Skills and Training WG: Standards

This is our quarterly in-person Skills & Training Working Group with presentation from the British Standards Institution (BSI) and Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on the topic of Standards. The discussion will provide an overview of standards and the importance of standards education, followed by insights into the importance of accepted standards in the education sector, and the challenges and steps involved in developing them.

Standards are a guideline which contains technical specifications or specific criteria that prescribe guidelines, rules,or characteristics for services, products, processes, or systems. As a tried and tested way to work more efficiently and effectively, standards help organisations improve their performance, reduce their risk, and help them be more sustainable.

The panel discussions will be led by British Standards Institution (BSI) and Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). BSI is the UK’s National Standards Body which publishes over 3,100 standards annually to help improve the quality and safety of products,services and systems around the globe. Matthew Chiles (BSI) will give an overview of standards and speak on the importance of standards education.

SQA is the national accreditation and awarding body for Scotland which sets and maintains standards for many other awarding bodies, and accredited qualifications, both within the UK and internationally. Aisling Kelly (SQA) will cover the importance of accepted standards within the education sector, and the challenges and steps involved in developing these standards.

Agenda:

9:00 – 9:30 Arrival over tea/coffee

9:30 – 10:00 Presentation from speakers

10:00 - 10:30 Roundtable discussion