Overview of National Qualification frameworks - Project-Nqf-Sqf

4 Quality management / Quality assurance4.1 Forms of quality management and quality assuranceManifold and partly systematic quality efforts exist in the different segments of the Austrian qualifications system. Some aredirectly in line with European principles for quality assurance: ‘On the basis of wide public debate, a large number of projectsand pilots since the mid-1990s, quality development and quality assurance have established themselves as key educationalpolicy objectives in the school sector over the past five years. In line with the international trend, the focus in Austria has alsoshifted from central input control towards process and mainly output control. From this follow fundamental changes in theconception of control levels’ (Tritscher-Archan & Mayr [eds.] 2008, 35). Such initiatives include, for example, the initiativeQuality in Schools (Q.I.S.) or the VET Quality Initiative (QIBB).Measures used to avoid mislinkings between the NQF and the EQF:The EQF referencing process will be closely linked to the process of allocating qualifications to the Austrian NQF. Amethodological approach is being developed to support an objective and unambiguous classification of qualifications to therespective NQF levels. This approach will be presented in the “NQF Manual”. This Manual will provide support throughout theentire NQF classification process. Classifcation in the NQF is voluntary. For a qualification to be placed on the NQF it isnecessary that the authority that governs this qualification (for example the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Economics)applies for it.Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-university Education (ARACIP) was set up by Expeditious Ordinance no 75 /2005; the Agency is responsible for the external evaluation of the quality of education provided by pre-university educationinstitutions and by other education providers, as well as for the authorisation, accreditation and regular evaluation of preuniversityeducation institutions. The same ordinance provided for the setting up of the National Agency for QualityAssurance in Higher Education - ARACIS whose mission is to perform external evaluation of the quality of education providedby higher education institutions and by other providers of initial and continuing education and training programmes specific tohigher education. Quality assurance in education is learning outcomes-oriented. Quality in education is assured through thefollowing processes:NQF-SQF:"This project has been funded with support from38/39Overview of National Qualificationprepared by 3s research laboratoryframeworksthe European Commission. This publicationreflects the views only of the author, and theCommission cannot be held responsible for anyuse which may be made of the informationcontained therein."