The QAA are running a pilot of a proposed External Quality Assurance (EQA) process as the External Quality Assurance Provider (EQAP) for Integrated Degree Apprenticeship (IDA). The pilot will focus on the Digital Technology IDAs as these programmes will have some of the first students to graduate and are being delivered by multiple providers. The pilot will look to build on the existing External Examiner models used on other awards whilst ensuring it develops an external quality assurance (EQA) model that aligns to the requirements set out by IfATE in the external quality assurance framework.In phase one of the pilot we would like to speak with HEIs that are currently delivering the Digital Technology Integrated Degree Apprenticeship about our planned arrangements for EQA and your approaches to the use of your external examiners. Through these discussions we hope to gain a greater understanding of the current approaches to quality assurance for these programmes and the readiness of providers for EQA. We would like to hear from HEIs delivering Digital Technology IDAs that would be willing to be involved in this pilot as soon as possible. Meetings will be conducted either in person, vis Skype or telephone. Findings from this study will inform the next phase of the project.

Please contact Chris Scriven, email. [email protected], by 18^th October 2019 if you are able assist.