The Validation Panel


1 Organisation of the panel

A proposal for a new qualification, or for extensive revisions to an existing qualification, will be validated by a panel of subject experts at a validation meeting. SQA will organise and host the validation meeting:

  • for consortium-devised PDAs
  • when asked to do so by a centre which is putting forward a PDA proposal for validation — the centre will have the opportunity to comment on the panel that SQA has brought together, to avoid potential conflicts of interest 

Alternatively, the lead centre of a collaborative development, or single centre putting forward a PDA proposal, may wish to organise and host the validation meeting. When a centre decides on this course of action, SQA will have been consulted on the composition of the validation panel and will normally make at least one nomination to it.

All the panel members attending a validation meeting are acting on behalf of SQA in assessing the proposed qualification against SQA's quality elements (this is the name we give to our criteria for quality assurance — an extract of these can be found in Appendix 1.

2 Size of panels

The size of the panel will depend on three factors:

  • whether the development is a new PDA
  • whether the development is a revision to an existing PDA and the extent of that revision
  • the scope of the PDA — eg is this for a specific employer need or for a whole occupational sector

Regardless of the factors that apply, all members of the panel are equal partners at the validation meeting. Their role is to act as independent judges of the proposed qualification, and to make a validation decision at the end of the meeting. However, given the occupational or vocational focus of PDAs, there should be clear representation of the occupational sector.

The panel should consist of, at a minimum, three people — four if the proposal has been submitted by a centre or small group of centres. It should include:

  • industry, employer, Sector Skills Council and/or other sector expert representatives. As PDAs are focused on occupational/professional development it may be appropriate that one of these representatives should also act as convener of the panel
  • an educationalist and/or centre representative (if the development has been initiated by a centre or small group of centres)
  • an SQA representative

If the PDA is designed to articulate with degree programmes, an additional representative from the higher education sector would be appropriate.

Panels may be larger if a greater range of expertise is required, but they should not be smaller.

Note: The panel should not include any members of the Qualification Design Team or Steering Groups although those contacted for consultation/market research may be included.

3 Role of the convener

Panels are convened by individuals who are independent of the Qualification Design Team and of the centre or centres proposing the qualification. The convener has a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the validation meeting, and should display:

  • knowledge of the validation process
  • impartiality
  • objectivity
  • experience of chairing meetings
  • experience of participating in the validation of qualifications 
  • expertise in a field related to the qualification
  • thoroughness of approach
  • good communication and interpersonal skills
  • diplomacy and tact

Members should be encouraged to work as a team, bringing their own expertise and experience to it. The convener's role is to ensure all members are allowed an equal opportunity to participate so that the meeting is not dominated by any individual or small group.

It is the convener's responsibility to ensure that the proposed qualification is assessed comprehensively and objectively against the validation criteria. At the first private meeting the convener will co-ordinate the drawing up of:

  • any changes to the draft programme for the day
  • an agenda of issues for discussion with the Qualification Design Team

It is important to make full use of the expertise of all the members of the panel. Each member will have identified issues that require clarification and discussion, and these should be pooled to form an agenda for the meeting. The convener may wish to identify individual panel members who will take the lead on specific topics, but this should not prevent others from joining in with related points.

The convener should ensure that all members of the panel are comfortable with educational terminology, and should be ready to provide explanations whenever necessary. The SQA representative will be able to help provide clear definitions of terminology and policy.

Validation panels will be presented with a Validation Proposal Document that has been developed in partnership with, or supported by, an SQA officer. It will already have passed through rigorous internal scrutiny.

The Validation Proposal Document will normally have been the result of extensive work and comment before it is presented for a fresh and impartial scrutiny by the validation panel.

The convener should ensure that the work and the professionalism of the Qualification Design Team are acknowledged both formally and implicitly in the conduct of the meeting.

If panel members are not convinced that the proposals address all of SQA’s validation criteria or if they think that the evidence supporting the proposal is unclear or insufficient, the convener will agree the broad conditions that he/she wishes to see addressed before final validation.

The convener should ensure that reasonable timescales for meeting the conditions, and the mechanism for meeting these conditions, are agreed with the Qualification Design Team.

It is very important that he/she ensures that the validation panel members do not attempt to re-write any aspect of the proposal. While helpful suggestions for improvements will always be welcome, the purpose of the validation is to confirm (or otherwise) that the SQA validation criteria have been broadly met. Detailed suggestions for re-writing should not form part of any formal conditions for validation.

4 Role of other panel members

Industry/employer/SSC representative/subject expert

As the focus of PDAs is to provide specialist vocational or occupational skills, the role of this member is crucial.

Industry-based panel members are selected because of their subject expertise and knowledge of related employment sectors. Although they may have been consulted during the market research for the qualification, they should view the proposal objectively on its merits and without any sense of personal 'ownership'.

Industrialists are on the panel to represent the views of prospective employers. It is their role to determine whether:

  • the proposed qualification meets the short, medium, and longer term education and training needs of employers in the targeted sectors 
  • the qualification has taken due account of relevant elements from the National Occupational Standards of the sector or other professional body requirements
  • the PDA will equip successful candidates with the knowledge and skills that will:
    — meet skills gaps
    — provide continuing professional development
    — provide opportunities for progression in the workplace

If industry-based panel members are unfamiliar with educational terms (for example, in regard to the SCQF), they should not hesitate to look to the convener for clarification.

Though industry-based panel members may have no personal experience of validation, this should not debar them from participating. Hosting centres should, if requested, provide validation training for those who feel it is necessary.

Educationalists

Educationalists are selected for their expertise in validation and their specialist subject, and for their experience in the management and delivery of similar qualifications. Familiarity with the level of qualification being validated is essential, as the educationalist may be called upon to explain issues to other members of the validation panel.

Educationalists will play a major role in determining whether:

  • the qualification represents a unique achievement worthy of separate certification
  • there is any overlap with existing provision and, if so, whether this is acceptable
  • the demands made on candidates are reasonable and justify the level and credit value of the qualification
  • the Group Award is at the appropriate SCQF level
  • each Unit specification is at an appropriate level and conforms to SQA’s criteria

In making these determinations, educationalists should consider only SQA’s validation criteria. Issues such as candidate demand and inter-centre competition for viable numbers are not relevant to the validation process.

Though broad suggestions for improvements to the Validation Proposal Document will be welcome, detailed proposals for re-writing any aspect of it should not form part of the decisions of the validation panel members. The Qualification Design Team will be expected to take account of any discussion of all aspects of the proposal.

Centre representatives

Where the proposal has been submitted by a centre or by a group of centres, the validation panel should include a centre representative — normally someone with a management position in the centre. This person should not be or have been a member of the Qualification Design Team, and should never be regarded (or regard himself or herself) as a spokesperson for the submission. The centre representative should be a fully participating member of the validation panel.

The centre representative's crucial role is to assure the validation panel that the proposal is realistic and has the support of the centre's management. That is, that adequate resources, etc, will be available to support the implementation of the PDA.

When the meeting is arranged and hosted by a centre, it will be the responsibility of the centre representative to complete and submit the Validation Report form. The centre may provide secretarial support for its representative throughout the meeting — this has the great advantage of ensuring that an accurate note of the proceedings is kept whilst allowing the representative to participate fully.

Note: Where a proposal has been developed by a group of centres, the Qualification Design Team will be asked to nominate a single representative from one of the participating centres. This representative should not have been a participating member of the Qualification Design Team.

SQA representative

The SQA representative will be appointed based on his or her experience of validation and knowledge of SQA policy. He or she will be someone who has not been directly involved in the development of the qualification and who therefore does not have a vested interest in its validation. The representative will clarify any points of SQA policy that arise at the meeting, and should be able to make a full contribution to discussions, especially those concerning whether or not validation criteria have been met.

Where the meeting is arranged and hosted by SQA, it is the responsibility of the SQA representative to complete and submit the Validation Report form.

Where the centre hosts the validation meeting, the SQA representative will complete a summary report using the checklist supplied by SQA.

Higher education representative

Most PDAs are designed for progression in the workplace. However, if the PDA design facilitates progression to university programmes, a higher education representative will be appointed based on his/her experience of the vocational area and articulation. In addition to general comments relating to the validation of the Group Award, the HEI representative would also be expected to comment on:

  • the way in which the Group Award will prepare successful candidates for further study at a higher education institution
  • the suitability of the content of the Group Award for articulation to a particular level of study at a higher education institution

5 Training of validation panel members

Validation panel members should be trained before participating in a validation meeting. At a minimum this should involve:

  • familiarisation with the design principles for PDAs
  • reading a copy of this guide — A Guide to Professional Development Awards: from inception to implementation
  • a briefing session or written brief from an SQA manager (or centre representative if being hosted by a centre)
  • an opportunity to clarify any aspect relating to the validation process with an SQA manager (or centre representative if being hosted by a centre) prior to the validation event