College Quality Assurance Audit Process (CQAAP)
The Ontario College Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS) and its College Quality Assurance Audit Process (CQAAP) is recognized by the International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) as being an agency that meet the Guidelines of Good Practice, and was developed to ensure quality and continuous improvement in Ontario’s colleges.
The CQAAP is an institutional level process that involves the regular and cyclical review of each college’s quality assurance mechanisms. The standards provide the framework for Ontario’s colleges in assessing the extent to which their quality assurance mechanisms meet the established standards. Its purpose is developmental and its intent is to ensure continual improvement. (Source http://www.ocqas.org/quality-assurance/about-cqaap/)
Important Dates
| Notification of the Audit | September 3, 2019 | |
| Submission of the Self-Study Package | March 22, 2021 | |
| Confirmation of Site Visit Dates and Audit Panel Members | April 16, 2021 | |
| Preparation for Site Visit | January – May 2021 | |
| Site Visit | May 30 – June 4, 2021 (2 days) | |
| Review of Self-Study Package by External Reviewers and Follow-Up Questions | August 2021 | |
| Follow-Up Reporting | 18 months after receipt of the audit decision; tentatively May 2023 |
CQAAP Standards
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure the quality of a program management system and demonstrate continuous improvement.
Standard 1 – Program Quality Management System
Effective mechanisms ensure the existence of a quality assurance system.
A college-wide program quality management system:
1.1 Has established mechanisms that operationalize the Board of Governors’ (BOG) responsibility to ensure quality assurance is embedded in the strategic direction of the organization.
1.2 Ensures that there are established mechanisms for:
- New program development;
- Program review;
- Program revision;
- Program renewal;
- Program suspension and cancellation
that support program quality and are applied consistently across all programs.
1.3 Has mechanisms for gathering, collating and analyzing data and information from various sources and stakeholders that are related to program quality.
1.4 Uses data and information collected from various sources and stakeholders to assess program performance and inform recommendations.
1.5 Has mechanisms for ensuring that recommendations and action plans arising from program QA processes have been implemented.
1.6 Has mechanisms for managing and communicating changes to programs and/or courses to keep them current and relevant with industry, provincial standards and professional body requirements.
1.7 Manages program maintenance records arising from program lifecycle QA processes.
Standard 2 – Vocational Learning Outcomes as the Centre of Program Development (Throughout the Program Lifecycle)
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure vocational learning outcomes are at the centre of the program’s lifecycle activities.
A college-wide use of vocational learning outcomes at the centre of the program lifecycle:
2.1 Ensures the existence, relevance and dissemination of Program Vocational Learning Outcomes (PVLOs) as the starting point for any program lifecycle activity regardless of the program location or delivery method.
2.2 Ensures that program course structure, course sequence, and course learning outcomes are derived from, and flow coherently from, the Program Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLOs) and Essential Employability Skills and are disseminated.
2.3 Ensures that course learning activities, assessments, and Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) mechanisms are consistent with and appropriate to the course learning outcomes, PVLOs and EESs, and support meaningful acquisition of the required skills and knowledge.
Standard 3 – Conformity with Government Requirements
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure the conformity of programs of study with relevant government requirements and demonstrate continuous improvement.
A college-wide program implementation system:
3.1 Ensures that program titles are consistent with established CVS Titling Protocols.
3.2 Ensures that programs of instruction meet or exceed the provincial credential validation framework (CVF).
3.3 Ensures that programs of instruction have appropriate Program Advisory Committees (PAC) and that mechanisms exist for the PAC to provide meaningful input into program relevance and quality.
3.4 Ensures that changes to provincial program standards are communicated to all relevant stakeholders and implemented in a timely manner to assure that all programs are current.
Standard 4 – Program Delivery and Student Assessment
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure the quality of program delivery and student assessment.
A college-wide program delivery and assessment of students:
4.1 Ensures that instructional activities and assessments are consistent with and appropriate to the course learning outcomes, and well suited to all locations and delivery methods.
4.2 Engages faculty in regular experimentation, sharing and evaluation of new strategies, methods and tools for teaching and learning that are consistent with best practices and support ongoing development across all programs of instruction.
4.3 Ensures fair and equitable evaluation of student achievement through valid assessment methods, accompanied by prompt and constructive feedback on student performance.
4.4 Provides holistic, integrated activities for imminent program graduates to demonstrate their capabilities with regard to the PVLOs.
Standard 5 – Existence, Monitoring and Communication of Academic Policies and Practices that Influence and Impact Academic Quality
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure the communication and monitoring of established academic policies and practices related to academic issues.
A college-wide monitoring and communication system of existing academic policies and practices:
5.1 Ensures that all applicable college, department, and program academic policies and procedures are published and communicated to all relevant stakeholders and applied consistently.
5.2 Ensures that established academic policies and procedures are reviewed and monitored regularly and consistently.
5.3 Ensures that academic policies and procedures regarding admission are established and applied for all programs offered by the college.
5.4 Ensures that academic policies and procedures regarding student progression are established and applied for all programs offered by the college.
5.5 Ensures that academic policies and procedures regarding prior learning and transfer credit (recognition) are established and applied for all programs offered by the college.
5.6 Ensures that academic policies and procedures regarding accommodation and assessment are established and applied for all programs offered by the college.
5.7 Ensures that academic policies and procedures regarding awarding of credentials (certification) are established and applied for all programs offered by the college.
5.8 Ensures that appropriate academic policies and procedures exist regarding the establishment of informal and formal arrangements with external educational bodies (e.g., partner institutions) with regard to program admission, progression, laddering, awarding of additional credentials, certifications, and QA.
Standard 6 – Availability and Allocation of College Wide Resources
Effective quality assurance mechanisms ensure the existence, availability and allocation of resources (human, physical, financial) and technological infrastructure to support student achievement of PVLOS.
A college-wide planning system for allocation of resources:
6.1 Ensures that faculty involved in the program:
- possess the combination of experience and qualifications appropriate to, and required by, the program credential, the field of study, and the curriculum they are hired to teach;
- undergo appropriate selection and hiring processes;
- receive appropriate academic guidance and onboarding;
- are provided with developmental feedback and are appropriately evaluated (performance appraisal).
6.2 Ensures that faculty execute their professional responsibilities by establishing and communicating appropriate expectations, using mechanisms to indicate whether expectations are being met, and are engaging in ongoing professional development activities.
6.3 Ensures that there are established regular mechanisms for all academic support and advising services to determine the quality and adequacy of those services and to implement changes where required.
6.4 Ensures that support learning services staff providing student support services:
- possess the combination of experience and qualifications appropriate to their roles;
- undergo appropriate selection and hiring processes;
- receive appropriate orientation, guidance and onboarding;
- are provided with continuous support in their professional development;
- are provided with developmental feedback and are appropriately evaluated (performance appraisal).
6.5 Ensures that support learning services staff execute their professional responsibilities by participating in continuing professional development or education.
6.6 Ensures that there are effective processes for identifying, reviewing and addressing needs related to:
- adequacy of faculty and support learning services staff;
- adequacy and quality of learning resources;
- adequacy of informational technology resources that relate to program delivery and student use;
- adequacy and quality of equipment and facilities needed for instruction.