Frequently asked questions for employers

These are some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked by employers. If you have a particular question that we haven’t answered here, please feel free to contact us at comms@qaa.ac.uk

About higher education

1   What are the different levels of higher education qualifications?
2   Do you hold a list of officially recognised universities and colleges?
3   How do I know the quality of a degree course?
4   Where does a particular university or college appear in the league tables?

Information for employment

5   A job applicant is unsure what level their qualification is. What advice should I give them?
6   We need proof that a job applicant has their stated qualification, but they have lost their certificate. How can we have their qualification verified?
7   How do I find out about the content of a specific higher education course that a job applicant has completed?
8   I'm trying to employ someone from overseas but don't understand their qualifications; can you help?
9   I'm looking to train my staff can you recommend someone to use?

Working with the higher education sector

10 My company would like to offer our staff recognised qualifications. How can we go about this?
11 Are there any organisations in the sector I can approach about employer engagement?

About higher education

1 What are the different levels of higher education qualifications?
The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland outlines the level of higher education qualifications. For details about non-graduate level qualifications, please see Qualifications and Curriculum Authority website. In Scotland, the various levels of qualifications are outlined in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and in The framework for qualifications of higher education institutions in Scotland. You may also wish to look at the Directgov website to find out more about different qualifications, including lower level qualifications.

2 Do you hold a list of officially recognised universities and colleges?
QAA does not approve or accredit institutions. Details about recognised higher education institutions in the UK can be found on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website.

3 How do I know the quality of a degree course?
Our review reports will tell you the judgement that we have reached about a university or college following a review visit.

4 Where does a particular university or college appear in the league tables?
QAA does not produce performance tables for universities or higher education institutions. Performance tables have been published in some newspapers, however these tables are not official and newspapers use a variety of sources for their data.

Information for employment

5 A job applicant is unsure what level their qualification is. What advice should I give them?
Always refer applicants back to the university or college of study, or the relevant awarding body, to confirm this information. It is not possible for QAA to confirm levels of qualifications as we do not hold student records. We can only advise what the different qualifications are in the frameworks for higher education qualifications.

6 We need proof that a job applicant has their stated qualification, but they have lost their certificate. How can we have their qualification verified?
You should advise the applicant to contact the university or college of study, or the relevant awarding body, to request a replacement certificate or transcript. If this is not possible, you may be able to contact the body directly to confirm that the applicant has gained the qualification. If the institution in question no longer exists or has merged with another institution, you will need to contact the new institution for advice. We recommend that they type in the previous name of the institution which should redirect to the website(s) of the new institution(s).

7 How do I find out about the content of a specific higher education course that a job applicant has completed?
Students are normally given a transcript along with their certificate once they have graduated. Transcripts outline what modules were covered during the course and what credits they gained. You may request a copy of the transcript from the applicant or you can also find out more information about courses using the university or college prospectus.

8 I'm trying to employ someone from overseas but don't understand their qualifications - can QAA help?
No. However, UK NARIC is the official source of information and advice on the comparability of international qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide with those in the UK. For further information about UK NARIC and how they can help you, please see their website at www.naric.org.uk

9 I'm looking to train my staff can you recommend someone to use?
While we don't recommend training organisations, the government backed LearnDirect website can help advise where to start looking. Access to HE Diplomas help get people on the first rung of the ladder towards doing a degree. For further details, please visit the Access to HE website.

Working with the higher education sector

10 My company would like to offer our staff recognised qualifications. How can we go about this?
Many institutions are effectively engaging with employers to award qualifications that are recognised in the UK but are tailed to the employer’s needs. To do this, you will need to contact a university with degree awarding powers (found on the Recognised Bodies list on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website)

11 Are there any organisations in the sector I can approach about employer engagement?
Take a look at our quick guide to employer engagement to see what higher education organisations are doing in this area.