Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on SLQF

The SLQF is a nationally consistent framework for all senior secondary level, collegiate level, undergraduate level, and postgraduate level education qualifications offered in Sri Lanka.

In particular, currently the SLQF applies to all higher education institutions (HEIs) both public and private, which provide post-secondary education study programmes.

A study programme is defined as a stand-alone approved curriculum followed by a student, which leads to the award of a qualification.

A qualification is a formally recognized academic award granted (or conferred) on successful completion of a study programme.

1. All States Universities coming under the University Grants Commission
   (Refer: UGC Circular No. 05/2013 (i) issued on August 25, 2017)
2. All NSHEIs offering Ministry of Higher Education approved degree programmes
   (Refer: Degree Awarding Status Granted NSHE Institute issued on September 14, 2016)

The aim of the SLQF is to create an integral national framework for learning achievements by recognizing and accrediting qualifications offered by different institutions engaged in higher education and vocational training in Sri Lanka.

1. enhance the quality of higher education and training at all levels;
2. facilitate access to higher learning and thereby contribute to full personal development of learners and to social and economic development of the country;
3. enhance equity in higher education, training and employment opportunities;
4. assist employers to identify the levels of knowledge, skills and competencies of qualification holders;
5. develop positive attitudes in qualification holders;
6. facilitate lateral and vertical mobility, and progression both within higher education /career pathways and between higher education and career pathways;
7. provide guidance in comparing qualifications offered by different institutions;
8. assist in developing higher education and vocational training programmes at appropriate levels;
9. recognize prior learning; and
10. promote lifelong learning.

The SLQF will be useful to all stakeholders of higher education including students, parents, employers, as well as education and training providers.

1. For learners, the SLQF will be useful to recognize and evaluate prior learning and identify the pathways of acquiring higher qualifications. This will enable learners to develop their full potential and thereby contribute to the social and economic development of the country at large.
2. The level descriptors given in the SLQF will be useful for employers to identify the levels of competencies of qualification holders. It will also help in comparing the qualifications so that the supply and demand for knowledge, skills and competencies could be properly matched. Further, the SLQF will be useful in comparing the qualifications offered by different institutions. This will help the employers to find appropriate qualification holders for their business needs.
3. The SLQF describes the credit requirements for each qualification level as well as intended learning outcomes. Therefore, for higher education providers, both in the state and private sectors, the SLQF will be useful in designing their academic programmes.
4. The SLQF enables all stakeholders of post-secondary education to identify the full range of qualifications offered in the higher education system in Sri Lanka and comparable levels of vocational education and training. This helps to understand how qualifications are related to each other and how they contribute to the enhancement of knowledge and understanding, and improvement of intellectual abilities including analytical skills, evaluation skills, problem solving skills and soft skills.
5. The SLQF will also be useful to the general public to have access to appropriate lifelong education and training, which helps them to fulfill their personal as well as social and economic potential.
6. The SLQF will be useful to programme approving agencies and quality assurance and accreditation agencies to identify the appropriate levels of qualifications offered by different HEIs. Further, it helps in evaluating different qualifications offered by HEIs, both local and foreign, which will be useful when taking decisions in recruitment and promotion in the academic, technical and professional sectors.

The SLQF consists of twelve levels. The demand for learning outcomes and complexity of learning increase with each level. The levels are not necessarily directly related to the years (i.e. duration) of study.

1. The first two levels (Levels 1-2) are senior secondary level education qualifications.
2. The next four levels (Levels 3-6) are undergraduate qualifications.
3. The other six levels (Levels 7-12) are postgraduate qualifications.

Each SLQF level is of a unique qualification 'type'. This type is a component of the name of qualification. That will help recognize a particular SLQF level. The qualification types and respective levels are given below:

Qualification descriptors describe the general characteristics of the qualification and the qualification holder for each SLQF level. These characteristics are:

1. the qualification type associated with a given SLQF level along with its designators and the qualifiers,
2. the number of credits required at each level,
3. the purpose and scope, and the generic outcomes and attributes expected for the award of each qualification,
4. the minimum admission requirements and
5. the possible progression opportunities to the next stage of learning

Level descriptors are a set of specific outcome statements, achievement of which a student should be able to demonstrate (e.g. at an assessment) the fulfilment of requirements of the qualification. This essentially means that the level descriptors are specific broad abilities or learning outcomes* that the graduate should be capable of, for the award of the qualification. Each learning outcome has been further described to suit each SLQF level. Such customised, level-appropriate descriptions of learning outcomes are called level descriptors.

* Learning outcomes are statements that describe what learners should know, understand and can demonstrate upon the completion of a course or study programme. In SLQF, there are 12 learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are derived from the attributes of the qualification holders, as a set of general statements of the wider abilities that the typical student is expected to have developed by the end of the study programme. These attributes are listed under Qualification Descriptors.

Qualification descriptors describe the attributes (or qualities) of the qualification holder in broad, general terms. Level descriptors convert those attributes to more specific capabilities expected from the qualification holder in relation to the 12 SLQF learning outcomes. Hence, qualification descriptors should be the precursors to level descriptors. This means, when developing a study programme it is recommended that the graduate profile or attributes (in line with qualification descriptors at the appropriate SLQF level) be developed first, before defining the learning outcomes (in line with the level descriptors at the appropriate SLQF level) of the study programme.

It will be based on the documentary evidence showing compliance with the respective Qualification Descriptor and Level Descriptor.

Study programme designers should always consider the SLQF guidelines as minimum requirements. Some study programmes due to various justifiable reasons may have higher expectations than required in SLQF for a particular level.

Qualification Descriptors of a particular study programme are developed at the time of designing it for approval. As a member of the team delivering the study programme, you may have had an opportunity to contribute to the process at this stage. Once the study programme is approved by the authorities, Qualification Descriptors remain unchanged until the next revision that typically happens, usually after several cycles of delivery.

By designing the lessons within the course unit/module/subject that you teach in a manner that they (i.e. lessons) are aligned with the programme learning outcomes, and by facilitating the students (through appropriate teaching and learning, and assessment methods) to achieve (or part-achieve) as many programme learning outcomes as possible that are in turn aligned with the 12 Level Descriptors of the appropriate SLQF level.

Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters by course work that are designed to extend students' depth of knowledge in a particular field, by building on an area in which they already have expertise, gained at undergraduate level are defined as extension programmes.

For example, if the Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology is a study programme that is designed to admit only the candidates who have studied Sociology in a Bachelor or Bachelor Honours degree, then that Postgraduate Diploma falls within the extension category.

Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters by course work that are intended to those with little or no prior knowledge of the subject, offering an education similar in learning to that of an undergraduate study programme but broadening students' academic abilities and bringing graduates of other subjects to graduate competence in the named subject are defined as conversion programmes.

For example, if the Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology is a study programme that is designed to admit candidates having a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Chemistry, then such a Postgraduate Diploma falls within the conversion category.

Conversion category study programmes that award Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters by course work are placed at SLQF Level 6.

There are some study programmes, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, designed in such a way that,

1. a student can enroll in a lower qualification type at the outset, but has the option of continuing on to complete a higher qualification type and
2. a student can enroll in a higher qualification type at the outset, but has the option of withdrawing after the completion of requirements for a lower qualification type.

Such qualifications are called "Nested Qualifications" and they can be developed to meet the requirements of SLQF. Some examples are graphically presented below:

During a study programme, a student may not have the desire to complete the full study programme for which he/she enrolled. If a student chooses to terminate his/her studies during the study programme, he/she may have completed a sufficient number of credits to be granted a lower qualification than the enrolled degree. This is called an early exit award.

However, this is possible only if such exit pathways are designed so that the expected Qualification and Level Descriptor requirements for the award of the lower qualification are clearly specified as per the SLQF guidelines and are approved by the authorities. However, if a student is expelled from the university on disciplinary grounds then he/she may not be eligible for the award.

A student may find himself/herself unable to complete the full study programme for which he/she enrolled within the specified total time period. If he/she has completed a sufficient number of credits to be granted a lower qualification than the enrolled degree, it is called a fallback option award.

However, this is possible only if such exit pathways are designed so that the expected Qualification and Level Descriptor requirements for the award of the lower qualification are clearly specified as per the SLQF guidelines and are approved by the authorities. However, if a student is expelled from the university on disciplinary grounds then he/she may not be eligible for the award.

The only difference is the timing of application by a candidate for the lesser qualification.

The SLQF introduced the concept of credits related to 'notional hours' in keeping with the principles of outcomes-based education (OBE). SLQF equates one credit with 50 notional hours of learning for a taught course, laboratory studies course or field studies/clinical work. In case of industrial training/work place-based learning/internship, including time allocated for assessments and in case of research, including time allocated for literature survey, one credit is considered equivalent to a minimum of 100 notional hours.

The concept of 'notional learning hours' looks at workload from the students' standpoint. It does not look at how much content one would like to teach but considers how much time it takes the average student to achieve the defined set of learning outcomes in a particular course unit.

Notional learning time includes time spent on all learning and assessment methods, such as lectures, laboratories, homework, guided learning, self-study, projects, presentations, assignments, assessments, and time spent in industrial training/work place-based learning/internship if applicable.

The notional learning time should include all learning and assessment activities required for the achievement of the learning outcomes including,

1. Formal learning, including classes, training sessions, coaching, seminars and tutorials
2. Doing practical work in laboratories or other locations
3. undertaking relevant IT activities
4. Solo/group performance, solo/group exhibitions
5. Information retrieval, eg in libraries
6. Private study, revision and remedial work
7. Work-based activities which lead to assessment
8. Undertaking all forms of assessment (formative and summative) including preparing for and sitting at mid-semester and end of semester examinations

Development of such guidelines by an HEI is considered a best practice. They can do so by using clearly stated learning outcomes and calculating notional hours in relation to various learning activities practiced. Some local and international examples are given below:

Example 1: Description of Notional Learning Hours (NLH) for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL)

Example 2: Benchmarks from other countries -

1. The 1992 research from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) gives the following benchmarks for 'study rate times' which include reading, rereading and note-taking (for fairly unskilled readers):
   • Easy: 100 words per minute
   • Fairly straightforward: 70 words per minute
   • A dense/ difficult text: 40 words per minute
     
     The research was conducted on Physics students and the benchmarks were reduced as follows for Physics texts:
     
     
   • Easy: 60 words per minute
   • Fairly straightforward: 40 words per minute
   • A dense/ difficult text: 25 words per minute
   • Difficult mathematical equation/ step: 1 minute per equation.
     (Garg, S., Panda, V. & Panda, S. 1992. A preliminary study of student workload for IGNOU Physics elective courses. In: Indian Journal of Open Learning, 1(2):19-25.)
2. The Central Queensland University estimates that 'a reasonable study rate ranges from less than 5 pages per hour for conceptually difficult text to about 10 pages an hour for reasonable text'. (Nouwens, F. 1997. Student workload. Cited in S. Dixon, G. Lefoe, F. Nouwens and S. Wills (eds) Teaching at a distance [CD-ROM]. PAGE: Melbourne)
3. The South African Qualifications Authority uses five to ten pages an hour as a norm and 7.5 pages as the average for a first-year student, for whom English is not a primary language, studying a reading text with comprehension – reading and re-reading, and taking notes. (Kilfoil, W. R. (2008). Determining Workload in relation to Credits and Notional Hours. Internal Report, Unisa, pp1 – 5.)

The following tables show ways to estimate the Notional Learning Hours (NLHs) and calculating the Credit Value for a course unit/module/subject in terms of methods of teaching and learning and methods of assessment at its designing stage. You may only use one method in designing your course unit/module/subject.

Example 1: For a taught course unit

* Note: Self-learning time includes time spent on revision of formal teaching (i.e. column 'a'), additional reading, completing assignments/homework/projects/quizzes/other formative assessment and preparation for formal assessment, all carried out during non-timetabled hours.

Example 2: For a taught course unit

Example 3: For a course unit/module/subject involving taught and/or research and/or work place-based learning and/or internship and/or field work components, prepare a table similar to Example 1 or 2 and divide research/work place-based learning/internship/field work notional learning hours by 100 in calculating the credit value.

Questions that relate to interpretation and clarification of the SLQF related matters can be directed to the:

1. Quality Assurance Council (QAC) through the Director/IQAU for all State Universities
2. Standing Committee on Accreditation and Quality Assurance (SCAQA) of the Ministry of Higher Education for all Non-State Higher Education Institutes

The general public can contact any of the above two organizations.

National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Framework, introduced in 2005, is a nationally recognized system of tertiary education awards usually not offered by university-level institutes (both State and Non-State HEIs) but vocational education awards developed by the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC). The NVQ Framework is a seven-level qualification framework.

The comparable NVQ and SLQF levels have been recognised on the basis of significant similarities in the learning outcomes stated under respective level descriptors in the two frameworks by a panel of experts. Degree level qualification (NVQ 7) is benchmarked to internationally accepted standard for a Bachelor's degree (SLQF Level 5). Nonetheless, the proportion of cognitive outcomes and psychomotor outcomes may differ in the two qualifications, especially in qualifications below SLQF 2 (NVQ 4). Further, the attributes of two qualification holders, below the degree level, at comparable SLQF and NVQ levels may differ.

No. They are not considered equal for academic purposes.

Public Administration Circular: 28/2016 states that "the completion of NVQ Level 3 and NVQ Level 4 as equal to passing the G.C.E. (O/L) and G.C.E. (A/L) examinations respectively, at the instances where the requirement of NVQ Level 3 or NVQ Level 4 along with the G.C.E. (O/L) or G.C.E. (A/L) has been included in Service Minutes and Schemes of Recruitments as professional and educational qualifications for recruitment to posts in technological and technical sectors."

You may use the template given in Annex I: Qualification Descriptor Compliance – Self Evaluation Template to do a self-evaluation in this regard.

You may use the template given in Annex II: Level Descriptor Compliance – Self Evaluation Template to do a self-evaluation in this regard.

Qualification descriptors describe the general characteristics of the qualification and the qualification holder for each SLQF level. These characteristics are:

1. the SLQF exit level,
2. the qualification type with designators and the qualifiers,
3. the number of credits (volume of learning) required at each level,
4. the purpose and scope, and the generic outcomes and attributes expected for the award of each qualification,
5. the minimum admission requirements and
6. the possible progression opportunities to the next stage of learning

(Refer Table 3 of the updated SLQF in pages 18-25)

In Sri Lanka, "MD" is a study programme that is not primarily research based. Considering this unique situation, the University Grants Commission placed "MD with Board Certification" at SLQF Level 12. Accordingly, the Qualification Descriptors (learning outcomes) of "MD with Board Certification" have been appropriately modified.

(Refer Annex III: PGIM MD with Board Certification fulfils the SLQF Level 12 Requirements – Explained, for more information)

Level descriptors are a set of specific outcome statements, achievement of which a student should be able to demonstrate (e.g. at an assessment) the fulfilment of requirements of the qualification. This essentially means that the level descriptors are specific broad abilities or learning outcomes* that the graduate should be capable of, for the award of the qualification. Each learning outcome has been further described to suit each SLQF level. Such customised, level-appropriate descriptions of learning outcomes are called level descriptors.

*Learning outcomes are statements that describe what learners should know, understand and can demonstrate upon the completion of a course or study programme. In SLQF, there are 12 learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are derived from the attributes of the qualification holders, as a set of general statements of the wider abilities that the typical student is expected to have developed by the end of the study programme. These attributes are listed under Qualification Descriptors.

(Refer Table 4 of the updated SLQF in pages 26-31)

Yes. The 12 level descriptors are explained in Annex VI: 12 Learning Outcomes Explained

No, it is not a must to achieve all 12 learning outcomes in a single course unit/module. You must try to introduce different learning activities within the course unit/module to achieve as many such learning outcomes as possible.

However, when the entire collection of course units/modules, which form the study programme, is taken into account all 12 learning outcomes are expected to be achieved by the students.

It depends on whether the student learns the subject area (in general) covered in this first-year course unit/module in subsequent years. If the student learns the said subject area in some related form (not necessarily the same subject matter, but a logical extension of the said subject matter, as agreed by the content experts in this field of study) then this first-year course unit/module need not contain learning outcomes that correspond to Level 6. It could have learning outcomes at a level lower than SLQF Level 6, provided that the curriculum developers could show that the students achieve the learning outcomes in this subject area to the required level (i.e. SLQF Level 6) during a later course unit/module in a subsequent year.

This means that if a curriculum is entirely built on recurring themes or subject areas, then the curriculum developers can plan the curriculum such that the first year course units/modules satisfy SLQF Level 3 descriptors, the second year course units/modules satisfy SLQF Level 4 descriptors, third year course units/modules satisfy SLQF Level 5 descriptors and fourth year course units/modules satisfy SLQF Level 6 descriptors. Such a curriculum will facilitate lateral entry and exit options for students. However, we observe that all curricula cannot adopt this option mainly due to the non-recurring nature of the subject areas learned by a student in different academic years.

A comprehensive set of assessment methods that can be adopted or adapted are given in: "An A–Z of Assessment Methods"

Refer: Annex VII – A: Student-Centred Teaching and Learning Methods in the Subject Areas of Humanities and Social Science. It is done at a lesson level. Course units/modules will automatically fall in line if lessons adopt proper teaching and learning.

It is done at a lesson level. Course units/modules will automatically fall in line if lessons adopt proper teaching and learning.

It is done at a lesson level. Course units/modules will automatically fall in line if lessons adopt proper teaching and learning.

It is done at a lesson level. Course units/modules will automatically fall in line if lessons adopt proper teaching and learning.

It is done at a lesson level. Course units/modules will automatically fall in line if lessons adopt proper teaching and learning.

Since SLQF Levels 8 and 9 do not necessarily require the learner to carry out a research study, this statement should be interpreted as the ability to draft an outline of a research proposal that spells out clearly 'how' a hypothesis would be tested. However, the actual testing of the hypothesis after data collection is not necessary at these levels. It also does not necessarily imply that drafting a research proposal is a must, with the completion of an ethics clearance application. It is the 'ability' of constructing a hypothesis and identifying the methods to test it (which constitutes the core of a research proposal) that is a must (i.e. bare minimum) that the learner should possess. So, instead of developing a research proposal, displaying the ability required to develop a research proposal through an assignment could also be considered sufficient at these two levels.

The term 'hypotheses' should not be narrowly interpreted as a notion confined to the quantitative paradigm. The qualitative equivalent of a hypothesis (i.e. developing a sound research question/s with the necessary justifications using a sound theoretical framework for a qualitative research) should also be considered as an appropriate alternative.

In terms of definitions on research hypothesis, Chigbu (2019) summarises that a research hypothesis is "the statement created by researchers when they speculate upon the outcome of research or an experiment", or a specific situation in that research study. This definition describes what a hypothesis can be when applied in any form of research. With this understanding of a hypothesis, the question that arises is whether it can be used in qualitative research. There is a myriad of scholars who have pushed the notion that qualitative research has little or nothing to do with hypothesis formulation.

According to Chigbu researchers should not deny that the use of hypotheses applies to qualitative enquiries. Hypotheses used in qualitative research can be explained or perhaps questioned because explaining and questioning are the key tools used in carrying out qualitative research. The study conducted by Chigbu considers it is illogical to expect qualitative researchers to strictly follow the rules of quantitative research methods. Qualitative research is a very flexible type of research; it can be either inductive or deductive.

The business of qualitative research with hypotheses goes beyond hypothesis-generation and into hypothesis-testing (in the form of refuting, proving, confirming or verifying). The use of hypotheses in qualitative methods can, therefore, apply "as ingredients of the preconceptions and as reflections, rather than applying procedures for testing them qualitatively" (https://www.mdpi.com)

Since SLQF Levels 8 and 9 do not necessarily require the learner to carry out a research study, this statement should be interpreted as the ability to draft an outline of a research proposal that spells out clearly 'how' a hypothesis would be tested. However, the actual testing of the hypothesis after data collection is not necessary at these levels. It also does not necessarily imply that drafting a research proposal is a must, with the completion of an ethics clearance application. It is the 'ability' of constructing a hypothesis and identifying the methods to test it (which constitutes the core of a research proposal) that is a must (i.e. bare minimum) that the learner should possess. So, instead of developing a research proposal, displaying the ability required to develop a research proposal through an assignment could also be considered sufficient at these two levels.

The term 'hypotheses' should not be narrowly interpreted as a notion confined to the quantitative paradigm. The qualitative equivalent of a hypothesis (i.e. propositions or developing a sound research question/s with the necessary justifications using a sound theoretical framework for a qualitative research) should also be considered as an appropriate alternative.

With regard to SLQF Levels 10 and 11, it is expected that the learner conducts a research. Again, 'constructing new hypothesis and testing them' should not be interpreted literally. The important point is that the research should be carried out at, the level required, in a scientific manner in the qualitative (e.g., interpretivistic/constructivistic) or quantitative (e.g., positivistic) paradigm.

The 21st Century Skills are identified according to the "Partnership 21" framework. Additionally, a few examples of Socio Emotional Skills are mentioned. Both are mapped to the SLQF Level Descriptors in Annex VIII: 21st Century skills and Socio Emotional Skills explained and mapped with the SLQF Level Descriptors