NZ A
Australian Government
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
NEW ZEALAND 0,,0, CAT0NIALITH077Y
NANA TONU MATA...0ANGA O AOTEA'.OA
QUALIFY FOR THE FUTURE WORLD
KIA NO140 TAKATCI KI TO AMUA AD!
MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION
between the
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
and the
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, Australia
This Memorandum of Cooperation is made between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority,
of Level 13, 125 The Terrace, Wellington 6011, hereafter referred to as NZQA,
and the
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency,' of Level 14, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne
Victoria 3001, hereafter referred to as TEQSA.
Recitals
Whereas:
NZQA is a Crown entity established under section 248 of the Education Act 1989, which
sets out its powers and functions. NZQA ensures that New Zealand qualifications are
valued as credible and robust both nationally and internationally and that the organisations
delivering those qualifications are quality assured.
Under the Education Act 1989, NZQA is accountable for:
•
Managing the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
•
Setting quality assurance statutory rules, relating to organisations and qualifications for
the tertiary education sector
•
Managing the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
•
Independent quality assurance of non-university education providers
•
Administering the secondary school national assessment system
•
Recognising qualifications for other jurisdictions
TEQSA was established under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act
2011 as the independent, national regulatory and quality assurance agency for the higher
education sector in Australia. TEQSA contributes to a high quality higher education sector
I Representing the Commonwealth of Australia
through streamlined and nationally consistent higher education regulatory arrangements;
registration of higher education providers; accreditation of higher education courses, quality
assurance; and dissemination of higher education standards and performance.
NZQA and TEQSA
Having comparable missions and institutional objectives in the assurance of quality in tertiary
education, both parties now wish to establish a closer relationship as equal partners.
Article I
Aims of Memorandum of Cooperation
NZQA and TEQSA agree through this Memorandum of Cooperation to cooperate for the
benefit of both parties and to work towards enhancing regulation and quality assurance in
both jurisdictions and improving the quality of higher education in New Zealand and
Australia. This Memorandum of Cooperation is not however intended to create legally
binding relations between the parties, and neither party has the authority to act on behalf of
or otherwise bind the other party.
Article II
Areas of cooperation and collaboration
NZQA and TEQSA will work together:
a)To exchange information and expertise as appropriate. For disclosures of information
between TEQSA and NZQA, this may include:
•
Providing information about applications to TEQSA/NZQA in relation to TEQSA
and NZQA regulatory activities to assist with decision making on the applications
•
Providing information about contraventions, or possible contraventions, of
legislation or legislative instruments within TEQSA and NZQA responsibilities
•
Providing information about providers registered with TEQSA/NZQA in response
to requests from TEQSA/NZQA
•
Providing other information where doing so would assist TEQSA/NZQA to
perform its functions.
For reports concerning Australian/New Zealand providers, and partners to
Australian/New Zealand providers, this may include:
•
TEQSA/NZQA decisions concerning Australian/New Zealand providers; and to
Australian/New Zealand providers
•
Providing other information where doing so would assist TEQSA/NZQA to
perform its functions.
In either case, this may include:
•
Non-confidential policy documents and operational information where appropriate
and, in particular, where they relate to the provision of higher education by
institutions from New Zealand and Australia in partnership with each other
•
Sharing of information about providers from other countries operating in both
Australia and New Zealand regulated by NZQA as well as TEQSA
•
Information on each agency's annual scheduling of regulatory and quality
assurance activities.
2
b)
Where possible and appropriate, taking account of operational constraints and relevant
data protection legislation, to draw on each other's lists of reviewers, experts and
specialists. This exchange of reviewers and experts will contribute to strengthening the
international dimension of the two agencies' reviews.
c)
To aim to enhance awareness in New Zealand and Australia of each other's approach
to and capabilities in the quality assurance of higher education.
d)
To cooperate in the identification of fraudulent awarding bodies or accrediting agencies
adversely affecting the reputation of higher education in New Zealand and Australia.
e)
To provide developmental opportunities as appropriate for staff of both parties.
f)
To share and discuss information on developments in Higher Education on a regular
basis.
Article III
Duration of Memorandum
The Memorandum of Cooperation will take effect from the date of its signature and shall
continue for three years unless it is terminated by the giving of three months' notice by either
party. It may be extended on mutual agreement of both parties.
Article IV
Alteration of Memorandum
This Memorandum is signed by the parties in a spirit of amicable cooperation. The terms of
the Memorandum may be altered with the consent of both parties.
Article V
Management and liaison arrangements for the Memorandum
The Chief Executive Officer of NZQA (at the time of signing Dr Karen Poutasi) and the Chief
Commissioner of TEQSA (at the time of signing Prof Nicholas Saunders) will have
responsibility for managing the implementation of the terms of the Memorandum and taking
stock of the terms of the Memorandum on a yearly basis.
Day to day liaison on the issues the subject of this Memorandum will occur between Deputy
Chief Executive, Quality Assurance Division of NZQA (at the time of signing Jane von
Dadelszen) and the Director, Provider Assessment and Engagement Team of TEQSA (at the
time of signing Karen Treloar).
These responsibilities may be delegated to relevant members of the agencies' staff in
relation to particular areas of cooperation.
Article VI
Resources
Unless alternative arrangements are specifically agreed to meet particular project
requirements, the two agencies will normally cover their own costs of implementing the terms
3
of the Memorandum. For particular areas of cooperation donor funding may be sought from
other sources.
Article VII
Schedule of projects and activities
Specific details on any projects or other activities that are entered into under the terms of this
Memorandum shall be negotiated and agreed by both parties and will be described in
administrative schedules to be annexed to the Memorandum.
Professor Nicholas Saunders AO
Chief Commissioner
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards
Agency, Australia
Dr Karen Poutasi
Chief Executive
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
.1)1 7
/ 2015
/2015
4