The OCQAS operates under a clearly defined governance structure that is publicly documented and accessible. The agency is overseen by a Management Board (the Board) that functions as its governing body, responsible for strategic oversight, policy approval, and ensuring compliance with its mandate.

The Board has two (2) policies that outline the composition, duties, and operating principles of the Board, including its relationship with the Executive Director, who manages the OCQAS’s operations and reports directly to the Board:

• Management Board Structure and Membership Policy 04
• Management Board Roles and Responsibilities Policy 06

The Board ensures alignment with the OCQAS’s mission and the Minister’s Binding Policy Directive – Framework for Programs of Instruction, while safeguarding the agency’s independence in decision-making.

The Management Board Membership is published on the OCQAS website and included in orientation materials for new members.

Processes for appointing and renewing Board members are detailed in Management Board Appointments and Terms Procedure 04-1, which clearly sets out the nomination, appointment, approval, renewal, and withdrawal processes. This procedure responds to the 2021 INQAAHE review recommendation to amend the Management Board membership policy to ensure formal clarity regarding the mechanism for making Management Board appointments.

The OCQAS has a comprehensive Conflict of Interest Policy 07 that applies to Management Board members, staff, and reviewers. Board members are required to disclose any potential conflicts at the start of their term and before each meeting. Where a conflict is identified, members must recuse themselves from discussions or decisions related to the conflict.

This policy extends to all quality assurance processes, ensuring that independence and impartiality are maintained in both governance and operational decisions.

The INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice Alignment – External Review Report – January 2021 reaffirmed that “OCQAS operates with transparency, integrity and professionalism and adheres to ethical and professional standards” (2.1.1, p.31) including “effective and comprehensive mechanisms for the prevention of conflicts of interest” (3.35, p. 32).

The composition of the OCQAS Management Board (Management Board Structure and Membership Policy 04) ensures representation from multiple invested parties, including:

• A College President from the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT)
• Vice-Presidents Academic from the CAAT
• Quality assurance practitioners from CAAT
• Independent members external to the CAAT system representing quality assurance work in business, industry, or higher education
• Students and/or Graduates from CAAT

This broad representation reflects the collective ownership of the Ontario Public College System and ensures that the Board’s decisions are informed by the diverse needs and experiences of its constituent groups.

The OCQAS maintains operational and decision-making independence through a governance structure designed to safeguard autonomy while enabling constructive system-level collaboration. Although the OCQAS operates within the framework established by the Minister’s Binding Policy Directives, it is not a government entity and has no reporting, approval, or decision-making dependency on the Ministry. Instead, the OCQAS is accountable to Ontario’s Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) system through its Management Board.

The Minister’s Binding Policy Directives establish the provincial framework within which colleges operate; however, it does not extend to involvement in the OCQAS’ policy development, evaluative judgments, or operational decisions. Interaction with the Ministry occurs in the context of information sharing and collaborative discussions aimed at addressing sector-wide issues and identifying solutions, without compromising the OCQAS’ independent authority.

The OCQAS Management Board exercises full authority over quality assurance policies, standards, and decisions, ensuring that these functions are carried out free from external direction or influence. INQAAHE’s recognition decisions in the  INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice Alignment – External Review Report – January 2021 (1.3.2, p.30), further validated the OCQAS’ “independence and impartiality”.