Quality and Qualifications Ireland

What Quality and Qualifications Ireland does

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is an Irish state agency established in 2012 under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, operating as the successor to HETAC, FETAC, NCEA and NCVA. It is the statutory external quality assurance and awarding body for Ireland's further and higher education sector, accountable to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. QQI validates programmes, makes awards across the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ Levels 1–10), authorises the TrustEd Ireland quality mark for providers recruiting non-EU/EEA international students, and operates NARIC Ireland for recognition of foreign qualifications. Its provider-facing products include the National Academic Integrity Network, Qualifax (the National Learners' Database), the My Own Work campaign against contract cheating, and the Irish Register of Qualifications.

QQI runs two core digital platforms that anchor its operational model. QBS (QQI Business System, cert.qqi.ie) is a secure certification submission platform used by education and training providers to lodge learner results, with features for class group lookup, direct links to validated programmes and learner history tracking; certificates issued carry invisible security features to prevent copying or alteration. QHub (qhub.qqi.ie) is the provider engagement portal supporting TrustEd Ireland applications, programme validation and revalidation, programme extension, re-engagement and annual quality reporting, with an integrated mailbox for QQI communications. Supporting infrastructure includes QHelp for learner queries, interactive Certification Dashboards built on the ALDa database (covering all QQI award holders from 2012), and data-sharing integrations with CAO, SOLAS, CSO and the Department of Education.

QQI's revenue model is a hybrid of exchequer grant-in-aid from its parent department and a published Schedule of Fees approved by the relevant Ministers. Provider-facing fees apply for programme validation, review of quality assurance procedures, making awards, delegation of authority, programme extension, access/transfer/progression approvals and TrustEd Ireland authorisation. Learner-facing fees include €20 for WES or record-of-award verification and €100 for replacement certificates issued after 2016, with appeal fees refunded if upheld. Pricing is published and set at cost-recovery level rather than commercially, consistent with QQI's statutory public-sector mandate.

Name

Quality and Qualifications Ireland

Legal name

Quality and Qualifications Ireland

Website

https://qqi.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the Irish state agency that validates programmes, makes awards across the National Framework of Qualifications, and authorises the TrustEd Ireland quality mark for further and higher education providers, serving universities, ETBs, private providers, English language schools and learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Quality Assurance

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Qualifications Framework Authorities (NQF/Skills Framework) (EDADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Qualifications & Credit Framework Authorities (EDADAEAD), Assessment Policy, Benchmarking & International Comparability Authorities (EDADAFAJ), Digital Assessment Platforms & Computer-Based Testing Authorities (EDADAFAK), Online/Distance Education Quality & Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAK), Online & Distance Education Quality Assurance Reviews (EDADAGAM), Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Education quality assurance
• Qualifications framework
• Awarding body services
• Academic certification
• Training quality assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: QQI receives funding from its parent department (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science) to operate as Ireland's quality assurance and awarding body for further and higher education.
2. Provider Service Fees: QQI charges fees to education and training providers for services including programme validation, review of quality assurance procedures, making awards, delegation of authority to make awards, programme extension, access/transfer/progression approvals, and International Education Mark authorisation.
3. Learner Service Fees: Fees charged to learners for verification services (€20 for WES verification, €20 for record of awards) and replacement certificates (€100 for NFQ Level 1-10 certificates awarded after 2016).
4. Appeal Fees: Fees payable for appeals against QQI decisions, with full refund if appeal is upheld.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is Ireland's independent state agency that validates education and training programmes, makes awards across the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ Levels 1-10), and operates external quality assurance for further and higher education. It provides certification platforms (QBS, QHub), qualification verification and replacement services for learners, a statutory TrustEd Ireland quality mark for international education providers, and maintains the Irish Register of Qualifications and Qualifax information portal.

Product overview

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) operates as Ireland's state agency for quality assurance and awarding in further and higher education. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services including: QQI Awards (core awarding and certification function), TrustEd Ireland (quality mark for international education providers), QBS and QHub (provider-facing platforms for certification and programme management), Qualifax (careers and education information portal), NARIC Ireland (foreign qualification recognition), and the Irish Register of Qualifications. QQI also supports academic integrity through the National Academic Integrity Network and the My Own Work campaign, while providing data insights via certification dashboards. The organization validates programmes, makes awards across the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ levels 1-10), and facilitates European transparency through Europass.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TrustEd Ireland: A statutory quality mark for higher education and English language education providers ensuring quality experience for international learners.
• Qualifax
• QHub
• QBS Certification
• QHelp
• Irish Register of Qualifications

Products and services

• QQI Awards
• TrustEd Ireland
• Qualifax

Quantifiable outcome

• Awards placed on NFQ ensuring national and international recognition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2026Co-organiser of Ireland EU Presidency 2026 conference on Skills Portability Initiative focusing on Third Country Qualifications Framework Comparison and micro-credentials. European Commission supports the event and provides policy guidance on European Degree Label implementation.
• European Training FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2026Partner in EU Presidency 2026 conference, collaborating with QQI on study visit for third country representatives regarding Irish NFQ design and implementation. ETF assists in participant agreement for study visits.
• CedefopcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2026Co-operation partner for Ireland EU Presidency 2026 conference on skills portability, supporting European transparency tools development.
• Department of Justice IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrustEd Ireland providers must comply with Department of Justice monitoring requirements for student compliance with immigration law. Department oversees immigration aspects of international student recruitment.
• National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeer collaborative network established by QQI in November 2019 to foster academic integrity culture across further and higher education. Includes working groups, steering committee, and member institutions.
• Union of Students in Ireland (USI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the My Own Work campaign against contract cheating, supporting academic integrity initiatives for students.
• Central Applications Office (CAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerData sharing agreement for secure transfer of QQI award data including PPSN, awards achieved, and scored results. QQI transfers certification data to CAO for higher education admissions.
• Central Statistics Office (CSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShares certification data including PPSN, gender, age, certification year, award details pursuant to Statistics Act 1993. Memorandum of understanding established for data sharing.
• SOLAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerData sharing agreement for certification data including masked PPSN, gender, age, award details for Further Education and Training statistics.
• Department of Education IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual sharing of anonymised certification data for Education Indicators for Ireland report required under EU legislation on education statistics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ofqual: England's statutory qualifications regulator, with an almost identical mandate to QQI: maintaining qualifications frameworks, regulating awarding organisations, and ensuring quality. Ofqual is the closest direct comparator given its equivalent statutory footing and NFQ-equivalent functions.
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): UK's independent quality assurance body for higher education, performing external quality review, programme validation, and institutional review functions that directly mirror QQI's quality assurance role for Irish further and higher education.
• Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): Scotland's national awarding and qualifications body, comparable to QQI in maintaining a national qualifications framework (SCQF), accrediting qualifications, and certifying learners across further and higher education.
• Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA): Australia's national quality and standards regulator for higher education and vocational education, performing provider registration, course accreditation, and quality assessment functions that directly parallel QQI's statutory responsibilities.
• NARIC UK (UK ENIC): The UK's national centre for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications, operating as the UK equivalent of NARIC Ireland — a service operated by QQI for foreign qualification recognition.
• New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA): New Zealand's government body responsible for qualifications quality assurance across the NZQF, including evaluating foreign qualifications and accrediting programmes — directly comparable to QQI's NFQ and NARIC Ireland functions.

Broad incumbents

• European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR): The European-level register of quality assurance agencies that QQI-related providers may interact with. While not a direct competitor, EQAR sets the standards and listings that frame QQI's quality assurance function at the supranational level.
• Cedefop: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, which QQI partners with on EU Presidency 2026 events and which supports European transparency tools (Europass) that integrate with QQI's qualifications framework.

Regional players

• SOLAS: Ireland's Further Education and Training Authority, which shares certification data with QQI and co-governs the FET sector that QQI certifies. A natural domestic peer within the Irish education ecosystem with overlapping further education responsibilities.
• Higher Education Authority (HEA): Ireland's statutory body for higher education policy, funding, and system development. A domestic peer operating alongside QQI within the Irish higher education regulatory landscape with complementary (but not overlapping) responsibilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe1oWTd0vFoIv3yzanJjwJA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/quality-and-qualifications-ireland-qqi-/?originalSubdomain=ie

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Quality and Qualifications Ireland