We allocate the Qualification Development Fund via an application process.

2018

The application round for 2018 funding is now closed.

Qualification Development Fund Application Form  (Word, 551 Kb)

Note:

• To be eligible, the qualifications must be at levels 1 to 6 of the NZQF, and reflect industry and community need.
• Only applications that meet eligibility requirements will be considered.
• Funding is capped at $1 million for 2018. We may allocate all or some of this funding. We may also fund all or part of a project.
• We will also prioritise funding:
  • towards New Zealand qualifications that need early review (for example, the qualification is not meeting industry needs), and
  • to where the need for a contribution to the cost of New Zealand qualification(s) development or review is greatest.
  • Funding is not available for the development and review of programmes leading to New Zealand qualifications, only for development and review of the New Zealand qualifications themselves.

Questions

If you have any questions about the application process contact the Sector Helpdesk.

To ensure all applicants receive the same information we will publish answers to these questions here. Please also check this page regularly for the release of any new information.

Q+As

Can I apply for funding for projects that have already started in 2018?

Yes, if your project has started earlier this year and has not completed, you can apply for funding. You will need to demonstrate that funding from the Qualification Development Fund is critical for a successful project outcome.

Does the project need to take place in 2018?

The project must start this year. If your project is due to start in 2019 or later you can apply in a later funding round.

I have a qualification that is due for review in 2019. I am not seeking an earlier review but the consultation process for this review will likely begin in late 2018. Should I apply in this application round?

No, you should wait and apply in the 2019 application round as the qualification is not due for review in 2018 and it is not necessary to request an earlier review.

Qualification development

Funding is available to contribute to the costs of qualification development.

Applicants need to clearly outline how the proposed project for new qualifications will result in qualification(s) that will meet New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA) requirements for listing on the NZQF.

This requires showing how you will ensure that:

• there is a genuine need and stakeholder support for the proposed qualification(s), and
• the proposed qualification(s)’ strategic purpose and outcomes will meet the needs of learners, industry and communities.

Qualification review

Funding is available to contribute to the costs of New Zealand qualification reviews that are scheduled for 2018.

Funding is also available to contribute to the costs of New Zealand qualification reviews that are scheduled for a later date. In these instances, applicants will need to demonstrate:

• why the review should be brought forward earlier than scheduled, and
• that an earlier review with all relevant stakeholders can take place.

Funding decisions

We will notify you of our funding decisions by the end of June 2018 (and notify successful and unsuccessful applicants in writing). We may negotiate funding with successful applicants.

Following this we will provide successful applicants with a funding confirmation letter stating the amount of Qualification Development Fund funding allocated and the conditions of funding.

These are the eligibility criteria for the Qualification Development Fund.

Organisation eligibility

To be eligible for Qualification Development Fund funding, the applicant organisation must be approved by NZQA as a qualification developer.

This can be achieved in one of two ways. The applicant organisation must have:

• developed one or more New Zealand qualifications listed at levels 1 to 6 on the NZQF (the developing organisation has an on-going responsibility to review its New Zealand qualifications to ensure they remain relevant, fit for purpose, and retain industry and/or community support), or
• received ‘approval to develop’ from NZQA for the proposed new qualification(s) in the application.

Project eligibility

A project may cover a single qualification or a suite of qualifications.

However, to be eligible for Qualification Development Fund funding, the qualification(s) covered by the proposed project must be at levels 1 to 6 on the NZQF.

Qualification development

For qualification development projects:

• the organisation must have received ‘approval to develop’ from NZQA for the proposed qualification(s).

Qualification review

For qualification review projects:

• the qualification must be scheduled for review in the calendar year for which funding is sought, or
• there must be valid reasons for an earlier review.

Funding

The funding mechanism for the Qualification Development Fund is issued by the Minister responsible for tertiary education. The funding mechanism outlines the general form and essential components of the fund. It provides the mandate for us to allocate the funding, what the funding can be used for, and details how we administer the fund.

The Qualification Development Fund is agreed off-Plan through a funding confirmation letter.

An organisation that receives Qualification Development Fund funding is required to:

• comply with the requirements of the Education Act 1989, and
• comply with any conditions specified in its funding confirmation letter.

Payment

We pay funding for successful applicants in two instalments, as specified in the funding confirmation letter. We only pay funding after the funding confirmation letter has been signed and returned to us.

We pay the first instalment at the start of the project, and we pay the second instalment on completion of the project and our receipt of a satisfactory final report on the project. See reporting under Monitoring and reporting below.

Funding recovery

Funding must only be used for the activities specified in the funding confirmation letter.

If the funded organisation receives funding that was greater than it should have been, or that it was not entitled to receive, we will recover the extra funding.

This may include:

• using less funding than the amount paid for the activities
• using funding for activities not agreed in the funding confirmation letter, or
• non-compliance with the conditions of funding.

Under section 159ZD(1) of the Education Act 1989, organisations receiving funding from the Qualification Development Fund must provide us with the following information.

• A final written report on the project outlining:
  • the activities undertaken
  • the stakeholder consultation process, findings and actions resulting
  • issues identified in the project, and their resolution
  • a full itemisation of how funding was spent
  • resulting qualification(s), describing:
    • there is a genuine need and stakeholder support for the proposed qualification(s), and
    • the proposed qualification(s)’ strategic purpose and outcomes will meet the needs of learners, industry and communities ,and
    • whether the resulting qualification(s) have been listed by NZQA on the NZQF, ie whether they are New Zealand qualification(s).
    • Any other reporting requested in the funding confirmation letter provided to the successful applicant.

Reports must be provided to us when requested, and in the form we ask for.

Monitoring

We monitor the performance of funded organisations through the information provided to us, as described above.