Internal Quality Assurance (IQA Policy)
1. Policy Statement
Dogenius Institute is committed to maintaining the highest standards of assessment, verification, and quality assurance across all qualifications and endorsed programmes.
The Institute will ensure that all assessment decisions are fair, valid, reliable, consistent, transparent, and compliant with awarding organisation and regulatory requirements.
The Institute recognises that effective Internal Quality Assurance (IQA):safeguards the integrity and credibility of qualifications;ensures learners are assessed fairly and consistently;supports tutors and assessors to make accurate decisions;promotes continuous improvement in delivery and assessment practice;strengthens learner outcomes and stakeholder confidence;provides a clear audit trail for awarding organisations and External Quality Assurers (EQAs).
Dogenius Institute will implement robust IQA arrangements across all programmes to ensure that certification decisions are accurate and evidence based.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:all qualifications and endorsed programmes delivered by Dogenius Institute;all tutors, trainers, assessors, Internal Quality Assurers, and programme managers;all delivery sites, online learning environments, and assessment locations;all centre-marked assessments including assignments, projects, professional discussions, observations, portfolios, case studies, and practical activities.
3. Principles of Internal Quality Assurance
The Institute’s IQA arrangements are based on the following principles:
Validity
Assessment decisions must accurately measure learner competence against published standards, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria.
Reliability
Assessment decisions must be consistent across assessors, learners, cohorts, and assessment methods.
Fairness
Learners must receive equal opportunity, reasonable support, and unbiased assessment.
Authenticity
All learner evidence must be confirmed as genuine and produced by the learner.
Sufficiency
Evidence must fully meet qualification requirements and assessment criteria.
Transparency
Assessment, sampling, and IQA decisions must be clearly documented and auditable.
Continuous Improvement
IQA findings will be used to improve teaching, assessment practice, resources, learner support, and staff development.
4. Roles and Responsibilities
Internal Quality Assurer (IQA)The appointed IQA is responsible for:
implementing the IQA strategy;sampling assessment decisions;
internally verifying assessment materials and assignment briefs;
observing assessor practice where appropriate;
providing developmental feedback and support;
maintaining accurate and auditable records;facilitating standardisation activities;
managing assessor risk ratings;
liaising with awarding organisations and EQAs.
Tutors / Assessors
Tutors and assessors are responsible for:
planning and conducting fair assessments;
making accurate assessment decisions against standards;
maintaining learner assessment records;
acting upon IQA feedback and actions;
participating in standardisation activities;
maintaining occupational competence and CPD.
Programme Managers
Programme managers are responsible for:
supporting compliance with IQA requirements;
monitoring staffing, workloads, and resources;
supporting continuous improvement activities;
ensuring actions are completed within agreed timescales.
5. Internal Verification of Assessment Materials
Assignment Briefs
All assignment briefs must be internally verified before issue to learners to ensure:clarity;accuracy;fairness;full coverage of learning outcomes and assessment criteria;fitness for purpose.
Assignment briefs will be reviewed at least twice yearly or sooner where amendments are made.
Assessment Tasks
All assessment tasks and assessment materials must be internally verified prior to use.Verification documentation must be completed, signed, dated, and securely retained.
6. Verification of Assessment Decisions
The IQA will review assessor decisions to confirm:
validity;reliability;sufficiency;authenticity;assessment planning quality;quality of learner feedback;accuracy of recording;compliance with procedures
Where assessment decisions are found to be inaccurate or inconsistent:written actions will be issued;affected units/modules and criteria will be identified;rationale for decisions will be recorded;deadlines and responsibilities will be assigned;reassessment or remarking will take place where required;learner resubmission opportunities will be provided where appropriate;re-sampling will occur following completion of actions.
7. Standardisation
Regular standardisation meetings will be conducted to:compare assessment decisions;review borderline evidence;share good practice;discuss qualification updates;review EQA feedback;agree consistent assessment approaches;identify training and development needs.Minutes, actions, and attendance records will be retained.
8. Staff Competence and CPD
All tutors, assessors, and IQA personnel must maintain occupational competence and current industry knowledge.Evidence may include:CVs;professional memberships;vocational qualifications;assessor and IQA qualifications;teaching qualifications where required;CPD records;observations of practice.New staff will receive induction, mentoring, and developmental monitoring.
9. Records and Documentation
Dogenius Institute will maintain accurate and auditable records including:annual IQA plans;sampling plans;risk registers;verification forms;assessor observations;standardisation records;action plans;CPD records;learner sampling outcomes.All Internal Verification and IQA documentation will be securely stored for a minimum of 3 years, or longer where awarding organisation requirements apply.
10. Certification and Quality Assurance Timescales
To ensure efficient processing and transparency:Internal Verification (IV) and IQA checks will normally be completed within 5 working days of submission of learner work or assessor decisions;certification claims will only proceed once all required actions have been completed;following submission of claims, EQA review and awarding organisation certification may take up to 8 weeks depending on awarding body processes;learners will be informed of delays outside normal timescales.Dogenius Institute will make every reasonable effort to process certification claims promptly and accurately.
11. Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner in response to:awarding organisation updates;regulatory changes;EQA recommendations;identified risks;operational or delivery changes.
12. Statement of Commitment
Dogenius Institute is committed to delivering qualifications with integrity, fairness, consistency, and full compliance. Through effective Internal Quality Assurance, the Institute ensures reliable assessment decisions, meaningful support for staff, and confidence in all certification outcomes.
Dogenius Institute is committed to maintaining the highest standards of assessment, verification, and quality assurance across all qualifications and endorsed programmes.
The Institute will ensure that all assessment decisions are fair, valid, reliable, consistent, transparent, and compliant with awarding organisation and regulatory requirements.
The Institute recognises that effective Internal Quality Assurance (IQA):safeguards the integrity and credibility of qualifications;ensures learners are assessed fairly and consistently;supports tutors and assessors to make accurate decisions;promotes continuous improvement in delivery and assessment practice;strengthens learner outcomes and stakeholder confidence;provides a clear audit trail for awarding organisations and External Quality Assurers (EQAs).
Dogenius Institute will implement robust IQA arrangements across all programmes to ensure that certification decisions are accurate and evidence based.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:all qualifications and endorsed programmes delivered by Dogenius Institute;all tutors, trainers, assessors, Internal Quality Assurers, and programme managers;all delivery sites, online learning environments, and assessment locations;all centre-marked assessments including assignments, projects, professional discussions, observations, portfolios, case studies, and practical activities.
3. Principles of Internal Quality Assurance
The Institute’s IQA arrangements are based on the following principles:
Validity
Assessment decisions must accurately measure learner competence against published standards, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria.
Reliability
Assessment decisions must be consistent across assessors, learners, cohorts, and assessment methods.
Fairness
Learners must receive equal opportunity, reasonable support, and unbiased assessment.
Authenticity
All learner evidence must be confirmed as genuine and produced by the learner.
Sufficiency
Evidence must fully meet qualification requirements and assessment criteria.
Transparency
Assessment, sampling, and IQA decisions must be clearly documented and auditable.
Continuous Improvement
IQA findings will be used to improve teaching, assessment practice, resources, learner support, and staff development.
4. Roles and Responsibilities
Internal Quality Assurer (IQA)The appointed IQA is responsible for:
implementing the IQA strategy;sampling assessment decisions;
internally verifying assessment materials and assignment briefs;
observing assessor practice where appropriate;
providing developmental feedback and support;
maintaining accurate and auditable records;facilitating standardisation activities;
managing assessor risk ratings;
liaising with awarding organisations and EQAs.
Tutors / Assessors
Tutors and assessors are responsible for:
planning and conducting fair assessments;
making accurate assessment decisions against standards;
maintaining learner assessment records;
acting upon IQA feedback and actions;
participating in standardisation activities;
maintaining occupational competence and CPD.
Programme Managers
Programme managers are responsible for:
supporting compliance with IQA requirements;
monitoring staffing, workloads, and resources;
supporting continuous improvement activities;
ensuring actions are completed within agreed timescales.
5. Internal Verification of Assessment Materials
Assignment Briefs
All assignment briefs must be internally verified before issue to learners to ensure:clarity;accuracy;fairness;full coverage of learning outcomes and assessment criteria;fitness for purpose.
Assignment briefs will be reviewed at least twice yearly or sooner where amendments are made.
Assessment Tasks
All assessment tasks and assessment materials must be internally verified prior to use.Verification documentation must be completed, signed, dated, and securely retained.
6. Verification of Assessment Decisions
The IQA will review assessor decisions to confirm:
validity;reliability;sufficiency;authenticity;assessment planning quality;quality of learner feedback;accuracy of recording;compliance with procedures
Where assessment decisions are found to be inaccurate or inconsistent:written actions will be issued;affected units/modules and criteria will be identified;rationale for decisions will be recorded;deadlines and responsibilities will be assigned;reassessment or remarking will take place where required;learner resubmission opportunities will be provided where appropriate;re-sampling will occur following completion of actions.
7. Standardisation
Regular standardisation meetings will be conducted to:compare assessment decisions;review borderline evidence;share good practice;discuss qualification updates;review EQA feedback;agree consistent assessment approaches;identify training and development needs.Minutes, actions, and attendance records will be retained.
8. Staff Competence and CPD
All tutors, assessors, and IQA personnel must maintain occupational competence and current industry knowledge.Evidence may include:CVs;professional memberships;vocational qualifications;assessor and IQA qualifications;teaching qualifications where required;CPD records;observations of practice.New staff will receive induction, mentoring, and developmental monitoring.
9. Records and Documentation
Dogenius Institute will maintain accurate and auditable records including:annual IQA plans;sampling plans;risk registers;verification forms;assessor observations;standardisation records;action plans;CPD records;learner sampling outcomes.All Internal Verification and IQA documentation will be securely stored for a minimum of 3 years, or longer where awarding organisation requirements apply.
10. Certification and Quality Assurance Timescales
To ensure efficient processing and transparency:Internal Verification (IV) and IQA checks will normally be completed within 5 working days of submission of learner work or assessor decisions;certification claims will only proceed once all required actions have been completed;following submission of claims, EQA review and awarding organisation certification may take up to 8 weeks depending on awarding body processes;learners will be informed of delays outside normal timescales.Dogenius Institute will make every reasonable effort to process certification claims promptly and accurately.
11. Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner in response to:awarding organisation updates;regulatory changes;EQA recommendations;identified risks;operational or delivery changes.
12. Statement of Commitment
Dogenius Institute is committed to delivering qualifications with integrity, fairness, consistency, and full compliance. Through effective Internal Quality Assurance, the Institute ensures reliable assessment decisions, meaningful support for staff, and confidence in all certification outcomes.
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