International Vocational Qualifications Bulletin January 2026
Welcome to the January edition of your International VQ Bulletin: your quarterly update to help you feel confident and supported in delivering vocational qualifications worldwide.
In this issue
- Your ISV allocation: by now, your international standards verifier will be in place. Find out what this means for you and how they can help.
- Key updates and reminders: practical tips to keep everything on track.
- Training and development opportunities: build your knowledge and boost your confidence with upcoming events.
- Find out more about custom designed BTEC qualifications.
If any of your colleagues would like to receive this directly, they can sign up for future editions.
International standards verifier allocations
International standards verification for 2025–26 is now under way and international standards verifier (ISV) allocations are being released.
As soon as your ISV accepts their allocation, you'll be able to see who's assigned to each of your programmes in Edexcel Online.
Check your ISV allocation in a couple of simple steps. Once you’re logged into Edexcel Online:
- Select 'BTEC & Functional Skills' from the qualification drop-down.
- Go to 'Quality Assurance' → 'External Verification' → 'International Allocations'.
You’ll see which programmes have been allocated to an ISV and which are still waiting for allocation.
What happens next?
Your allocated ISV will contact you in the next few weeks by email to help move things forward. Together, you’ll:
- confirm whether verification will take place remotely or in person
- agree a sampling date that works for you
- review any action points from your previous visit
- confirm the programmes allocated and whether certification can be released.
Your guides for 2025–26 are ready
Your centre guides for 2025–26 are now live and ready to support you throughout the year:
These guides bring everything together in one place, so you can find what you need when you need it.
Need help?
If you have any questions about the standards verification process, please contact your allocated ISV directly, or contact us through the Pearson support portal. If you have any urgent verification requests, you should contact us through the Pearson support portal.
To make sure everything runs seamlessly for your learners, take a moment to double-check that all registrations are correct and learner details are accurate. If something needs updating, don’t wait, as quick action now prevents delays later.
Here's what to do
Transfers: move students to the right programme or centre before certification to keep progress on track.
Read more about making transfers
Withdrawals and deletions: remove students who won't continue on their programme. Remember, deletions within 90 days of enrolment (or 49 days for Higher Nationals) qualify for a refund if no units have been claimed.
Plan with confidence for the year ahead
Released last year, this guide brings together all the key dates, deadlines, and reminders you need to stay organised. Supporting you from registrations and sampling visits to certificate delivery.
It’s designed to make sure your students get their results on time and are ready for their next steps.
Bookmark it. Share it. Refer to it whenever you need a reminder of what’s next.
If your centre needs to complete an Annual Programme Monitoring Review (APMR) for BTEC Higher Nationals, you’ll have received an email inviting you to take part.
The deadline is 20 February 2026.
What’s the APMR?
The APMR is a mandatory part of quality assurance for Higher Nationals. It’s your chance to look back on the last academic year and share what’s working well and what could work better. What you tell us matters; your insights help strengthen programme quality and shape the guidance and support we offer to centres like yours.
Who needs to complete it?
You’ll need to complete an APMR if:
- your centre delivered a Higher National programme last year and
- it wasn't your first year of delivery.
The review should be completed by the person responsible for quality management at your centre.
Need a hand?
If you have questions or need support, we’re here to help. Email us at HNQA@Pearson.com, or use the guidance link in your invitation email.
We are developing a new way to give you better visibility into the status of your International standards verification reports through a dedicated hub in the Progress platform.
What can I expect?
This hub will give you:
- visibility into the status of your reports
- secure access to information without relying on emails
- the ability to directly download your reports from the Progress platform.
What's happening next?
When the hub is ready, we’ll share everything you need to get started.
For now, nothing changes. We’ll keep you updated as this work develops and if you have any questions you can contact us through the Pearson support portal.
Throughout 2025/26, you’ll have access to a series of live online events and on-demand training designed especially for exams officers and new staff.
All our training sessions are hosted on the Development Hub, your dedicated space for exams officer and admin training.
Upcoming events:
- Introduction to Pearson Progress — Thursday, 12 February 2026
- Making Claims and Eligibility/Results — Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Recordings to catch up on:
- Intro to BTEC 2025/26
- Registrations and Amendments
- Pearson Progress
You can book your place at upcoming events and watch recordings of past events on our international exams officer training page.
Across our international centres, educators are continuing to build their skills, share best practice, and make a real impact for their students. Our professional development opportunities are here to help you stay confident, connected, and ready for what’s next.
For 2026 we are offering a full schedule of public online programmes to support effective BTEC delivery from L1 up to L7. The calendar for the first half of 2026 is here:
Explore all live training | Pearson qualifications
Looking ahead, there’s plenty to get involved in.
We'll be offering our highly successful IV Assessor programme around the world in 2026; look out for notifications to join.
Our innovative 5-day in-person Master Educator course for teachers will be offered in the UAE, China and India.
Register your interest for the Master Educator course
Find out more about all our professional development activities on the BTEC International Educators Training and CPD page.
The BTEC International Level 5 Professional Diploma and Level 7 Professional Qualifications in Applied Teaching and Education (SRF) are now available, designed to support educators in advancing their careers in technical and vocational education.
The Level 5 qualification replaces the previous UK-regulated diploma and is only available to international learners. Completing Level 5 allows progression to Level 7, which can then lead to an MBA or other Masters programmes.
These qualifications help strengthen teaching expertise, improve learner outcomes, and develop the skills needed to meet the evolving needs of vocational education.
We introduced these qualifications to all international centres earlier this year. Missed the update?
Find out more about Applied Teaching and Education qualifications
Ready to take the next step? Contact your Pearson sales representative today to discuss how these qualifications can benefit your centre.
Want your education and training programmes to stand out with global recognition and trusted quality? Assured by Pearson is your gateway to credibility.
Our service provides independent validation of your training delivery against Pearson’s internationally benchmarked standards. Whether you’re a school, college, employer, or private provider, Assured by Pearson helps you differentiate in a competitive market and build learner confidence.
Why choose Assured by Pearson?
- Gain international endorsement for your programmes
- Demonstrate quality and consistency to learners and stakeholders
- Enhance your reputation with Pearson’s trusted assurance
Ready to elevate your programmes?
Custom designed BTEC qualifications provide an opportunity for existing centres, employers and educational institutions to design a specific BTEC qualification that is not met by our off the shelf provision, across all academic levels.
Ready to launch:
- BTEC Higher Nationals in Early Childhood Education and Care (SRF)
- BTEC Level 6 Diploma in Digital Technologies (SRF) (designed to provide a top-up to the BTEC Higher Nationals in Digital Technologies)
- BTEC Level 3 International Foundation Programme for Higher Education in Business (SRF) (precursor to the BTEC Higher Nationals in Business)
- BTEC Level 3 International Foundation Programme for Higher Education in Computing Technology (precursor to the BTEC Higher National in Digital Technology)
- BTEC Level 3 International Foundation Programme for Higher Education in Manufacturing (precursor to the BTEC Higher National Certificate in Manufacturing Operations), available for delivery outside of the Middle East.
Contact Marianne.Henden@pearson.com to find out more.