Quality assurance

NZQA[1] is the body primarily responsible for quality assurance matters in the tertiary education sector (excluding universties). It has overall national responsibility for the accreditation of institutions and for educational qualifications and standards (including degrees) delivered by providers other than the universities.  The New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee is responsible for quality assurance matters relating to universities.

Its Quality Assurance Framework covers:

• registration of PTEs[2]
• course approval
• accreditation to deliver a course, and
• accreditation to assess standards on the NZQF[3].

It also covers external evaluation and review of PTEs.

ITOs

NZQA maintains a register of accredited ITOs who can register assessors for the NZQF.

ITPs

NZQA is responsible for accreditation in ITPs[4].

Professional and regulatory bodies

Some qualifications requires approval from relevant professional or regulatory bodies. Examples are:

• The New Zealand Teachers' Council, which approves programmes for initial teacher education
• Regulatory authorities specified in the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, which approve programmes in their respective health disciplines.

 

• [1]

  New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)

• [2]

  Private training establishments (PTEs)

• [3]

  New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF)

• [4]

  Institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs)