Our international role

Learn how we work to improve our connections and opportunities worldwide

One of NZQA’s responsibilities is to improve the recognition, understanding and portability of New Zealand qualifications overseas.

What we do

We help maintain and build on New Zealand’s reputation as a high-quality education provider, and increase the portability of qualifications gained here.

We work closely with other government agencies such as the Ministry of Education, Education New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – and they support us in our work.

We:

  • provide support as required for trade negotiations involving qualification recognition
  • collaborate with other Pacific Island nations to support quality assured qualifications in the region
  • improve understanding and recognition of qualifications in other countries.

Some of NZQA's qualifications recognition work fulfills New Zealand's obligations under Free Trade Agreements. We have completed some projects supported by trade agreements, and continue to work in support of others.

Australia

Hong Kong

Malaysia

How New Zealand support qualification recognition in the Pacific

Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus

ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (external link)

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (external link)

Working with other countries

New Zealand has, and is working towards, formal agreements and arrangements with other countries and groups of countries.

Agreements 

Joining already established Conventions and Treaties, agreeing to be bound by existing commitments.

Arrangements 

Individually negotiated, detailed procedure has been worked out between NZQA and its counterpart agencies.

Recognition arrangements with other countries

Our role as the National Education Information Centre

NZQA is New Zealand’s designated National Education Information Centre (NEIC).

In our role as New Zealand's NEIC, we provide information about the New Zealand education system and qualifications to other NEICs overseas.

In New Zealand we provide advice about overseas education systems, and assess individuals' overseas qualifications against the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (this is called qualification recognition).

Our role as NEIC

See our principles and policies of qualification recognition

Why we do it

In a growing global labour market, qualifications that are more portable between countries are increasingly important.

Our projects also help:

  • New Zealanders travelling overseas to have their qualifications recognised
  • international students studying here then returning overseas to have their qualifications recognised
  • educational institutions to have their qualifications more easily recognised overseas
  • inform NZQA's individual qualification recognition decisions
  • educational institutions to make enrolment decisions
  • employers to make employment decisions.

International

For more information about what we do and how