The quality assurance of tertiary education in New Zealand

Susan SmartQuality Assurance Division

Quality assurance of education in New Zealand

Universities New Zealand

Universities New Zealand has two quality assurance bodies:• Committee on University Academic Programmes• Academic Quality Agency

Managing risk

Entry processes• Registration of Private Training Establishments• Recognition of Industry Training Organisations• Listing of qualifications and unit standards• Approval of programmes and training schemes• Accreditation of tertiary education organisations• Consent to assess

External evaluation and review

Maintaining quality• Consistency of graduate

outcomes for NZ qualifications at levels 1-6

• Moderation of NZQA-developed unit standards

• Monitoring of degree programmes at level 7 and above

Self-assessment

Private Training Establishments(approx 550)

Government Training Establishments(5)

Wānanga (3)

Institutes ofTechnology/Polytechnics (16)

Industry Training Organisations (11)

The Evaluative Quality Assurance Framework (EQAF)

New Zealand’s evaluative approach to quality assurance

• Fosters self-assessment and continuous improvement• Evidence-based judgements• Checks and boosts organisation’s capability and educational

performance

Strong emphasis on:• learner outcomes and achievement• using evidence to improve outcomes• accountability.

New Zealand’s quality assurance system for tertiary education

New Zealand runs an integrated education system that includes both secondary schooling and tertiary education.

Secondary school (ages 13-17)• Compulsory, broad-based national curriculum at ages 13-14• More flexibility of subjects at ages 15-17• Students undertake the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA)

Tertiary education (ages 17 plus)Includes all post-secondary education, including higher and vocational education.• No distinctions between academic and vocational/technical institutions

General tertiary education in New Zealand

Learners can get professional, technical and vocational degree-level education at:• universities• institutes of technology/polytechnics• wānanga• some private training establishments

Types of tertiary institution in New Zealand

Government training establishments (GTEs)

Industry training organisations (ITOs)

Institutes of technology/polytechnics (ITPs)

Private training establishments (PTEs)

Universities

Wānanga

Vocational education in New Zealand

To gain a recognised vocational qualification, learners can:• attend a trade academy• take up an apprenticeship in their chosen field• do a mixture of work experience and classroom learning.

Previous trade qualifications and experience can also be recognised and counted towards current qualifications.

Industry training in New ZealandIndustry training organisations (ITOs):• have the legislative power to set standards• arrange on-job industry training for vocational areas of study

(trades and other specialised sectors).

Employees can also get training off-job , e.g.:• through institutes of technology/polytechnics or private

training establishments• short, practical courses in combination with on-job training.

Level Qualification Types

10 Doctoral Degree

9 Master’s Degree

8 Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates,Bachelor Honours Degree

7Bachelor’s Degree,Graduate Diplomas and Certificates

65 Diplomas

4321

Certificates

The structure of the NZQF

is the definitive source of information on all quality-assured qualifications in New Zealand.

• Focuses on outcomes (knowledge, skills and their application)

• Recognises indigenous knowledge

• Provides the basis for an integrated tertiary education system

Pathways between qualifications at different levels

Qualifications are developed in groups for a single area or skill.

Qualifications typically follow on from each other:

Lower level qualifications = basic skills

Higher level qualifications = specialist

Principles of qualification design

• Needs-based– usefulness, relevance and value– learner and industry/community needs

• Focused on outcomes• Flexibility• Accountability and trust

Qualifications listed on the NZQF• Quality assured• Publicly available• Defined by title, qualification type, level and credit

value• The outcome statement includes a graduate profile,

and education and employment pathways• Assigned to a subject classification• Has a status of current, expiring or discontinued

Self-assessmentTertiary education organisations (TEOs) are responsible for using self-assessment to improve their own quality and the outcomes they achieve.

Self-assessment focuses on:• identifying learner and stakeholder needs• evaluating organisational processes and practices• using what is learned and making actual improvements to outcomes and learner achievement.• NZQA does not prescribe how TEOs do this, as every organisation is different.

TEO self-assessment provides the evidence base for all the quality assurance processes.

Listing and approving programmes (1-6), Approving degree and related programmes (levels 7-10)

As well as the general listing requirements, a qualification at levels 1-6 must:• provide a profile of what

graduates can do, be and know• meet an identified need• have a strategic purpose with

associated learning outcomes• have a process to ensure national

consistency of graduate outcomes• be able to be delivered in different

learning contexts.

Listing New Zealand qualifications at levels 1-6

An approved programme must lead to a listed qualification on the NZQF and allow learners to achieve that qualification.For a programme to be approved, it must:• be designed to meet the specific

identified needs of learners• show a progression of knowledge

and skills• assess only the learning outcomes.

Approving programmes at levels 1-6

Degree and related programmes are approved if they have appropriate:• learning outcomes and content• delivery methods• equipment, facilities and staff • regulations• assessment and moderation.

Taught mainly by staff engaged in research.Applications are evaluated by a panel.

Approving degree and related programmes (levels 7-10)

External evaluation and review (EER)External evaluation and review uses key evaluation questions to judge the quality of a TEO.

• The scope of an EER is designed to cover the strengths and weaknesses of the TEO.

• It comes to evidence-based conclusions about the quality and performance of the TEO.

• NZQA publishes a public EER report.

External evaluation and review - categories of capability

Managing risk and non-compliance

NZQA has rigorous processes to investigate and manage risk.

NZQA collects information on organisations

NZQA uses that information to see if there is:• a risk to students, or• a breach of NZQA

rules or legislative requirements

NZQA takes action (including statutory action) to address these risks or breaches

Quality assurance of NZQF qualifications and programmes delivered offshore

• NZQF programmes may be delivered offshore.• NZQF qualifications and programmes can be designed to

meet specific offshore requirements.

These programmes and qualifications must meet all the relevant NZQA rules.

Regulation of international educationTo enrol international students, New Zealand institutions must be a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code).

• A framework for supporting international students while they are studying in New Zealand.

• Sets out the minimum standards of advice and care education organisations must provide for international students.

The Code does not apply to academic standards.

Any questions?