Quality Assessment and Qualification Framework

What Quality Assessment and Qualification Framework does

Quality Assessment and Qualification Framework (QAQF) is a UK-based, privately held education and training provider founded in 2018 and headquartered in Birmingham, with a secondary teaching centre in Leicester. Its core function is preparing overseas healthcare professionals for the UK labour market by delivering preparatory training for the Nursing and Midwifery Council's CBT and OSCE competency tests and the OET English language exam, alongside a wider set of Professional Accelerated Route (PAR) programmes spanning nursing, midwifery, healthcare management, leadership, IT and care skills qualifications. The company positions its Discover-Train-Deploy scheme as a bridge between trained overseas professionals and UK healthcare employers such as nursing homes, care homes, residential homes, private hospitals and GPs.

QAQF's product architecture rests on a hybrid learning platform combining online and campus-based delivery with a proprietary adaptive learning system called Maki Ai and an AI-powered avatar lecturer, supplemented by AR and VR integration into training and assessment. Beyond individual learner programmes, QAQF offers Corporate Need Analysis, Corporate Rating, and Quality Assessment services aimed at organisations seeking to benchmark or design training programmes. Technology is described in proprietary terms (Maki Ai adaptive learning algorithm, AI Avatar lecturer) but is not supported by patents, published technical detail, or named research talent in the source data.

The revenue model is a mix of fee-for-service professional training (CBT, OSCE, OET preparation, PAR pathways), corporate consulting engagements (Corporate Need Analysis, Corporate Rating, Quality Assessment), and episodic high-profile projects (e.g., work referenced for Real Madrid C.F. and for the World Bank via Advocom Group). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company runs on a contact-based model with appointment booking for consultations. The go-to-market combines sales-led direct enquiry, content marketing (blog, case studies, newsletter), social media presence, and both in-person (Leicester) and online delivery channels. Operating geographies claimed are the UK, Canada, USA and Dubai via the PAR programme.

Name

Quality Assessment and Qualification Framework

Legal name

QUALIFICATION ASSESSMENT AND QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK

Website

https://qaqf.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QAQF is a UK-based private training provider that prepares overseas healthcare professionals for UK NMC registration via CBT, OSCE and OET preparation, and runs broader Professional Accelerated Route programmes across healthcare, IT and management using its Maki Ai adaptive learning platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Professional Education and Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Qualifications Framework Authorities (NQF/Skills Framework) (EDADAFAB), Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Healthcare education
• Professional qualifications
• OET training
• Nursing pathways
• Corporate training assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Qualification Programmes: Revenue generated from professional accelerated route programmes across multiple country pathways (UK, Canada, USA, Dubai) including nursing, midwifery, healthcare management, and IT specialisations. Programmes range from vocational certificates to advanced diplomas and post-graduate qualifications.
2. Healthcare Professional Training: Training services for overseas healthcare professionals including CBT preparation, OSCE exam training, and OET language test preparation for nurses seeking UK registration.
3. Corporate Training Assessment Services: Corporate Need Analysis and Quality Assessment services for organisations including curriculum review, teaching assessment, faculty evaluation, and strategic training plan development.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QAQF delivers professional qualification pathway programmes (Professional Accelerated Route / PAR) for overseas healthcare workers seeking employment in the UK, Canada, USA and Dubai, alongside structured preparation for CBT, OSCE and OET exams. The company supports these programmes with its proprietary Maki Ai adaptive learning platform, AI avatar lecturer, and AR/VR-enabled training delivery, and also offers corporate-facing services including Quality Assessment, Corporate Rating, and Corporate Need Analysis.

Product overview

QAQF operates as an integrated education and professional development platform offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the Professional Accelerated Route (PAR) system with international pathways to UK, Canada, USA, and Dubai, supported by Maki Ai adaptive learning technology with AI Avatar lecturer capabilities. The platform combines hybrid learning delivery (online and campus-based), AR/VR technology integration, and specialized healthcare programs including nursing, midwifery, and healthcare management qualifications. Additional offerings span IT professional development, corporate training assessment, and corporate need analysis services. The product architecture is modular, allowing learners to progress from foundational programs (CDPs in Care Skills Level 3) through advanced qualifications (Post Graduate Diplomas) while accessing AI-powered personalization throughout their learning journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Professional Accelerated Route (PAR): Accelerated professional qualification pathways offered across UK, Canada, USA, and Dubai

Products and services

• Professional Accelerated Route (PAR) Accelerated qualification pathway program enabling overseas professionals to gain recognition and employment in target countries including UK, Canada, USA, and Dubai, spanning vocational certificates to advanced diplomas.
• Maki Ai Adaptive Learning Platform AI-powered adaptive learning system with sophisticated algorithms that personalise content, pace, and learning pathways based on individual performance, learning style, and preferences, including an AI Avatar lecturer capability.
• OET Professional Training Healthcare language proficiency training and examination preparation for nurses and medical professionals, covering CBT, OSCE, and OET components delivered through hybrid online and campus-based learning.
• Quality Assessment Services Comprehensive evaluation service including curriculum review, teaching and learning assessment, student performance analysis, and faculty evaluation to ensure educational excellence.
• Corporate Rating System Objective evaluation of corporate training programs and business practices, assessing training relevance, instructional quality, skill development, innovation integration, and outcome effectiveness.
• Corporate Need Analysis Training needs identification service covering organisational analysis, task and role analysis, individual competency assessment, and technology needs evaluation to align training with strategic business goals.
• Discover-Train-Deploy Scheme Structured pathway scheme that connects overseas-trained healthcare professionals with UK healthcare organisations (nursing homes, care homes, residential homes, private hospitals, GPs), facilitating long-term placement of pre-registered nurses.
• Advanced Practice in Nursing Advanced nursing qualification programme for experienced nurses seeking enhanced clinical practice, leadership roles, and specialised expertise.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Health Care Management Graduate-level qualification in healthcare management for professionals seeking leadership and administrative roles in healthcare settings.
• Professional Accelerated Route in Midwifery Specialised accelerated pathway for midwifery professionals seeking qualification recognition and career advancement in target countries.
• Post Graduate in Information Technology - Developers Program Advanced IT qualification for developers covering software development, programming, and technical skills for career advancement in the IT sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Overseas nurses achieve UK registration through NMC-approved pre-registration programmes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Real Madrid C.F.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2017International business development relationship case study involving data analytics, stakeholder relations, and strategic services conducted for Real Madrid C.F. Client since November 2017.
• Educational Institutions and Industry BodiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnerships with educational institutions and industry bodies were instrumental in refining QAQF's framework to ensure it met real-world needs. These collaborations helped develop the qualifications framework to standardise professional skills assessment.
• World Bank (via Advocom Group)moderateImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWork conducted on behalf of World Bank through partnership with Advocom Group. Includes strategic consulting and programme development services.
• UK Healthcare OrganisationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscover-Train-Deploy scheme creates partnerships between QAQF and UK nursing homes, care homes, residential homes, private hospitals, and GPs to facilitate employment of overseas trained nurses.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BPP University: BPP offers structured OSCE preparation, NMC registration support and nursing/healthcare professional programmes in the UK. It is a direct competitor for QAQF's core CBT/OSCE/OET training and pre-registration nursing pathway, with similar learner profile and employer placement outcomes.
• IDP Education: IDP is a leading international IELTS preparation and English-language testing provider with global test centres, overlapping directly with QAQF's OET/language proficiency training and international pathway positioning across multiple geographies.
• Medacs Healthcare: Medacs combines healthcare staffing with training and international placement services for nurses and doctors entering the UK workforce. It is comparable to QAQF as a placement-plus-training competitor serving the same overseas healthcare professional segment and UK employer customers.
• CGFNS International: CGFNS evaluates credentials of foreign-trained healthcare professionals for US licensure and runs preparatory pathways - closely analogous to QAQF's role for UK NMC registration. It is the most directly comparable international credentialing-and-pathway specialist, although geographically focused on the US.

Broad incumbents

• Cambridge Assessment English: Cambridge Assessment English co-owns OET (via Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment) and operates its own English assessment suite. It is a direct upstream supplier-adjacent to QAQF's OET preparation offering and a broad incumbent in the language proficiency space.
• City & Guilds: City & Guilds is a UK vocational qualifications awarding body whose framework structure and credentialing model closely resemble QAQF's qualifications approach (CDPs, level-graded programmes). It represents an established incumbent that could either compete with or partner with QAQF on healthcare and IT pathway credentials.
• Kaplan International: Kaplan is a global test preparation and English-language training incumbent offering IELTS, OET and professional qualification pathways across multiple countries. It overlaps with QAQF's PAR international programmes and OET preparation, but operates at far greater scale and brand recognition.
• Pearson: Pearson operates Edexcel/BTEC qualifications, PTE and a broad assessments portfolio. It is comparable to QAQF's qualifications framework and assessment services, and could credibly move into the healthcare professional pathway space with its existing content, brand and awarding-body infrastructure.
• British Council: The British Council delivers English-language training and administers IELTS testing globally. It overlaps with QAQF's language proficiency and international pathway offerings, particularly for overseas healthcare professionals needing English certification for UK registration.

Regional players

• IHNA (Institute of Health and Nursing Australia): IHNA delivers nursing pathways, OSCE-style preparation and healthcare training primarily in Australia. It is a regional peer with a similar model (international nurse training plus pathway to registration) and comparable target learner (overseas-trained nurses seeking registration), though focused on the Australian market rather than the UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Quality Assessment and Qualification Framework