QA News June 2010 - Issue 68

• Chief Executive's foreword
• Leaders of the future
• Qualification design rules out for consultation
• University Entrance being reviewed
• Marking External Assessment (MEA) Pilot
• Annual Report on NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship
• Moderator-teacher agreement rates rising
• Excellence in unit standards
• Adult Education and Training Qualifications
• Check out National Qualifications Services
• Quality Assurance for Mātauranga Maori
• Feedback positive on kaiako and whānau workshops
• NZQA to contribute to OECD education review
• Top Art on tour

University Entrance being reviewed

NZQA has begun a review of university entrance requirements. 

Each year some 20,500 students gain university entrance – the minimum requirement for entrance to New Zealand universities.  They then, often, have to meet further requirements to gain entry into the programme of their choice.  

“While most students entering university programmes successfully achieve NCEA Level 3, not all do as university entrance does not require this.  As well, some students who achieve NCEA Level 3 find that they have not met university entrance requirements and are not eligible for entry to university,” says Deputy Chief Executive Qualifications Bali Haque. 

Even without a review of university entrance, changes must be made to the existing requirements when revised achievement standards are implemented from 2011.  The revised achievement standards are now aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum (2007). 

A technical advisory group has been formed to provide expert advice to the project working group.  The advisory group includes tertiary and secondary school students and knowledge holders from the university, wider tertiary education and senior secondary schooling sectors. 

Consultation will be undertaken following any recommendations to change the existing common standard. 

Any changes approved by the NZQA Board will be communicated to secondary school students, their parents and the secondary and tertiary education sectors.

The review of university entrance should be complete before the end of 2010 so that any changes in requirements for the year 2013 (for entrance to the 2014 tertiary study year) are known to students entering Year 11.

The review will include an investigation of the effectiveness of the literacy and numeracy requirements and the approved subject list will be revisited.

For more information see University Entrance.

The current requirements for University Entrance