The purpose of institutional review
An institutional review examines how educational decisions are made and put into practice across an organisation. It considers who is responsible for quality, how educational provision is designed and reviewed, how staff are selected, how assessment is managed and how learners are supported.
The review also considers whether the institution understands its results and acts on them. Completion data, complaints, learner feedback and staff observations should inform decisions. The question is not simply whether a policy exists, but whether the institution can demonstrate a consistent and accountable way of working.
Defining the scope
Before assessment, the institution and CQASE agree the legal entity, included locations, delivery modes and any specific organisational boundary. This scope is carried into the decision and public register. An institution must not extend an award to an unreviewed subsidiary, location or service.
A corporate training unit, for example, may be reviewed as a defined unit of its parent company. Its public record must identify both the responsible legal entity and the unit. The award would not describe the whole parent company as an accredited educational institution.
For online or blended delivery, the scope includes the relevant learning environment and support arrangements. Physical buildings are not a prerequisite for online institutions; reliable access, competent staff and appropriate learner protection remain necessary.
Why reviewers may examine course examples
A reviewer may sample course plans, assessments, teaching records or learner feedback to establish whether the institutional process works. The sampling approach should reflect the range and risks of the agreed provision. The institution should explain why its suggested samples are representative, and the reviewer can request alternatives.
Sampling a course does not produce a separate course or programme accreditation. CQASE does not endorse the legal recognition of that course’s certificate, degree or professional outcome.
What recognition communicates
An active CQASE award indicates that the institution has met the applicable CQASE requirements within the published scope and remains subject to monitoring. A person checking the award should consult the public record for the current status, dates and limits.
CQASE recognition does not replace national approval, create degree-awarding powers, license a profession or guarantee acceptance of qualifications. Decisions about admission, employment, credit transfer or further study belong to the receiving institution, employer or competent authority.