtoaqualificationpathway,andtoaqualificationthatisappropriatetothatpathway.

• The conceptualisation and design of the proposed programme are expected to meet thestandarddevelopedforthequalification.

• The programme must, minimally, meet the ‘threshold’ standard for the qualification.‘Threshold’standardswillinformandinfluencetheminimumstandardsforprogrammeaccreditationascontainedintheHEQCProgrammeAccreditationFrameworkandtheregistrationofqualifications.

• As part of its internal quality assurance processes, the HEI assesses its capacity toenhance,whererelevant,‘threshold’standardsbyadoptingabove-thresholdpractices.

• HEQCinstitutionalandprogrammereviewsevaluatetheneedandthecapacityoftheHEItoenhanceaprogrammeinrelationtothequalificationstandard,andprogressindoing so.

• Standards(atoneormorelevels)willbeusedtoassesstheinternationalcomparabilityofqualifications.Comparisonbetweenprogrammes(forexample,betweenprogrammesof the same qualification type, or programmes on the same NQF level of differentqualificationtypes)wouldbeamattercontrolledbetweenorwithininstitutions.

11. The way forward

Onceaqualificationhasbeenselectedforstandardsdevelopment,intermsoftheprocessoutlined in Section 9.3 above, the CHE informs the relevant academic community, ifpossiblevia the relevant association or body, should one be in place.After consultationwithandnominationsreceivedfromtheacademiccommunity,theCHEselectsastandardsdevelopmentreferencegroup,comprisingacademicswithexpertiseintheparticularfieldofstudyandwithappropriateexperienceattherelevantNQFlevel.Thereferencegroup,convenedbytheCHE,draftsastandardsstatement.

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Onceendorsedbythegroup,thedraftstatementisdisseminatedtoinstitutionsandtootherinterestedparties,including,inthecaseofprofessionalandvocationalqualifications,thebodyorbodiesrepresentingpractitionersinthefield.Allcommentsandrecommendationare considered by the reference group and amendments to the draft are made if and as necessary.

ThedraftstatementisthereafterpresentedtotheHEQCforcommentandadvice,beforebeing submitted to the Council for approval. It is then published.

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Annexure AExemplar

STANDARD FOR A HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATION(Note:theexemplarisillustrativeandmaybeadjustedaccordingtothedistinctivefeaturesofaparticularqualificationtype,NQFlevelandfieldofstudy.)

IntroductionTheCHEprovidesasummaryofthenationalpolicyandlegislativecontext inwhichthestandardisdeveloped,andanoutlineoftheprocessfollowed.

Qualification titleTitle from the HEQSF(E.g.,Bachelor’sdegree)

Qualification type: general characteristicsThis isextractedfromtheHEQSF. It isaugmented, ifandasrequired,byaddressingthequestionsoutlinedinSection7oftheFramework.

PreambleThisprovidesabriefstatementoutliningthediscipline-basedcontextinwhichthestandardhas been developed.

Purpose statementThegenericpurposeofaqualificationtype(ortypevariant)isinterpretedinthelightofthedistinctivecharacteristicsandexpectedgraduateattributesofthefieldordiscipline.

Whenstandardsaredevelopedforaqualificationtypethathasmorethanonevariant(e.g.,generalandprofessionalmaster’sdegrees,360-creditand240-creditdiplomas),itmaybenecessarytoelaborateonthepurposestatementabove,toidentifytheparticularaspectsof purpose that underlies each variant.

HEQSF specificationTheexit levelofthequalificationontheNQFisstated,togetherwiththeminimumtotalnumber of credits and the minimum number of credits at the exit level.

(Note:thestandarddoesnotprescribethedurationofstudy.Itmay,however,stateanormalduration.)

Standard for the award of the qualification(Note: when a qualification type may be awarded on more than one NQF level, e.g., abachelor’sdegreeandadiploma,itwillbenecessarytodevelopanappropriatestandardforeachNQFlevel.)

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The purpose and levelofthequalificationwillhavebeenachievedwhenthestudenthas demonstrated:

(a statement relating to the depth and breadth of knowledge required in a field ofstudy, whether comprising one or more disciplines, and the extent of understanding offundamental principles, concepts, theories, rules and practices underlying the field, theextent of attention given to the forefront of developments in the field/discipline, andawarenessoftheevolvingnatureofknowledgeinthatfield);

(astatementofskills and techniquesdeveloped,andtherangeofrelevantmethodsofinquiry,suchasthegatheringfrommultiplesources,processingandvalidationofdataandotherkindsofinformation);

(a statement addressing the capacity to review, consolidate, analyse and synthesise information,withsoundreasoning,inordertoinvestigatecomplexproblemsandtoproposefeasiblesolutions);

(a statement identifying the ability critically to evaluate principles, concepts, theories,practices,andinterpretationsfromdiverseperspectivesinthefield,tosustainargumentsandreachjudgementsgroundedinreflective,creativethinking);

(astatementrelatingtothecapacitytorepresent,showingsomeintellectualindependence,ideas,arguments,findingsand/orworksinappropriatelypreciseandcoherentform,usingdiscourse,methods,materialsandtechniquesappropriatetothefield);

and is able to:

(astatementreferringtotheabilitytoapplyacquiredknowledge,understanding,skillsandtechniques,whetherinfamiliarand/orunfamiliarcontexts,andtheextentrequiredintheformsofinitiative,rigourandresponsibility);

(astatementoftheabilitytowork productively onprojects,whethersuchworkisrequiredindependentlyand/orundersupervision,andwhetherindividualand/orcollaborative);

(astatementrelatingtothecapacitytocommunicateconcepts,arguments, informationandsolutionstoproblems,andtowhatrangeofrecipients,specialistand/ornon-specialist,inwhatformscharacteristicofthefieldordiscipline);

(astatementofabilitytorecogniseandappreciatethelimits,indepthaswellasbreadth,ofacquiredknowledgeandskills,andtoaddresssuchlimitsappropriately);

(astatementofcapacitytoapplyknowledgeandskillsinamannerthatisconsistentwiththe social and ethical normsofthefield,andissensitivetotheculturalcontextsinwhichtheyareapplied);

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(astatementreferringtorelevantabilitytotransferacquiredknowledge,skillsandattributestosituationsofemployment,professionalpracticeor/andfurtherstudies).

(Note:asindicatedintheFramework,theseattributesarenormallyarrangedinthelearningdomainsreferredtoasknowledge,skills,andappliedcompetence.)

Contexts and conditions for assessmentThefocusofthissectionisonthepurposeofthequalificationandhowassessmentofthegraduateattributesreflectsthatpurpose.Theseattributesindicatetheappropriateblendof conceptual and contextual competence (knowledge, skills and applied competence)requiredforthequalificationtobeawardedinaparticularfieldofstudyordiscipline.Where,forexample,work-basedlearning(WIL)isfundamentaltothepurposeandachievements,thisisaddressedinthestandard,butthestandarddoesnotprescribetheactualratioorsequenceofinstitution-basedandwork-basedlearning.Nordoesitprescribethemethodsbywhicheitherformoflearningistobeassessed.

Award of the qualificationThe qualification may be awarded when the qualification standard has been met or exceeded.

ProgressionAs stipulated in the HEQSF.

GuidelinesGuidelinesaccompanyingastandardsstatementmayincludesomeorallofthefollowing:

• recommendation for the appropriate pathway(s) on which the qualification type willnormally be offered, with commentary on the relationship of the recommendedpathway(s)andtheappropriateblendofconceptualandcontextualknowledge,andthe consequent mix of knowledge, skill and applied competence, togetherwith therecommendedratioofinstitution-basedandworkplaceexperience;

• elaboration and explanation of any terms used that are distinctive of the standards statementofaparticularqualificationtypeorfield/discipline;

• guidelines for above-threshold policy, approach and practice relating specifically totheawardofthequalificationtype.

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Annexure BExplanation of core terms

Conceptual / contextual relevanceReferenceto‘conceptualrelevance’and‘contextualrelevance’indicatesdistinguishablebutoftenover-lappingbandsofrelativeimportanceonaspectrumofqualificationpurposes,ratherthantwowhollydistinctivecategoriesofpurpose.‘Conceptualrelevance’referstoknowledgegroundedinprinciples,conceptsandtheoriesthatcharacteriseaspecialiseddisciplineorfieldofstudy,whichcanberelevanttoadiverseandchangeablerangeofcontexts,andclaimscoherenceindependentofanyspecificcontext.‘Contextualrelevance’,on the other hand, refers to the relationship between knowledge and its application toaparticularcontext,which istheprimaryarbiterofthecoherenceofknowledgewith itsapplication. In most cases, contextual relevance is assessed through work-integratedlearning, in either simulated or, more usually, actual workplace situations. All higherqualifications need to demonstrate coherence both conceptually and contextually,althoughindifferentproportionsdependingonthepurposeandintendedoutcomesofthequalification.Criticalissuesaretheappropriateratiobetweenconceptualandcontextualrelevance,theparticularrequirementsofeach,andhowtheyareinter-related.

Graduate attributesTheterm‘graduateattributes’referstotheextenttowhichtheblendoflearningdomains(knowledge,skillandappliedcompetence)reflectthepurposeofthequalificationtype,andtheextenttowhichtheblendisreflectedinthecompetenceofthegraduate.Itisusedinpreferencetotheterms‘outcomes’and‘assessmentcriteria’becausethosearenormallyprovider-based and canvary from one to another qualification of the same qualificationtype; moreover, they comprise a set of subject and skill procedures, but do not alwaysdirectlyaddressthepurposeofthequalification.

Globally, an increased public investment in higher education has resulted in greaterdemands on universities as public institutions to demonstrate that they are efficientlyand effectively producing what is deemed to be a ‘relevant and worthwhile graduate’(Woodhouse,1999),oragraduateforthe‘publicgood’(Walker,2010).InSouthAfricathecriticalneedforgraduateswhoareabletoparticipateindevelopingthenationaleconomywasemphasisedinthe2001NationalPlanforHigherEducationandTraining[DoE,2001]andmorerecently, intheHigherEducationAmendmentAct,no.39of2008(DoE,2008).Graduatequalitieshaveinternationallybeenwidelydebatedusingavarietyoftermssuchaskeycompetences,coreskills,transferableskillsandthelike.Oflate,theterm‘graduateattributes’hasbeenwidelyusedtodescribethesequalities(Holmes,2000;James,LefoeandHaid,2004;Barrie,2007and2009).Abase-linestudyofSouthAfricangraduatesfromtheperspectiveofemployers(GrieselandParker,2009)alsoembracestheterm.Graduateattributeshave,ofcourse,anumberofpointsofreference.Somearesharedbythehighereducationsectorasawhole(suchasattributesrelatingtoacademicauthenticity);somewill emanate from the specific mission and ethos of the awarding institution; others areshapedbythedisciplinarycontextandknowledgeinwhichtheyareconceptualisedand

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taught(Jones,2009).Itisthelast-mentionedtypeofattributethatqualificationstandardsoughttoidentify,takingintoaccountthefactthattheywilloftenfindcommongroundwithattributes of a more generic kind.

Learning domainA survey of international practice shows that,while there are differences in the numberof domains (for example, autonomy, independence, accountability, breadth of practice,makinginformedjudgements,ethicalandmoraldevelopmentarevariouslyidentifiedasdistinctivedomains),whatiscommonisthatthedomainsincludeatleastaknowledge-base, a skills-base, and the application thereof in a relevant context. This taxonomycharacterisesmanynationalframeworksandstandards,althoughactualtermsmaydiffer.Bywayofillustration,theAustralianQualificationsFramework(AQF)appliesasimpletriadof‘dimensionsofcompetence’:knowledge(whatagraduateknowsandunderstands),skills(what a graduate can do), and application of knowledge and skills (AQF, 2011).TheAQFdefines‘application’as‘howagraduateappliesknowledgeandskillsincontextandintermsofautonomy,responsibilityandaccountability’.Bywayofcomparison, intheFrameworkfor Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (FQEHEA, 2005, 40-41), threestrandsaredefined:‘knowingandunderstanding’(theoreticalknowledgeofanacademicfield);‘knowinghowtoact’(practicalandoperationalapplicationofknowledgetocertainsituations);‘knowinghowtobe’(valuesasanintegralelementofperceivingandlivingwithothersandinasocialcontext). Inthemodelproposedhere,thedomainsarereferredtoas ‘knowledge’ (thetheoreticalgroundingforcomprehensionandunderstanding), ‘skills’(whatthegraduatecando)and‘appliedcompetence’(capacitytoapplyknowledgeandskills inauthenticcontexts, includingappreciationofrelevantsocial,culturalandethicalissues).

Level descriptorTheHEQSFdescribesleveldescriptorsasfollows:

Each NQF level has a level descriptor. Level descriptors provide guidelines fordifferentiatingthevaryinglevelsofcomplexityofqualificationsontheframework.Theleveldescriptorsaretheoutermostlayerofqualificationspecification.Ateachleveltheydescribethegenericnatureof learningachievements and their complexity. Level descriptors are thus broad qualitativestatementsagainstwhichmorespecificlearningoutcomescanbecomparedandlocated.ThepositioningoftwoormorequalificationsonthesameNQFlevelonlyindicatesthatthequalificationsarebroadlycomparable in terms of the general level of learning achievements. It doesnotindicatethattheyhavethesamepurpose,contentoroutcomes(exceptatthegenericlevelofcriticalcross-fieldoutcomes),nordoes itnecessarilydemonstrateequivalenceofqualificationsorcredits.

(HEQSF,p.14)

PathwayQualificationpathwaysarenotabsolutecategories.Theyrepresenttrendsintherelevanceof,andrelationshipbetween,conceptualandcontextualknowledgethatareappropriate

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forthepurposeandintendedstudentachievementsofaqualification.Boundariesbetweenpathways,whetherexplicitorimplicit,arenecessarilyporous.Themajorcriteriaforlinkingaqualificationtype(oraparticularqualificationofthattype)toapathwayareitspurposeand the way in which the required student achievements reflect that purpose. In somecases,aqualificationtypemaybeappropriateformorethanonepathway.Forexample,depending on the field of study, a postgraduate diploma may reflect the purpose andcharacteristics of either thevocational or professional pathway; it is less likely to reflectthefeaturesofthegeneralpathway.It isnotapre-determinedpathwaythatdefinesthepurpose and characteristics of a qualification type, or of a programme leading to theawardofaqualificationofthattype.Onthecontrary,thepurposeandcharacteristicsofaqualificationtype,assetoutintheHEQFandexpandedinthequalificationstandard,andthe range of required student achievements emerging from the purpose, give directiontowardstheappropriatepathway,orincertaincases,pathwaysthatmaybedeemedmostappropriateforthequalificationtype.

Inhighereducationstandards,thereisreferencetothreequalificationpathways,namely:the general,theprofessional and the vocationalpathways:

General pathwayThe main feature of a qualification type appropriate to the general pathway(sometimes referred to as the ‘academic’ pathway) is a major emphasis onconceptual knowledge relevant to a discipline, combination of disciplines, orinter-disciplinarystudies.Qualificationtypesappropriatetothegeneralpathwayhave strong emphasis on conceptual knowledge with focus on a disciplineor a limited number of cognate disciplines. As with all qualification pathways,contextual relevance must be demonstrated but, in the case of the generalpathway, contextual relevance may be indicated through competence to enteremployment in a number of related areas, directly or indirectly related to thefieldofstudy,or topursueadvancedstudies inthediscipline(s).Forexample,abachelor honours degree may focus on competence to perform in diverse related workplacecontexts,but itsmajorpurposewouldbetoequipstudentswiththeknowledgeandskillstopursueresearch-relatedactivities,whetherinaworkplaceenvironmentoratthenexthigherlevelofinstitutionalqualification(inthiscase,atthelevelofamaster’sdegree).

Professional pathwayA qualification on the professional pathway normally leads to designation as aprofessionalpractitioner,orformalrecognitionofcompetencetopractiseasapara-professional.Insomecases(suchasteaching),awork-basedlearningcomponentisintegratedwithinstitution-basedstudies.Inothercaseswork-basedexperienceisrequiredaftercompletionofthequalificationduringaperiodofinternship(suchasinengineering,clinicalpsychology,medicalstudiesandlaw),orapost-graduationexternal assessment is required (such as in accountancy), or institution-basedexperienceoccursinsimulatedcontexts.Aqualificationtypeappropriatefortheprofessionalpathwayisnormallyonethatisformallyrecognisedbyaprofessionalbodyforthepurposeofdesignation,orrelevancetopractice.

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Vocational pathwayMost qualifications on the vocational pathway put significant emphasis on theapplicationofknowledgeandskillsinanauthenticwork-basedcontext,relevantto a specified area of competence or occupational identity. Completion of thequalificationnormallyassumescompetencetoapplyknowledgeandskillsfromthe outset, under or without direct supervision. Progression from a vocationalqualificationtypeisusuallyinthesameoraclosely-relatedareaofstudy.

ProgrammeTheHEQSFdefinesaprogrammeas

a purposeful and structured set of learning experiences that leads to a qualification.Programmesmaybediscipline-based,professional,career-focused,trans-,inter-ormulti-disciplinaryinnature...Thecreditallocationforcore,fundamentalandelectivelearningwilldependonthepurposeoftheprogrammeorqualification.Theinternalorganisationofprogrammesisotherwisenotprescribedbythisdocument...

(HEQSF,p.7)

TheFrameworkemphasisesthepointthatstandardsaredevelopedforqualifications,andnotforinstitutionalprogrammesleadingtoaqualification.

Purpose statementApurposestatementsetsoutinsomedetailhowthecharacteristicsofaqualificationaremanifestedinthepathway(s)onwhichitisoffered,andthecombinationoflearningdomainsand assessment contexts that are appropriate for the realisation of those characteristics.

QualificationTheHEQSFdefinesaqualificationasthe“formalrecognitionandcertificationoflearningachievementawardedbyanaccreditedinstitution”(HEQSF,p.6).

Qualification typeAqualificationtypeis‘thefirstnamegiventoaqualification’(HEQSF,p.15).Examplesare:AdvancedCertificate,Diploma,Bachelor’sdegree,BachelorHonoursdegree.A qualification type differs from a study programme designed and delivered bya specific institution and, likewise, from a qualification awarded on completionof the programme by that institution and registered by SAQA in the name of the institution.

Qualification-type variantIntheFramework,qualification-type‘variants’arevariantsofthesamequalificationtype. For example, a Master’s degree and a Professional Master’s degree arevariantsofthesamequalificationtype.Likewise(andbecausetherevisedHEQFproposes‘keydistinctions’betweenthem),a240-creditDiplomaanda360-creditDiploma may be considered as variants of the same qualification type. Typevariants are not the same as designator variants of the degree type. Whereas type

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variantsarecharacterisedbythedistinctivepurposeofeachvariant,thelatteraredeterminedbysubjectmatter.

StandardQualification standardA qualification standard is a statement that indicates how the purpose of thequalification, and the level on the NQF at which it is awarded, are representedin the learning domains, assessment contexts, and graduate attributes that aretypicalfortheawardofthequalification.Qualificationstandardsarenotthesame,ineitherscopeoreffect,asothermodalitiesusedfortheestablishmentofstandardsin higher education, for example, resource allocation standards, teaching andlearningstandards,orstandardsusedforthegradingofindividualstudents.

Threshold standardThisisastandardthataprogrammemustmeetinfullinordertomerittheawardof a specific qualification type. They represent the essential elements of goodpractice.Where appropriate, a qualification-type standards description includesguidelines for the achievement of above-threshold practice.

Subject matterClassification of educational subject matter (CESM)CESMisastandardisedway,designedbytheDHET,ofclassifyingthesubjectmatterinfieldsofstudyandcoursesofferedbyhighereducation institutions. It isusedtoorganisesubjectmatterdatacollectedbytheHigherEducationManagementInformation System (HEMIS). Subject matter is organised into 20 broad subjectareas,called‘firstorder’categories.Toenablegreaterdetailanddisaggregationofdata,thesecategoriesarefurtherdividedintodescendinghierarchiesof‘secondorder’and‘thirdorder’(and,insomecases,‘fourthorder’)categories.

Field of study‘Fieldofstudy’,asusedintheFramework,generallyreferstoaCESM‘firstorder’category.

DisciplineA discipline is a recognised knowledge- or skills-based subject.As used in theFramework, ‘discipline’ generally refers to a CESM ‘second order’ category. Insomeexceptionalcases,itmayrefertoa‘thirdorder’(or,rarely,toa‘fourthorder’)category.

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Annexure C

C.1 Principal Characteristics of the HEQSF

TheHEQSFisdesignedtobecompatiblewithothernationalandinternationalqualificationsframeworks and to enable comparisons. It does not provide the basis for establishingequivalence but rather for comparing and benchmarking similar qualifications and thusenhancing portability. It is also intended to be simple, clear and comprehensible. It hasexpanded the range of levelsontheNQFthataredevotedtohighereducationqualificationsfromfourtosix,therebyexpandingthetotalrangeoftheNQFfromeightlevelstoten.Atthe same time it has radically reduced the range of HE qualification types to nine. The qualificationtypesthatitrecognisesarethefollowing:

Figure 6: Qualification types on the HEQSF

Undergraduate qualifications Postgraduate qualifications

HigherCertificate(exitlevel5) PostgraduateDiploma(exitlevel8)

AdvancedCertificate(exitlevel6) BachelorHonoursDegree(exitlevel8)

Diploma(exitlevel6) Master’sDegree(exitlevel9)

AdvancedDiploma(exitlevel7) DoctoralDegree(exitlevel10)

Bachelor’sDegree(exitlevel7or8)

An important point of departure for the generation of standards is the HEQSF statement that‘eachqualificationtypehasauniquedescriptorstatingitspurposeandhowitrelatesto other qualification types.’The descriptor is a ‘point of reference’, providing a basis forthe design, approval and review of programmes. The aim is an appropriate degree ofconsistencybetweenprogrammesofthesamequalificationtypeand,whererelevant,thesame designatedvariant, or in certain cases, a cognate cluster ofvariants. In standardsdevelopment the primary purpose of a qualification is taken as the point of departure,particularly in respect of its emphasis on different types of knowledge and knowledgecontexts. This approach is deemed appropriate for higher education institutions as knowledge-basedinstitutions.

In this approach the NQF level descriptors are embedded in the standards developed for thevariousqualificationtypes.However,whereastheleveldescriptorsarecommonforallofferingsataparticularNQFlevel, irrespectiveoftheirvariouspurposes,standardstakethepurposeofeachqualificationtype,andthewayinwhichgraduateattributesmanifestthatpurpose,astheirstartingpoint.Thus,forexample,whilestandardswillbedeveloped,on the one hand, for Qualification Type A on level 5, and another set of standards forQualificationTypeBonlevel6(suchastheHigherCertificateandAdvancedCertificate),therewill also be a need to distinguish between standards forVariant C on level 8 andstandardsforVariantDonthesameNQFlevel8(suchastheBachelorHonoursdegreeandPostgraduateDiploma).

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FrameworkforQualificationStandardsinHigherEducation | Page 39

C.2 Standards in relation to the HEQSF

If the aims set out in the Framework, and the limitations on what standards can beexpectedtoachieve,areacceptedasasufficientbasisforthedevelopmentofstandardsforqualificationsinhighereducation,aquestiontobeaddressediswhethertheprovisionsoftheHEQF,notwithstandingthedifficultymentionedabove,arenotsufficientforachievingthese purposes.And if they are not sufficient, then how can standards supplement andenhance them?

The HEQSF forms an indispensable background to the development of standards in that it describesandspecifiesmatterssuchas:

• Qualification types, permissible permutations of designators and qualifiers, andabbreviations;

• Rules,intermsofminimumcredits,fortheuseofqualifiersinthetitlesofqualifications;

• TheNQFexitlevelofeachqualificationtype;

• Minimumtotalcreditsforlearningprogrammes,minimumcreditsatexitlevel,andinsomecasesthemaximumnumberofcreditspermittedonlowerNQFlevels;

• In the case of most postgraduate qualifications, the minimum number of creditsrequiredfortheconductingandreportingofresearch;

• Minimumadmissionrequirements;

• Broadpurposeandcharacteristicsofeachqualification;and

• PossibilitiesofprogressionfromonequalificationtoothersintheHEQSF.

Thisspecificationanddescriptionprovideasubstantialframeworkforqualificationdesignand assessment, but these details are largely structural and do not address, directly orsufficiently,theissueofstandardsper se.

Neither NQF level descriptors nor the HEQSF are designed fully to align qualificationpurpose with outcomes. There is also the matter of distinction between the purposesof various qualification types. While the HEQSF does provide very general statementsaboutthepurposeandcharacteristicsofqualifications,whatitdoesnotdoisprovideanymeaningfulguidelinesfordistinguishingclearlybetweenhighereducationqualificationswithdifferent purposesinrespectoftheirprimaryknowledgeorientation,suchastheroleof discipline-based knowledge, of professionally-derived knowledge and ofworkplace-derivedknowledge.GiventhatqualificationsatthesameNQFlevelmayhavesimilarlevelsofcognitiveorcontentdemands,whilehavingverydifferentpurposesandthusdifferentbalances between the conventional knowledge, skills and values/attitudes inherent inthem, it would be problematic, if the HEQF were to be deemed a standards-setting orstandards-managementframework,thatitprovidesnoguidanceinthisregard.Itisthereforeclear that the HEQSF was not intended to perform this function. As a broad structuralframework,itdoesnotdelveintothedistinctionsandnuancesthatcomefromdifferencesofpurposeanddifferencesinknowledgeareas/fieldswithincommonqualificationtypesor NQF levels.

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Barrie, SC., Hughes, C. & Smith, C. (2009). National GraduateAttribute Project (GAP) FinalReport.http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/nationalgap/resources/presentations.htm

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CouncilonHigherEducation(2004).CriteriaforProgrammeAccreditation.

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Department of Education (2008). Classification of Educational Subject Matter (CESM).Pretoria,August2008.

DepartmentofEducation(2009).NationalQualificationsFrameworkAct(ActNo.67of2008),GovernmentGazette,vol.524,No.31909,17February2009.

Griesel,H.&Parker,B.(2009).Graduateattributes:abaselinestudyonSouthAfricangraduates from the perspective of the employers. HESA and SAQA. http://www.saqa.org.za/docs/pubs/general/graduate_attributes.pdf.

HigherEducationQualityCommittee(2004).Criteriaforprogrammeaccreditation.Pretoria:CHE.

Holmes,L.(2000).“QuestioningtheSkillsagenda”inFallows,S&Steven,C.(Eds.),IntegratingKeySkillsinHigherEducation,pp.201-214(London:KoganPage).

James,P.,Lefoe,G.&Hadi,M.(2004).Working“through”graduateattributes:Abottom-upapproach. Proceedings of the HERDSA 2004 International Conference. http://www.herdsa.org,au/conference2004/contributions/RPapers/P022-jt.pdf

Jones,A.(2009).Redisciplininggenericattributes:thedisciplinarycontextinfocus.StudentsinHigherEducation,34(1),pp85-100.

SouthAfricanQualificationsAuthority(2000).CriteriaforthegenerationandevaluationofqualificationsandstandardswithintheNationalQualificationsFramework.Pretoria:SAQA.

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Walker,M.(2010).Ahumandevelopmentandcapabilities“Prospectiveanalysis”ofglobalhighereducationPolicy.JournalofEducationPolicy,25(4):485-501.

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