Quality assurance of providers
In New Zealand you can choose to do courses or qualifications from a wide range of education providers. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority deals with the provision and quality of qualifications. The terms registration, accreditation and course approval are explained here.
- See Choosing a course for an explanation of what you should be looking for when choosing a course or qualification, in particular, from a private training establishment.
- See Registration and accreditation process if you are an education provider interested in knowing more.
Registration
Registration is the process that ensures a government or private training establishment is capable of providing high quality education and training.
Once registered an organisation becomes a Private Training Establishment (PTE) or a Government Training Establishment (GTE).
National Qualifications Framework (NQF) accreditation
The accreditation process checks that an establishment is capable of operating its own quality management system and meeting its obligations to NZQA and relevant industry groups eg meeting moderation requirements. NQF accreditation checks whether an establishment, through its systems for the management of quality, has the capability to assess against unit standards within specified fields.
An establishment must be registered and accredited to be able to award credit for unit standards on the National Qualifications Framework. It is possible to apply for registration and accreditation at the same time.
The accreditation process is administered by NZQA and its agents. The Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality (ITPQ), responsible for accreditation in polytechnics, acts as an Agent of NZQA.
Accreditation and course approval
A provider may also apply for accreditation to offer a course or programme (including degrees) which do not include unit standards registered on the Qualifications Framework. For course approval the provider is required to supply details of the design of the course and any additional material necessary to show the proposed course fits within the provider's quality management system.
Workplaces and accreditation
Workplace assessment is carried out by assessors who are part of the quality management system of an organisation that is accredited. Most workplace assessors are registered by accredited Industry Training Organisations.
Page updated: 07 August 2007