Award of Mandatory Qualification for Sensory Impairment (MQSI) Contracts to Higher Education Providers

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The Department for Education awarded contracts to The University of Manchester, Mary Hare, University of Leeds, The University of Edinburgh, The University of Birmingham, Seashell Trust, and Liverpool John Moores University for the delivery of a mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI), a masters-level course typically taken part-time over two years.

In 2022, five individual contracts were awarded following an open tender process via Open Procedure.

Commencing 1st September 2023, an initial 3-year contract worth up to a maximum of £1 with the option of up to a further 3 years in contract extensions and a longstop date to allow current learners to complete the course.

The tender was split into 3 lots: Mandatory Qualification for Hearing Impairment, Mandatory Qualification for Visual Impairment, and Mandatory Qualification for Multi Sensory Impairment.

In 2023, two further individual contracts were awarded following a Restricted Procedure in which two suppliers were invited to submit a bid against the original criteria on Tuesday 6th June 2023.

The overarching aims are to ensure a supply of teachers of children with visual, hearing and multi-sensory impairment, including those providing support in mainstream schools, and to ensure a high-quality, sustainable and resilient qualifications market that supports high quality outcomes for children with sensory impairment.