National Degrees registration process
Background
In May 2008, NZQA established a project to develop a process for handling applications to register a National Degree on the NQF.
The NQF encompasses the same qualifications as the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications (the Register). However, there were no degrees registered on the NQF.
The project was prompted by the NZQA Board's decision (February 2008) which affirmed National Degrees can be registered on the NQF, but considered that such degrees must meet the statutory degree definition:
Therefore the process would align the requirements for NQF registration with the statutory requirements for degrees, including course approval and accreditation, and consent to award the degree.
NQF accreditation alone does not generally require providers to seek separate course approval and accreditation to deliver a course, as the qualification and its associated standards are already available on the NQF. This makes the registration of National Degree significantly different to that of other registered national qualifications.
The project established a Working Group made up of representatives from quality assurance bodies (see Note 1) and a Sector Advisory Group comprising key knowledge holders nominated by tertiary peak bodies (see Note 2). The Working Group drafted the proposed National Degree registration process while the Sector Advisory Group provided advice and views on the outcomes of the Working Group. The groups agreed on a proposed National Degree registration process.
This process was presented to the sector for consultation during October-November 2009, and subsequently approved for use by the NZQA Board in December 2009. The Report on this consultation is available.
NZQA and ITP Quality. The NZVCC Committee on University Academic Programmes were invited to join the working group but declined, due to opposition to the concept of National Degrees.
NZQA, NZVCC, ITPNZ, NZAPEP, ITF and Te Tauihu o ngā Wānanga.
Page updated: 22 December 2009