Ontario Micro-Credentials Quality Assurance Framework Proposal, July 2023

Ontario Micro-Credential: Harnessing the Potential Report

At the request of the Ontario Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, PEQAB is leading consultations on the development of a quality assurance framework for micro-credentials. The outcome of this process will result in a recommendation to the Minister in Fall of 2023.

The OMC: Harnessing the Potential report is an overview of the proposed framework developed through a literature review, environmental scan, key informant interviews and consultations with stakeholders. The proposed quality assurance framework seeks to harmonise understanding and provide transparency of micro-credential programming utilising existing policies and practices in Ontario’s higher education system in order to recognise student achievement and support lifelong learning.

PEQAB is seeking feedback from a wide range of stakeholders on the perceived value, areas of concern, or issues of feasibility with the framework. We welcome written responses submitted to [email protected] until September 30, 2023.

Conestoga College Wins International Award, January 2019

Conestoga College in the Waterloo Region has won a prestigious international award for its processes for assessing the quality of its programs. The award was presented by the International Quality Group (CIQG) of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the largest organization of its kind in the U.S. The CIQG Quality Award was established in 2018 to recognize outstanding performance of higher education providers in meeting the CHEA/CIQG International Quality Principles.

• “The award is a celebration of good practice and a demonstration of the major stake that higher education providers have in improving quality around the world,” said Concepcion Pijano, an international consultant on accreditation and chair of the CIQG Advisory Council.
• “This award is part of trying to build international investment in higher education quality and quality assurance,” said Stamenka Uvalic-Trumbic, CHEA Senior Advisor on International Affairs.

To win this inaugural award, the college used examples from its bachelor degree program in mechanical systems engineering to demonstrate outstanding performance in seven overarching areas that measure quality. Conestoga was nominated for the award by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board, which quality assures the Colleges degree programs pursuant to Ministerial consent.