Reconsideration of an EER report

Information about external evaluation and review report reconsiderations and guidance for TEOs

After every external evaluation and review (EER), we produce a report that contains statements of confidence in a provider's:

  • educational performance
  • capability in self-assessment.

These reports are published on our website. Providers can request a reconsideration if there are grounds for reconsideration.

About EER report reconsiderations

A reconsideration provides an independent check on the validity of one or both of the statements of confidence reached by NZQA in a finalised EER report.

It aims to establish if there were process failures, or errors of fact or judgement.

The next step is to address whether a process failure or error result in the need to change any statement of confidence.

The statements of confidence are the primary object of a reconsideration. Content of sections of the report, and process failures relating to those sections, are relevant if they can be shown to lead to any of the statements of confidence.

The formal criteria for reconsideration are set out in the Quality Assurance (including External Evaluation and Review (EER)) Rules 2022 (the EER Rules).

Go to the EER rules

These guidelines explain and expand upon the process set out in Rule 9, which you can also view at the bottom of this page.

The stages in an EER report reconsideration

Reconsiderations involve two main stages:

  • an independent review of the statements of confidence based on any process failures or errors fact or judgement
  • an assessment carried out by the Deputy Chief Executive, Quality Assurance on behalf of NZQA of any necessary changes to the EER report based on the review's findings.

The review stage

If a reconsideration request meets the requirements of Rule 9.1, we appoint an independent reviewer. This reviewer will have had no prior involvement in the process of the EER under review.

The reviewer reaches an independent professional view on:

  • whether there were process failures in finalising the EER report
  • errors of fact or judgment made in the final EER report
  • whether there's a need to change any statement of confidence.

The reviewer summarises their findings in a draft reconsideration report. This draft is shared with NZQA and the tertiary education organisation (TEO) for comment.

After considering any comments from us and from the TEO, the reviewer will finalise their report.

The assessment and outcome stage

The Deputy Chief Executive, Quality Assurance considers the finalised reconsideration report.

They decide what further actions need to be taken in order to complete the EER process, including consideration of any changes that may be needed to the EER report and engaging with the TEO on those changes.

Grounds for a reconsideration

Requests for reconsideration must relate to the finalised EER report NZQA sends the TEO.

All requests for reconsideration must be based on one or more of the following:

  • process failures in finalising the report
  • errors of fact in the finalised report
  • errors of judgement in the finalised report.

Process failures

In the context of a reconsideration, a process failure must:

  1. constitute a clear breach of one or more of the EER Rules and/or
  2. constitute a clear breach of natural justice or fairness.

If a process failure is found, but it doesn't necessitate a change to any of the statements of confidence (whether by itself or in conjunction with any errors of fact or judgement), then NZQA will address this as an opportunity for process improvement.

Errors of fact

In the context of a reconsideration, an error of fact must:

  1. be based on reliable evidence which, if it relates to educational performance data, was data made available to the evaluation team at or before the EER report was finalised
  2. have been raised with NZQA during the process leading to the final report
  3. be significant enough to require a change to any statement of confidence (whether by itself or in conjunction with any process failure or errors of judgement).

If an error of fact is confirmed, but is not found to have affected the statements of confidence (whether by itself or in conjunction with any process failure or errors of judgement), then this will be corrected in the finalised EER report, and a copy of the revised report sent to the TEO before publication.

Errors of judgment

In the context of a reconsideration, an error of judgment involves an error of logic or reasoning that can be identified and relates to a statement that:

  1. expresses our evaluation of the quality, value, or significance of the TEO’s educational performance
  2. expresses our evaluation of the TEO's capability in self-assessment.

Where this is the case, the error is either:

  1. significant enough to require a change in any statement of confidence (whether by itself or in conjunction with any process failure or error of fact) or
  2. not sufficiently material to affect the statements of confidence (whether by itself or in conjunction with any process failure or errors of fact). This error will be corrected in the finalised EER report but the statements of confidence will not be changed.

A copy of the revised EER report is then sent to the TEO before publication.

How to request a reconsideration

Requests for reconsideration must be sent directly to the office of the Deputy Chief Executive, Quality Assurance. Requests must:

  • be in writing, on the official letterhead of the TEO, and signed by the TEO's Chief Executive (or equivalent)
  • clearly state the process failures or errors of fact or judgment alleged to have been made in the finalised report
  • be accompanied by sufficient information and evidence to support each allegation, as well as information which shows that the TEO had raised the alleged process failures, or errors of fact or judgment with NZQA prior to receiving the finalised report
  • advise NZQA of the name and contact details of a nominated TEO representative we should liaise with in regards to the reconsideration
  • be received by NZQA no later than 10 working days after the finalised report had been sent to the TEO. Any variations to this timeline must be approved in advance by the Manager Evaluation.

Sending us a request for reconsideration

Requests can be sent by courier or email:

Deputy Chief Executive
Quality Assurance Division
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Level 13
125 The Terrace
Wellington 6140

Email an EER report reconsideration request

We acknowledge receipt of all reconsideration applications within 2 working days.

Fees

The fee for a reconsideration is based on the number of hours involved by all NZQA staff in managing, facilitating and carrying out the reconsideration and its associated processes.

The hourly rate is $190 per hour (excluding GST).

Fee exemptions

If a reconsideration finds that there was a process failure in finalising the report or there were errors of fact or judgement, and this results in a change to the statements of confidence in the finalised report, there is no fee for the reconsideration.

Get more information or give us feedback