What are the responsibilities of the AVAs in relation to quality assurance?

The quality and standards of Access to HE courses are monitored by the Authorised Validating Agencies (AVAs). AVAs are regionally responsive partnership organisations, with members from further and higher education institutions. As the awarding bodies for the Access to HE qualification, they have specific responsibilities which include:

  • development of Access to HE provision within their region, and guidance to providers developing new Access to HE courses.
  • validation of Access to HE courses, including a panel process which involves external members and representatives from HE.
  • moderation arrangements, including the appointment and training of moderators, to confirm quality and standards on Access to HE courses.
  • review and evaluation of Access to HE courses, including the consideration of annual course reports for all courses recognised by the AVA.
  • certification of successful Access to HE students, on the recommendation of Access to HE providers, as confirmed by the moderation process.

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