Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors and SQA - credit rated direction
The Institute of Directors (IoD) is a leading membership body for supporting businesses and their directors. Their Professional Development area offers a variety of courses to aspiring and practising directors, both executive and non-executive.
SQA's credit rating service
Our credit rating service allows organisations to highlight the value of their training and qualifications by having these recognised on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) - Scotland’s National framework.
The Institute of Directors (IoD) brought translatability to their qualifications through SQA’s credit rating service. Working with SQA, the IoD placed a number of their qualifications on the SCQF framework, formally allocating SCQF levels and credits to these qualifications. Under its Royal Charter, the IoD awards qualifications when some of their courses are completed, specifically the Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction (the completion of which allows directors to apply for Chartered Director status).
The IoD wanted to ensure their qualifications could be measured against other similar qualifications, so that their value could be translated easily to any sector.
The challenge was to construct a workable exemptions policy which would allow the IoD to make sensible judgements about exemptions based on the verifiable levels of its qualifications.
IoD qualifications on the SCQF Framework
SQA’s credit rating service offered the perfect solution. Working with SQA, six IoD qualifications were positioned on the SCQF, with SCQF levels and credits for each formally established:
- Finance for Non-Financial Directors at SCQF level 8
- Certificate in Company Direction at SCQF level 9
- Director's Role in Leading the Organisation at SCQF level 9
- Director's Role in Strategy and Marketing at SCQF level 9
- Role of the Company Director and the Board at SCQF level 9
- Diploma in Company Direction at SCQF level 11
The Framework provided a clear guide to the IoD's qualifications and their level, meeting the IoD’s business goals.
Continued collaboration with SQA has allowed the IoD to learn more about its qualifications through the credit rating process and this learning has triggered further changes which will be implemented in the future.
Claire Wardell, Head of Content and Assessment at the IoD, said: ‘Recognition from such an established and reputable organisation as SQA enhances the credibility of the IoD's qualifications and enables candidates and employers to quickly and easily understand the academic level of their qualification.’
The Accreditations and Standards Committee, the key overseeing body for the overall quality and reputation of the IoD, and which is delegated from the IoD Board and Council, has requested that all future IoD qualifications go through credit rating.
‘This decision is testament to the quality and validity of the service offered by SQA,’ says Claire.
I would recommend any Chartered Awarding Body which is not regulated by OFQUAL to apply for credit rating. The process is very open and transparent.
The IoD are currently working on new initiatives and are in dialogue with SQA as it continues its stringent commitment to continued quality and approval.
Natalie Tweedie, Credit Rating Manager at SQA, is delighted with the relationship with IoD and looks forward to future success:
‘SQA is the most experienced credit rating body in Scotland. We have a solid understanding and track record of working with organisations in the public, private and third sectors to meet their in-house training goals and challenges in training and staff retention.’
We are delighted to be working in partnership with the IoD and seeing the professional body benefit from SQA’s Credit Rating service and expertise. This relationship can be replicated across a range of sectors for a wide variety of organisations.