GRANTING LICENSES TO AWARDING BODIES (AB)
An awarding body (AB) is an entity that was granted the authority to award particular market qualificationsincluded in the Integrated Qualifications System (IQS) by the relevant minister.
REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET BY AWARDING BODIES
There are no restrictions in the IQS IQS provides for no restrictions in terms of applying for the authority to award qualificationsa certification license.
The only conditions specified by the IQS Aact are those identified below.
The authority to act as an awarding body may be granted to any entity that:
- conductsbusiness activities
- is not in arrears with taxes and contributions to social insurance, health insurance as well as the Labour Fund and Employees Guaranteed Benefits Fund
- has demonstrated that it has the appropriate organisational conditions and personnel to perform validation in line with the requirements identified in the qualification’s description
Various entities become awarding bodies. These include sectoral organisations, sports unions, associations, companies offering training services, companies specialising in a given field – e.g. in data recovery or operation of specialist industrial equipment.
SEPARATION OF TRAINING FROM VALIDATION
The system assumes that how a personhas learned something is not relevant – what is importantis only what that person knows. If an entity applying for the authorisation to be an awarding body license offers training services, it must ensure the separation of training from validation.
This separation mustbe ensured in two areas:
- personnel – those who trained a given candidate cannot assess that candidate inthe validation process
- the process – training must not be combined with validation.
Validation must be offered on identical terms to all candidates – regardless of whether they participated in the training offered by the awarding body or not
AUTHORISATION PROCESS
To become an awarding body (AB), an application is submitted for the authorisation to awarda given market qualification.
The application is submitted via the Integrated Qualifications Register.
The application must include:
- detailed information about the applicant
- a statementdeclaring that the applicant has no arrears intaxes or social insurance contributions
- information on meeting the organisational and personnel-related requirements relating to validation
Confirmation of a fee payment in the amount of PLN 10,000 must be attached to the application. The fee is a one-timepayment.
If an entity simultaneously submits an application for authorisationtogether with an applicationfor includingthe qualification to be awardedin the IQS, the fee is PLN 5,000.
License granting procedure
1
If the application is properly completed, it issentto the relevant minister. The minister assesses the application and can request the awarding body (AB) to provide additional information.
2
In the event the assessment result is positive, the minister – pursuant to an administrative decision – grants the authority to certify a given qualification.
3
Afterthe authorisationhas been granted to a given awarding body, the minister assigns an external quality assurance entity (EQAE) to the awarding body (AB) and the qualification it will be awarding. Then, the minister signs the agreement with the EQAEfor its services. From this moment on, the AB has the authority to perform the validation process.
