Securing Our Access Validating Agency (AVA) Licence Under the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Recognition Scheme

We are delighted to have had our AVA Licence renewed by the QAA for a further five-year period.

What is an AVA’s role?

An AVA is licensed to develop and approve Access to Higher Education (Access to HE) Diplomas, approve Providers to deliver them, and award Learners for their achievement. Through this role, AVAs play an important part in creating educational opportunities for adults who are looking to progress into higher education, enhance their existing qualifications, or take the next step towards a new career.

Supporting Access to Higher Education

At the heart of our work is a commitment to widening participation and helping individuals fulfil their potential. Access to HE Diplomas provide opportunities for Learners from a wide range of backgrounds, to return to education and achieve their personal, academic, and career aspirations.

Adapting to QAA’s New Recognition Scheme

The renewal of our licence coincided with the introduction of QAA’s new Recognition Scheme and the transition from licensing criteria to licensing conditions. The focus of our application was to demonstrate how we meet these conditions and, importantly, how we will continue to maintain compliance throughout the licensing period.

Demonstrating Quality and Compliance

As part of the application process, we reviewed the following:

• Governance arrangements
• Risk management strategies
• Provider approval and monitoring processes
• Diploma development procedures
• Approaches to moderation and standardisation

This review enabled us to demonstrate how our systems and practices align with the requirements of the new Recognition Scheme and support the continued delivery of high-quality Access to HE provision.

Enhancing Our Processes

Completing the application also involved a detailed review of our policies, processes, procedures, and supporting documentation. We assessed these against the requirements of the new licensing conditions to identify where updates or enhancements were required. Our focus was not simply on achieving compliance, but on ensuring the strength of our application demonstrated that high levels of compliance would be maintained in the future.

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

This reflects our wider approach as an AVA. We continually strive to go beyond minimum requirements, taking a proactive approach to quality assurance, risk management, and continuous improvement.

By anticipating potential challenges and opportunities, we can take action early and ensure that Learners and Providers continue to benefit from a robust and effective Access to HE framework.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

For our Learners, this means continued access to high-quality Access to HE Diplomas that provide routes into higher education and new career opportunities. Whether returning to education after a break, looking to build on existing qualifications, or preparing for a career change, Learners can be confident that the qualifications they are studying have been developed and quality assured through a licensed AVA.

For our Providers, the licence enables us to continue developing and validating Access to HE Diplomas, approving new programmes, supporting innovation in curriculum development, and working closely with them to maintain quality and enhance the Learner experience. It also provides confidence that the systems, processes, and oversight supporting Access to HE provision have been independently reviewed and recognised by QAA.

Looking Ahead

The award of an AVA Licence for a further five years is recognition of the quality, strength, and effectiveness of our work as an AVA. It also provides a platform for future growth, enabling us to develop and promote more learning opportunities for Learners seeking to return to education, build on their existing qualifications, or pursue a new career pathway.

Most importantly, the licence allows us to continue supporting our Learners in achieving their ambitions and progressing to exciting opportunities in higher education and beyond. We are proud of this achievement and of the positive impact it will have on Learners, Providers, and the wider educational community over the next five years.