Quality Assurance and Micro-Credentials

Status: closed

Project: Quality Assurance and Micro-Credentials
Responsible Organization: Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training

Background

During winter and spring 2020–2021, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, working with sector stakeholders and partners, developed a Micro-Credential Framework to support a coordinated and consistent approach to the development and delivery of micro-credentials across B.C.’s public post-secondary system. As this work took place, it was recognized that some components of the Framework required additional research. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training is partnering with the British Columbia Council on Admissions & Transfer and BCcampus to lead research projects in six areas where further investigation is required to provide clarity around more complex components of the Framework. This work will assist the stakeholders to determine the next steps regarding Framework implementation.

Purpose

Examine existing quality-assurance processes used in the development of micro-credentials, and identify the specific elements of those processes. From this research, recommend key elements to be included in quality-assurance processes used in the development of micro-credentials at B.C. post-secondary institutions.

Scope

It is important to ensure the micro-credentials offered in B.C.’s public post-secondary system achieve a level of quality that provides all learners and employers, including Indigenous institutes, communities, and employers, assurance of their value and recognition for future learning pathways. The Micro-Credential Framework currently guides public post-secondary institutions to use existing internal quality-assurance processes, which may vary across institutions and between credit and non-credit offerings within individual institutions.

The scope will include quality-assurance mechanisms for the development of micro-credentials that are used at post-secondary institutions in B.C. and elsewhere, as applicable.

Research Outcomes

  1. Provide a scan of other jurisdictions’ and B.C. public post-secondary institutions’ quality-assurance mechanisms. 
  2. Identify elements of existing quality-assurance mechanisms.
  3. Identify key elements that could be considered for inclusion in quality-assurance processes for development of micro-credentials at B.C. post-secondary institutions.
  4. Identify proposed quality-assurance mechanisms that reflect Indigenous cultural competence where appropriate.
  5. In consultation with key B.C. stakeholders, make recommendations on the key elements B.C. post-secondary institutions should include in quality-assurance processes for micro-credential development.  

Proposed Timeline

Timeline for submission:

  1. Submit proposal by November 23, 2021.
  2. Contract will be awarded on November 26, 2021.

Timeline for work related to this call for proposals:

  1. Draft due by February 28, 2022 (this should include stakeholder engagement).
  2. Complete project by March 31, 2022.

Deliverables

Submit a professional final report that includes the research outcomes and recommendations relevant to the B.C. post-secondary context to rmckerlich@bccampus.ca by March 31, 2022. Please note: A draft report is due February 28, 2022.

Payment

The total amount of the contract will be GST inclusive.

Payment to be negotiated upon award of contract.

Application

Please submit your proposal using this application and email to rmckerlich@bccampus.ca by midnight on November 21, 2021. Any questions about this call for proposals can be addressed to the same.

The funders may seek to combine projects. Proponents should apply to all projects of interest, should suggest where they see opportunities to combine two or more projects, and should outline the benefits of doing so.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria will guide the evaluation and selection of the successful proposal.

Quality

  • Roles and relevant experience of principal and team members who will work on the project are clearly described.
  • Project steps and milestones are clearly articulated and reasonable for the amount of effort noted.
  • Proposal clearly states an understanding of the deliverables and the intention of the project.

Budget

  • The budget is reasonable with regard to the work proposed.
  • The budget is easy to understand and clearly outlines the most significant line items required, along with a reasonable timeline for expenses.
  • The budget clearly shows when the project work and related expenses will occur.