Glossary

Academic year

12 month period starting on the first day of January

External assessment

External assessment refers to end-of-year external examinations (or portfolios) for senior secondary school students that are set and marked by NZQA

Internal assessment

Internal assessment refers to work that is set and marked by individual schools. Independent moderators from NZQA ensure that all schools are assessing work to the national standard

Credit parity

Credit parity exists between standards. Credits allocated to a standard must reflect the learning time it takes on average nationally, for learners to meet the outcomes and achievement requirements of that standard

Directory of Assessment Standards

The Directory of Assessment Standards is the list of all nationally registered unit and achievement standards (formally National Qualifications Framework)

External Evaluation and Review (EER)

External evaluation and review (EER) provides a quality assurance process for Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs).  This includes assurance that TEO self-assessment processes contribute to improved outcomes for learners and other clients

Industry Training Organisation (ITO)

An Industry Training Organisation (ITO) is an industry-specific organisation, recognised under the Industry Training Act 1992. An ITO sets NZQA accredited skill standards for their specific industry, and runs industry training that helps learners achieve those standards through providers

Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality (ITP Quality)

Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality (ITPQ) operated under delegated authority from NZQA, until 1 January 2011. The role of ITP Quality was to provide external quality assurance of courses offered in the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics sector

Lisbon Convention

The Lisbon Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Area sets international best practice for assessing and comparing qualifications from around the world. New Zealand signed up to the Lisbon Convention in February 2008

Managing National Assessment (MNA)

Managing National Assessment (MNA) is the term used to describe the processes for achieving valid, fair, accurate, and consistent internal assessment in schools. It is a partnership between schools and NZQA by which NZQA checks, evaluates, and reports on schools’ processes and systems to ensure that internal assessment decisions and systems remain effective.

Māori Economic Development Forum (MEDF)

NZQA’s Māori Economic Development Forum (MEDF) is an external Māori reference group, established by NZQA to identify potential new qualifications that will bring improved economic benefits to Māori

Moderation

Moderation is a process of ensuring an organisation’s assessment activities are fair, valid, and consistent with the required standard across a number of assessors or assessing organisations

National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is New Zealand’s main national qualification for senior secondary school students and is available at three levels

National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) previously listed all nationally registered qualifications, unit and achievement standards, together with the relationships between these.  As of 1 July 2010 this was replaced by the New Zealand Qualifications Framework and the Directory of Assessment Standards

New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority, a Crown entity, was established under section 248 of the Education Act 1989

New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications,
Te Āhurutanga
(the Register)

The New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications, Te Āhurutanga (the Register), previously listed all quality assured qualifications (over 40 credits) in New Zealand.  As of 1 July 2010 this was replaced by the New Zealand Qualifications Framework

New Zealand Scholarship

The New Zealand Scholarship examinations are designed to extend the top-performing final year 13 students, and to provide grants to help with tertiary study. It does not contribute towards a qualification

Ngā Kaitūhono

An independent group appointed to ensure that NZQA’s approach to Māori knowledge is compatible with Māori values, consistent with Māori expectations, and complementary to other validation processes, including those that may be established by Māori

NZDipBus

New Zealand Diploma in Business, administered by NZQA

Prescription

a statement that sets out the particular knowledge and skills outcomes required from the study of a specific subject at a specific level.

Private Training Establishment (PTE)

An establishment that provides post-school education and training, and is registered by NZQA under Part 18 of the Education Act 1989.

Quality Assurance Body (QAB)

An organisation that exercises certain powers of NZQA under section 260 of the Education Act 1989. Current QABs are the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, Universities New Zealand, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality, and NZQA

Quality Management System (QMS)

NZQA’s Quality Management System (QMS) provides instructions, policies and procedures for NZQA. It is a formalised system that documents the structure, responsibilities and procedures required to achieve effective quality management

School Results Summary

Introduced in 2008, a School Results Summary is issued to every school leaver as a complete record of his/her performance while at secondary school. It records all “achieved” and “not achieved” results for internally and externally assessed standards

Self-assessment

Self-assessment refers to the processes that tertiary providers and training services use to confirm their own effectiveness. The results of these processes should inform future planning and improvements. It also informs External Evaluation Reviews

Standards

There are two types of national standards in the Directory of Assessment Standards: achievement standards and unit standards. Because the standards are nationally agreed, learners’ achievements can be recognised in a number of contexts, and their knowledge and skills will be transferable between qualifications and providers.

Standard-Setting bodies (SSBs)

Standard-Setting Bodies (SSBs) are responsible for the quality and credibility of standards submitted to NZQA for registration in the Directory of Assessment Standards. They work with industry partners, professional groups and other clients to develop useful and relevant standards and qualifications that are nationally recognised. SSBs include industry training organisations, the Ministry of Education and NZQA.

Tertiary Education Organisation

Tertiary education organisations (TEOs) are universities, polytechnics, private tertiary education providers, government training organisations, and other providers.

Te Rautaki Māori me te Mahere whakatinana a te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa

NZQA’s Strategic and Implementation Plan 2007-2012, to advance Māori education and training

The Board

NZQA is headed by a Board of members appointed by the Ministry of Education under section 28 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. The Board represents industry, community and education interests.

The Technical Overview Group Assessment Committee (TOGA)

The Technical Overview Group Assessment Committee (TOGA) provides independent expert advice to NZQA and the Ministry of Education on the assessment processes for New Zealand Scholarship and NCEA

Wānanga

A wānanga is a publicly-owned tertiary institution that provides education in a Māori cultural and traditional context.