Introduction

Who are we? The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) seeks to ensure that New Zealand qualifications are accepted as credible and robust, nationally and internationally.

Who do we work with? NZQA works closely with other education agencies, including the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Commission, to achieve the Government's education goals.

What do we do?

Our roles span the secondary and tertiary education sectors. NZQA administers the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEAs) for senior secondary school students. NZQA is responsible for the quality assurance of most tertiary training providers (including polytechnics, wānanga, government and private training establishments). In the case of universities, the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee is the body responsible for quality assurance.

Some of the things we are responsible for include:

• Maintaining a database of all New Zealand qualifications, the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications (the Register).
• Managing New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework, a subset of the Register, that contains all national qualifications.
• Maintaining students' Record of Achievement, a lifelong record of all standards and qualifications achieved from the National Qualifications Framework.
• Developing and maintaining some of the qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework.
• Assessing overseas qualifications for immigrants and working with other governments to achieve international recognition of New Zealand's qualifications.
• Running secondary school examinations, including NCEAs and New Zealand Scholarship.

Governance

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority is a Crown entity established under the section 248 of the Education Act 1989. The Act requires that the Minister of Education appoint the Authority's Board. These members reflect industry, community and education interests. The Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of NZQA, in consultation with appropriate Ministers. The Board ensures that NZQA carries out its legislative functions, monitors the organisation's performance and appoints the Chief Executive.

The Board's policy directions can be accessed through the annual Statement of Intent and their implementation through the Annual Report. NZQA is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Education and the Education and Science Select Committee.

Approximately half NZQA's funding comes from central government via Vote Education, and the other half from fees and levies, the total budget each year typically being a little over $70 million.

Page updated: 18 August 2009