15.We set and maintain a range of regulations that apply to the awarding organisations we regulate and the qualifications they offer. All awarding organisations that offer the Diploma must be recognised by us both as awarding organisations generally and specifically to award the Diploma. It is the requirements that relate specifically to the Diploma that are considered in this consultation.

16.The regulatory requirements specific to the Diploma qualifications are set out in:

• Regulatory arrangements for component and Diploma awarding bodies: Recognition requirements and operating rules (Version 3)
• Criteria for accreditation of Foundation, Higher and Advanced Diploma qualifications (version 3).

17.In addition, the awarding organisations that offer principal learning and project qualifications must also comply with the GCSE, GCE, principal learning and project code of practice and relevant Line of Learning criteria.

18.These documents have defined a regulatory approach has resulted in two key characteristics that are specific to the Diploma:

• Two types of awarding organisation are regulated to offer this qualification. Diploma awarding bodies (DABs) are those organisations that award the overall Diploma qualification, while component awarding bodies (CABs) award the component qualifications that can count towards the award of the Diploma.
• The regulations require awarding organisations to use a third party IT system – the Diploma Aggregation Service – currently managed by QCDA, which is a Government-owned system for the aggregation of results for the award of the Diploma.