We’re partnering with regional and national organisations in the Pacific to strengthen qualifications, quality assurance, and qualifications recognition in the region.
Quality education aids development in Pacific countries, so Pacific people can have greater access to skilled employment.
National and regional qualifications systems and frameworks in the Pacific need support and development so people can access relevant, quality-assured qualifications.
Quality qualifications support a country's economic development. They can also be recognised, so people holding these qualifications can gain skilled employment in other countries.
Improving the recognition of qualifications from Pacific countries will remove a barrier to Pacific people’s employment.
Improved recognition of Pacific qualifications would mean other countries' governments and employers could understand how Pacific peoples’ knowledge and skills (such as those recognised by the Pacific Qualifications Framework) compare with graduates of their own country’s education system.
What supports qualifications recognition?
To recognise Pacific qualifications, other countries to need to have trust and confidence in the quality of Pacific education and qualifications systems.
They want to know that qualifications are supported by strong quality assurance systems, both nationally and regionally.
Increasing trust in Pacific qualifications
The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Educational Quality and Assessment Programme works across the Pacific to develop and strengthen national qualifications systems.
As part of its supporting role, the SPC is home to the Pacific Qualifications Framework (PQF), a regional qualifications framework that aims to:
- build trust in qualifications from the Pacific
- create transparency around how national and regional education systems in the Pacific quality assure qualifications
- support the recognition of Pacific qualifications in the Pacific and elsewhere.
The Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project
The Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project aims to strengthen the Pacific Qualifications Framework and Pacific national qualifications systems so Pacific qualifications can be recognised.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is funding the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project.
Strengthening the Pacific Qualifications Framework and national frameworks and systems will mean Pacific qualifications could be more widely recognised, enabling the future movement of learners and skilled workers. This would support higher quality education across the Pacific region, and increase opportunities for Pacific people.
The 5-year project is jointly led by SPC and NZQA.
The project work: Approach and benefits
Between 2024 and 2028, SPC and NZQA will work closely with Pacific national agency colleagues to:
- establish strong, trusted relationships between the Pacific Qualifications Framework and Pacific and New Zealand national qualifications frameworks and systems
- build regional and national ability to apply international best practice in qualification design and development, quality assurance, and qualifications recognition.
Through this work, NZQA and its Pacific partners aim to:
- support the strengthening of Pacific national qualifications and quality assurance systems
- build the capacity of Pacific people and organisations who conduct quality assurance work
- develop regional understanding of qualifications recognition
- strengthen the Pacific Qualifications Framework so the regional system for qualifications and quality assurance supports the Pacific region’s qualifications recognition needs
- enable new opportunities for Pacific people to use valued, recognised qualifications to support national and regional employment.
Pacific national partners
As part of this work, SPC and NZQA are working closely with the quality assurance agencies and ministries of education in the 9 Pacific countries that are party to the PACER Plus trade agreement.
We are grateful for the support of the:
- Cook Islands Ministry of Education
- Kiribati Ministry of Education
- Nauru Ministry of Education and Training
- Niue Department of Education
- Samoa Qualifications Authority
- Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority
- Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board
- Tuvalu Ministry of Education
- Vanuatu Qualifications Authority.