The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has begun consultation on how the quality of tertiary education providers (TEPs) could be described, summarised and communicated as part of the new integrated Quality Assurance Framework (iQAF).
During two previous public consultations on iQAF, many providers expressed a desire for a more graduated way of describing quality than a binary ‘compliant/non-compliant’. Partner government agencies also preferred a more nuanced summary of TEP quality to support their monitoring activities.
“In response to this feedback, we are proposing a model for defining, summarising and communicating organisational-level tertiary education provider quality,” says Emily Fabling, Deputy Chief Executive, Quality Assurance.
“The proposed overarching descriptors would provide a reliable, evidence-based up-to-date view of quality across our tertiary education system.”
The proposal includes four quality criteria that would provide evidence of the extent to which a TEP has the ongoing capability to deliver high-quality education and training:
- Programme and micro-credential design
- Delivery of education and training
- Assessment practice
- Quality management system implementation
Each criterion would be weighted and assigned a score based on evidence already held by NZQA and known by the provider. The cumulative score would correspond to one of three overall descriptors of a provider’s effectiveness in delivering credible and robust qualifications and credentials that meet the needs of learners, iwi, hapū, whānau, communities, industry and employers:
- Highly effective
- Effective
- Not effective
“We are seeking feedback on this proposed approach to describing organisational-level quality ,” says Emily Fabling.
“NZQA is particularly interested in how the descriptors would be used by the wide range of tertiary education providers that we regulate, and any implementation challenges for different types of providers or different sectors.”
Further information about the proposals and how to provide feedback is available at https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/consultations-and-reviews/describing-tep-quality/
The consultation will remain open until 7 September 2026.