Regulatory Activity 2025-26

Qualifications Scotland Accreditation’s regulatory function includes the approval of awarding bodies and carrying out awarding body audits and provider monitoring visits.

Qualifications Scotland Accreditation’s quality assurance processes are based on a range of measures, and compliance was assessed against the Regulatory Principles (2021) and the associated Regulatory Principles Directives.

Awarding Bodies

In 2025–26 one new awarding bodies were approved. One existing awarding bodies surrendered their approval status. The full list of approved awarding bodies can be found here.

Issues and Recommendations

We have analysed the issues raised against awarding bodies during audits in 2025–26. The highest number of awarding body audit Issues were raised against Principles 7 and 9:

• Principle 7: The awarding body must have an effective approach for communicating with its staff, stakeholders and SQA Accreditation
• Principle 9: The awarding body and its providers must maintain accurate documents, records and data.

Note that one Issue can be assigned to more than one principle.

The recurring theme through 2025–26 audits has been the currency of documentation and incorrect terminology used. Also, a focus on awarding bodies deviating from formalised process.

The highest number of Issues raised from provider monitoring activity was against Principles 9, and 18;

• Principle 9: The awarding body and its providers must maintain accurate documents, records and data.
• Principle 18: The awarding body and its providers must ensure that it has safeguards to prevent and manage cases of malpractice and maladministration.

PMA findings suggest that opportunities for improvement primarily relate to strengthening governance documentation, maintaining the accuracy and currency of policies and guidance, and ensuring providers have a clear understanding of their regulatory responsibilities and reporting obligations.