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Different Functions of External Quality Assurance

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1.1. There are a number of different functions of external quality assurance in learning and development. Vroeijenstijn (2007) highlights some of these with respect to education, a similar concept. EQA has the role of trying to help organisations "to enhance and improve quality, and on the other end it is meant to provide information"¦" to key stakeholders. Protocols for external quality assurance should be aimed at continuous quality improvement, rather than merely at accreditation. As a result of this, external quality assurance is inherently beneficial to learning and development. Organisations seeking to meet the needs of external quality assurance agents must continually evaluate and adapt their processes to the current standards and legislative requirements.

While the assessment function of external quality assurance provides a significant amount of motivation for organisations to engage in continuous learning and development, the goal-setting function provides direction and a framework for learning and development. Organisations that face external quality assurance programs will naturally work towards meeting the standards that they face. As a result, learning and development in the organisation is guided by the standards of external quality assurance bodies and the best practices that they prescribe. By both setting the standards and creating the motivation for organisational learning and development, the functions of external quality assurance bodies play a

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