Changes to qualifications and standards come after a review process.
Changes to qualifications
Each New Zealand qualification listed on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) must be reviewed periodically. The qualification developer is responsible for these reviews.
Qualifications are reviewed to make sure they are relevant, fit for purpose and meet the needs of learners and industry.
Every qualification has a listed review date. The qualification developer needs to begin a formal review process before that date.
Developers must consult with stakeholders, such as industry representatives during the review.
Qualification review schedule (external link)
Stages for reviewing a qualification
Reviewing qualifications on the NZQCF
Changes to standards
New unit standards are first listed on the Directory of Assessment and Skills Standards with a planned review date of around 5 years.
Standards can be reviewed through a formal review process, and also be revised if changes need to happen outside this process.
There are 2 quality assurance processes to change standards.
1. Revision
In a revision, changes are made to a standard. The standard is still able to be achieved until it is next reviewed. Evidence of appropriate consultation must be provided to show support for proposed changes to a standard.
Once changed, a standard is published as a new version, but keeps its original registration date. The unit standard ID and planned review date remain the same.
Why standards are revised
A standard may be revised due to new requirements, changes to legislation, a need to update references to other unit standards or assessment issues. Depending on the changes, consultation with stakeholders may be required.
2. Review
A review is a planned process. It involves consultation with all stakeholder groups, and results in a new version of a standard. That standard must be fit for purpose.
When a unit standard is due for review, the standard setting body decides whether to do a full review. A full review involves industry and stakeholder consultation. Any person or organisation may contribute to the review by sending feedback to the standard setting body.
The review considers whether the standard:
- meets current quality assurance criteria
- is fit for purpose for another five years
- takes into account any updated requirements in the industry, professional or academic area to which it relates
- has any shortcomings, identified through assessment and moderation.
After the review the unit standard is usually reregistered for 5 years.
Rollovers
If there isn't enough information to review a unit standard by it's review date, it may be rolled over for a period of time. The period of time must be consistent with standard setting body's review schedule.
Before rollover, the standard is checked to ensure that all references, including legislation and prerequisites, are up to date. If standards need to be changed before a full review, the process is called revision and rollover and the period of registration is extended.
A rolled-over standard, or a standard that has been revised and rolled-over is issued as a new version, and its planned review date is changed. The content and the unit standard ID remain the same.
On this page
Review categories
In the review process, unit standards are placed in 1 of 3 categories.
Minimal or No change
No change was made to the content or classification of the unit standard, or some changes were made. However, the outcomes and required evidence are substantially unchanged, and the standard setting body is confident that people credited with the new or old version are comparable in terms of competence.
The unit standard is published as a new version and displays new status, published and planned review dates.
Significant changes
Significant changes were made to the unit standard that materially changed the outcomes being recognised. The standard setting body views people with credit for the new and old version as being different in terms of competence.
A new ID number is assigned to the replacement unit standard. The replacement unit standard includes a reference to the title and ID of the replaced unit standard under 'Replacement information'.
Expire and not be replaced
The unit standard will expire and will not be replaced. The expiry date of unit standards must be specified in the review summary report. Normally, the expiry date is two years from the date the review is completed.
Expired and replaced unit standards
Some unit standards are set to expire, or not be available, after a review.
NZQA keeps the unit standard documents of standards set to expire on this website until the date of expiry in the review summary on the change report. The unit standard can be assessed against until the date of expiry.
The date of expiry in the review summary report is normally a minimum of 2 years from the date the review was completed.
To find out if an expiring unit standard has been replaced by a new unit standard, search the Directory of Assessment Standards using the Unit replacements by ID option.
When to stop using an old version of a standard
Providers can't use expiring unit standards in any new training programmes they design. But they can continue to use expiring unit standards in existing programmes until the standards are expired.
This applies to:
- unit standards that are expiring and replaced with a new unit standard with a new ID
- unit standards that are expiring and not replaced.
The date that expiring and replaced unit standards expire is detailed in a change report.
The proposed expiry date for reviewed unit standards must give enough time for:
- qualification developers and organisations with consent to assess to update qualifications and programmes and develop new or revised assessment materials
- candidates to complete current programmes or transition to new ones.
The expiry date takes into account the extent of uptake, the nature of provision, and any safety or legislative issues.
New versions of unit standards
New versions of unit standards keep the same ID and may continue to be used for a transition period decided by the standard setting body.
The standard setting body for the unit standards is responsible for making sure training relates to current versions of unit standards, assessment guides, resources, and New Zealand qualifications.
If a provider does not meet moderation requirements, the standard setting body can report non-compliance to NZQA and recommend we remove their consent to assess against standards (also called accreditation).
Awarding qualifications when unit standards change
A unit standard may be reviewed and changed before a student has completed their qualification.
Students who have the old version of a unit standard may still be able to be awarded their qualification.
Reviewed unit standards that continue to recognise the same overall outcome keep their ID number. If the unit standard with the same ID number is still listed as part of the qualification, then a student can use the old version of that standard to meet the requirements of that qualification.
Reviewed unit standards that continue to recognise the same overall outcome retain their identification number (ID). Holders of any version of a unit standard with the same ID may use that standard to meet programme and qualification requirements where that ID is listed.
NZQA teams that support reviews and changes
NZQA has two teams, Māori Qualifications Services (MQS) and National Qualifications Services (NQS) responsible for the quality and credibility of the New Zealand qualifications that are submitted to NZQA for listing.
These teams support the development, maintenance and review of nationally recognised New Zealand qualifications (generic and Field Māori) to support industry, employer, hapū, iwi and Government goals.
We work with industry, employers, professional groups, Whakaruruhau and other stakeholders to develop qualifications that are fit for purpose.
Communication of changes
You can find information on changes in the monthly change reports for the Directory of Assessment Standards (DASS).
Change reports cover:
- reasons for a standard review
- changes made as a result of a review
- any changes for provider accreditation
- any national qualifications that include reviewed standards
- information about transition to new versions of standards or National Qualifications.
Find monthly change reports:
Qualifications and assessment standards approval change reports
Qualification review resources
Review forms and guidelines
Find change reports, attestations, review reports, review policy and guidelines
Get review guidelines and forms