Northern Ireland Committee Members Appointed
Thursday, 11 November 2010 11:09
A new committee set up to support the effective regulation of vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland has met for the first time.
Ofqual's Regulation of Vocational Qualifications in Northern Ireland Committee, met for the first time on Monday, November 8th in Belfast.
Following an external recruitment process, six independent members were recently appointed to the Northern Ireland Committee for up to three years. In addition to the independent members, the Ofqual Board has also appointed three Ofqual Board members to the Committee: Sandra Burslem, Ray Coughlin and Maggie Galliers. Ray Coughlin is the Chair of the Committee. At its first meeting the Committee considered two public consultations currently open for comment about how Ofqual will regulate in future.
The Committee will provide strategic advice to Ofqual on the direction, implementation and impact of its regulation of vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.
The independent members of the Regulation of Vocational Qualifications in Northern Ireland Committee have been appointed for varying periods of up to three years, they are:
- Trevor Carson, from a training services for FE and training provider background.
- Justin Edwards, from an FE background.
- Catherine O'Mullan, from an FE background.
- Elsbeth Rea, from a Social Services and Criminal Justice background.
- Therese Rogan, from a training/HE background.
- Donna Sheerin, from a private training organisation background.
Ray Coughlin, Chair of the Committee, said: "I'm looking forward to working with the new Committee to ensure proper consideration is given to the needs of Northern Ireland learners, employers and others with an interest in vocational qualifications.
"Ofqual monitors the delivery of vocational qualifications to ensure they meet the regulatory requirements for quality, rigour, fairness, efficiency and consistency. Our work will help to inform the regulation of vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland."
Notes to editors:
1. The Apprenticeships, Schools, Children and Learning Act 2009 established Ofqual as the independent regulator of general and vocational qualifications in England and of vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.
2. The Committee will meet approximately four times each year.
3. Committee members will not receive any remuneration, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
4. The two public consultations currently open are: From Transition to Transformation; Strategic Regulation of Awarding Organisations and Qualifications and Economic Regulation and the Fee-capping Process. Both consultations are available on the Ofqual website and will run until Monday, January 31st 2011.
