Report of External
Evaluation and Review
Quantum Education Group Limited
Confident in educational performance
Confident in capability in self-assessment
Date of report: 15 August 2014
Contents
Purpose of this Report................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................... 3
1. TEO in context.......................................................................................... 3
2. Scope of external evaluation and review .................................................. 5
3. Conduct of external evaluation and review ............................................... 6
Summary of Results ...................................................................... 7
Findings ........................................................................................ 9
Recommendations ...................................................................... 19
Appendix ..................................................................................... 20
MoE Number:
8441
NZQA Reference:
C14386
Dates of EER:
31 March‒9 April 2014
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Purpose of this Report
The purpose of this external evaluation and review report is to provide a public
statement about the Tertiary Education Organisation’s (TEO) educational
performance and capability in self-assessment. It forms part of the accountability
process required by Government to inform investors, the public, students,
prospective students, communities, employers, and other interested parties. It is
also intended to be used by the TEO itself for quality improvement purposes.
Introduction
1. TEO in context
Name of TEO:
This external evaluation and review (EER) included all
three entities owned by the Quantum Education Group:
Quantum Education Group Limited (Ministry of Education
number 8441), Quantum Education QT (MoE 8740) and
Quantum Education ES (MoE 7425)
Type:
Private training establishments (PTEs)
Location:
Head Office Service Centre, 7A William Pickering Drive,
Albany, Auckland
National Call Centre/Training Centre and Student
Enrolment and Support Centre, Level 1 Durham Street,
Tauranga
Academic Support Centre, 67 Hayton Road, Sockburn,
Christchurch
Delivery sites:
(8441) Quantum Education Group Limited:
Multiple drop-in sites nationally: New Lynn,
Manurewa, Manukau, Whangarei, Hamilton,
Tauranga, Tokoroa, Rotorua, Wanganui, Hastings,
Napier, and Riccarton in Christchurch; and the
international campus in Auckland CBD
(8740) Quantum Education Group QT Limited:
International student site, Levels 10-12, 3 Wakefield
St, Auckland
Culinary Institute of New Zealand, 243 Waipaai
Road, Kerikeri
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(7425) Quantum Education Group ES Limited:
129 Commerce Street, Kaitaia
First registered:
18 August 1997
Courses currently
delivered:
(8441) Quantum Education Group Limited:
•
Diploma of Professional Counselling (Level 6)
•
Certificate in Computing (Level 4)
(7425) Quantum Education Group ES Limited:
•
Certificate in Business Information Systems (Level
3)
(8740) Quantum Education Group QT Limited:
•
Diploma in Hospitality Management (Confederation
of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH)) (Level 5)
•
Diploma in Tourism Management (CTH) (Level 5)
•
Diploma in Hospitality Management (CTH) (Level 6)
•
Diploma in Tourism Management (CTH) (Level 6)
•
Diploma of Professional Counselling (Level 6)
•
New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 6)
•
Certificate in Travel, Tourism Māori and IATA
(International Air Transport Association) Fares and
Ticketing (Level 3)
•
General English/IETS (International English
Language Testing System) Preparation
•
Academic English/IELTS Preparation
Code of Practice
signatory:
Yes; 18 years of age and over
Number of
students:
Domestic: 1,425 students, including those in extension (938
EFTS (equivalent full-time students) in 2014)
•
67 per cent Māori
•
17 per cent Pasifika
•
16 per cent other
International: 6 per cent of the total student population
are international students (majority from India with
Final Report
4
others from the Pacific, Nepal, Thailand, Fiji and Brazil).
Number of staff:
107 full-time equivalents
Scope of active
accreditation:
In addition to the courses listed above, the organisation has
approval for a range of courses in Cookery and Food and
Beverage Services, and a range of further local certificates
in business, computing and tourism. See:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/nqfaccreditations.do?providerId=844120001 (8441)
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/nqfaccreditations.do?providerId=874012001 (8740)
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/nqfaccreditations.do?providerId=742535001 (7425)
Distinctive
characteristics:
The majority of learners on the computing and tourism
courses complete their learning via distance. The
organisation uses a blended approach whereby students
also attend drop-in centres.
Recent significant
changes:
Quantum Education QT limited ceased delivery of aviation
training in 2012.
Previous quality
assurance history:
The previous EER visit conducted in 2010 determined that
NZQA was Confident in Quantum Education Group
Limited’s educational performance and capability in selfassessment (also included Quantum ES and Quantum QT
Limited).
An action plan to meet NZQA national external moderation
requirements for the New Zealand Diploma in Business
was accepted in 2013, and implementation of the plan was
in progress at the time of this EER.
Other:
The organisation is due to merge into one entity if the sale
of the businesses to the Intueri Group goes ahead as
planned in June 2014.
2. Scope of external evaluation and review
The EER focused on reviewing a range of courses at different levels across a
sample of two of the entities. Quantum Education ES was not visited as only a
small number of students are enrolled in courses at the Kaitaia site.
The courses selected were:
•
Diploma of Professional Counselling (Level 6)
•
Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management (Level 5)
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•
Certificate in Computing (Level 4)
•
Certificate in Travel, Tourism and IATA Fares and Ticketing (Level 3)
The EER also included the mandatory focus areas:
•
Governance, management and strategy
•
International students.
3. Conduct of external evaluation and review
All external evaluation and reviews are conducted in accordance with NZQA’s
published policies and procedures. The methodology used is described fully in the
web document Policy and Guidelines for the Conduct of External Evaluation and
Review available at: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/registration-andaccreditation/external-evaluation-and-review/policy-and-guidelines-eer/introduction.
The TEO has an opportunity to comment on the accuracy of this report, and any
submissions received are fully considered by NZQA before finalising the report.
All three entities were evaluated at the same time because the organisation has the
same governance and management team and support services (including student
enrolments, assessment and moderation) across all entities.
The EER team consisted of one lead evaluator and three team evaluators, who
carried out the evaluation at six sites over four days and a large amount of
document submissions were reviewed subsequent to the site visits. The sites
included the head office in Albany, the international student centre in Auckland
CBD, a student support centre in New Lynn, the national call centre/training centre
in Tauranga, the student drop-in centre in Riccarton and the national academic
centre in Sockburn, Christchurch.
The team interviewed the Quantum Education Group board members, members of
the Intueri Group board, the chief executive officer, the national academic manager,
national assessment and moderation staff, and tutors and students from each focus
area. In addition, the lead evaluator held a phone conversation with the
chairperson of Intueri Group. Evidence from the interviews was supported by the
documents reviewed on site and subsequent to the EER visit. The documents
reviewed included internal evaluation reports; organisation business plans;
stakeholder meeting minutes; data on international, Māori, Pasifika and overall
student outcomes; Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) educational performance
indicator data; course monitoring; tutor reporting and monitoring; and internal and
external moderation reports.
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6
Summary of Results
Statement of confidence on educational performance
NZQA is Confident in the educational performance of Quantum Education Group
Limited.
The reasons for this confidence rating can be summarised as follows:
•
Over the past two years, Quantum Education Group has been achieving
above the median against the educational performance indicators developed
by the TEC.
•
Overall qualification achievement percentage rates are high for both Māori
and Pasifika students. However, there is no breakdown of this data to show
how these students are succeeding in comparison with the overall student
population.
•
The organisation is guided by an experienced, long-serving
governance/owner team who provide clear and comprehensive advice on
education and direction. Any changes or planning are communicated to staff
openly, and over the past three years the organisation has focused on
providing staff training and upskilling programme staff. As a result, staff are
confident in their roles and have the ability to carry them out effectively.
•
Centralising of student services for all three entities has been effective in
managing student enrolment. Students receive timely advice and are
directed to the appropriate programme.
•
Distance learning strategies, including one-to-one tutor sessions, regional
workshops and regular fortnightly contact have improved student engagement
and contributed to increased qualification achievement.
•
Quality, student-focused learning support is provided through an increased
number of drop-in centres and online communication throughout the learning.
•
International student support is tailored to individual needs, with additional
time provided for academic support, as well as personalised support from the
centre manager and support staff.
•
Programmes are matched to the students’ needs and needs of the standardsetting bodies, providing practical career pathways for students.
Areas for improvement:
•
Better formal analysis and evaluation about individual programmes is needed
to assure NZQA that there is similar achievement between centres for the
same programmes.
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Statement of confidence on capability in self-assessment
NZQA is Confident in the capability in self-assessment of Quantum Education
Group Limited.
Reasons for the judgement in the TEO’s self-assessment capability include:
•
The board and senior management monitor all centre achievement towards
business objectives, including key performance measures to meet TEC
targets.
•
Systematic, ongoing reporting of tutor and centre educational performance is
used to monitor progress towards organisational goals and to identify where
student achievement needs improvement. This reporting has been used to
strengthen student support at specific centres; for example, the Manurewa
site has introduced a student support person to help with attendance. It is not
known whether this successful strategy will be adopted across other centres.
•
Organisation-wide internal evaluation and reviews were set up in 2011 to
check that tutors, and all other staff including management, have the
capability to carry out their roles, and to identify any training needs.
•
The implementation of an internal evaluation and review system has
contributed to the ongoing review of staff performance and areas for
development.
Areas for improvement:
•
Detailed analysis of student outcomes on the same courses across centres
would help to identify trends in achievement and whether there are any
differences that could indicate areas for improvement.
•
Further analysis is required of Māori and Pasifika achievement, as well as
international students in relation to overall outcomes, would help to identify
trends, differences or areas where further support is needed.
•
Better understanding of destinational outcomes is in progress. Again, using
the data to provide useful analysis of the destinations of particular groups of
students, including international students, following the completion of
courses, and identification of any trends, could help identify areas for
improvement to programmes and teaching.
•
While most of the external moderation reports ‒ as well as internal
moderation outcomes ‒ are meeting requirements as a result of a focus on
improvement, the organisation does not include internal moderation of local
components for the level 6 professional counselling programme to confirm
that assessments are consistent and valid.
•
Quantum Education Group has still to generate a benefit from stakeholder
advisory groups in programme development to ensure that programme
content reflects employer needs in training across the board.
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Findings1
1.1 How well do learners achieve?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
Over the past two years, Quantum Education Group has been achieving above the
median against the educational performance indicators developed by the TEC.
Table 1. Achievement against Tertiary Education Commission indicators, 2011-2013
Course
completion (%)
Qualifications
achieved (%)
Higher study (%)
Retention (%)
Entity
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013
TEC
median
86
85
Not
avail
80
82
Not
avail
23
23
Not
avail
75
77
Not
avail
8441
82
89
95
82
95
102
27
12
Not
avail
65
65
78
8740
92
93
97
86
100
118
23
17
Not
avail
70
78
74
7425
89
95
94
71
100
97
33
27
Not
avail
63
71
61
The organisation conducted a review of outcomes across all of its sites as a result
of lower performance in 2011. This led to the identification of several areas where
it could improve, specifically around learner entry, enrolment and support. In
response, more drop-in sites and home visits were arranged ‒ enabling blended
delivery options ‒ and the entry and enrolment services were centralised for
consistency. The organisation’s monitoring of course completion shows a 30 per
cent decrease in withdrawals since these actions were taken, leading to improved
outcomes against the performance measures set by the TEC. Already for 2014,
course completions are around 80-90 per cent, which indicates that people are
completing their courses and able to gain a qualification.
The 2013 results for Māori and Pasifika students are strong, with 96 and 97 per
cent course completion respectively in 2013, and 107 per cent qualification
achievement for both, according to the TEC educational performance indicators.
Quantum Education Group achieves very strong Māori and Pasifika participation
and achievement. Ongoing intake opportunities contribute to the sustainability of
1
The findings in this report are derived using a standard process and are based on a targeted
sample of the organisation’s activities.
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this success. Although the participation of Māori and Pasifika students over 2013
was 80 per cent, a report presented by Quantum suggested that this had dropped
to only 55 per cent at the time of the 2014 EER visit. Quantum Education Group
was subsequently able to identify that this was due to a mistake in data reporting,
and that the participation had risen to 84 per cent (66 per cent Māori and 18 per
cent Pasifika). Quantum Education Group would benefit from a more detailed
understanding of Māori and Pasifika participation and achievement trends that
contribute to current high levels of success, and the sustainability of that success at
higher levels of study.
In addition, there was no separate analysis of international student qualification
achievement data. The international student data provided following the EER visit
was not comprehensive or sufficiently coherent to show how well these students
performed in relation to domestic students or to identify where improvements could
be made. Better recording and analysis of this data would help to improve
understanding of international students’ educational achievement, especially in
comparison to domestic students. This is of particular importance as the students
interviewed had aspirations to work in New Zealand and become New Zealand
residents.
All individual course outcomes are monitored throughout the year to identify
whether student completion rates will meet TEC targets. This is sufficient to
identify where students may have difficulty in achieving, as evidenced by the
response to non-completion in computing courses. The course completion rate has
consistently been around 80-90 per cent, with near 100 per cent qualification
achievement. This rate of achievement is similar for the travel and tourism
students.
The professional counselling programme has a high completion rate (88 per cent in
2013), but it is difficult to determine whether the 74 per cent qualification
achievement is notable or valid without further evidence of internal and external
moderation of the outcomes (which are not unit standards-based and make up the
majority of the programme outcomes). Nor is there evidence to demonstrate that
students are doing well by referencing results to similar courses externally. An
analysis of reasons for the lower completion figures for this course in relation to the
other courses was also not available. The organisation could better use the data to
understand how well international students are achieving on this course, rather
than just using it for monitoring completion.
Overall, the organisation is monitoring progress against targets set by the TEC for
each entity, across courses and for each site. This helps to identify where a site
may have issues with achieving these targets. However, there is insufficient
analysis to show whether the sites delivering the same course are achieving similar
results, or whether there are specific student groups that are not performing as well
as other groups. The amount of data recorded would enable useful internal
benchmarking analyses to use in conjunction with current weekly centre outcome
reports.
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1.2 What is the value of the outcomes for key stakeholders, including
learners?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
Quantum Education Group enrols students who are mostly over 25 years of age.
Many who have not previously gained a qualification, or they are looking for tertiary
qualifications to assist them into further study and/or employment. The TEC
educational performance indicators show that around one-third of students go on to
further study, of whom three-quarters enrol in courses within the organisation. This
is the general desire of students enrolled in the lower-level computing and tourism
and travel courses. There is no formal analysis of employment outcomes matched
with career intentions to demonstrate the value of the qualifications to the students.
This analysis could be carried out using student entry profiles against destinational
data collected to show which courses are of value to graduates seeking
employment.
The Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management students interviewed by the
EER team had clear intentions to work in the sector or to enrol in higher study.
Although there was anecdotal evidence to support that students did this, as well as
supporting data the organisation has begun collecting over the past year, there was
a lack of analysis to determine whether goals were being met.
Around 60 per cent of students enrol based on word-of-mouth recommendations
from family and friends, indicating the popularity of courses. The potential
purchase by Intueri Group is an opportunity for the organisation to offer students
education at a higher level, or offer them different career pathways with other
training partners within the group.
The EER team heard from students and tutors about the value of specific courses,
such as the professional counselling programme. Students increased their
communication skills and experienced personal growth, which helped to improve
their personal relationships and practicum experience. On completion of the
course, graduates can become a member of the New Zealand Association of
Counsellors (NZAC). The lack of formal analysis of student outcomes ‒ such as
the number who gained employment ‒ meant that the value of the training for
employment outcomes was not known.
Anecdotal information about the remaining courses that were a focus at this
evaluation confirmed that students were enrolling in other courses with the
organisation and finding employment. Overall, graduate and employer surveys,
along with better analysis of destinational data, would help to demonstrate the
value of the qualifications to students and employers, or help identify any issues
with the training. In addition, there is a lack of evidence of comparative analysis of
Final Report
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outcomes by course, sites and different ethnic groups to demonstrate the value of
qualifications for different groups for achieving their goals.
1.3 How well do programmes and activities match the needs of
learners and other stakeholders?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
The computing and travel and tourism courses offered across the majority of the
sites use a blended learning approach with self-paced learning workbooks and
tutor-led workshops at drop-in centres nationally. This suits the students’ life
situations where many have family and work commitments to manage alongside
their studies and are located outside of main centres. The workshops also provide
opportunities for individual and peer support. Most sites provide night classes to
enable students to attend for extra study after work. The national provision of
replicated workshops has contributed to the higher attendance and lower drop-out
rate of students because they are able to pick up the course if they move
towns/cities.
The tutors regularly review the content and activities for courses at each site to
ensure they meet students’ learning styles and to update any activities. The overall
course reviews are conducted by the academic team and tutors annually using
tutor reports, internal moderation reports and student course evaluations to check
that the courses are current and align to the job market. The course workbooks are
mainly developed by external developers contracted by Quantum Education Group,
and the developers complete any required amendments as a result of academic
reviews.
Student course evaluations and feedback to the EER team was positive about the
quality of the learning activities and confirmed that they assist learning. The
organisation has recently updated all of its computers across all sites as a result of
feedback from centre reports.
The professional counselling programme uses the resources and texts developed
by the previous owners of the programme, which was bought by (8740) Quantum
Education Group QT in 2006. The programme uses workbooks and online
resources to cover the basic therapies used in counselling. Students then attend
the required number of seminars and complete sufficient theory workbooks to
complete the qualification. Feedback on the seminars is mostly positive, as they
are seen as a critical component of the course to enhance learning and provide
value through practical activities and the opportunity for peer review and feedback
from tutors. The seminars also contribute to the face-to-face counselling practice
hours required for professional membership of NZAC.
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Reviews of this course are carried out through tutors’ engagement with
stakeholders and practicum supervisors, and through student course evaluations.
Recently, Quantum QT altered the practicum hours to meet NZAC requirements for
200 practice hours. Quantum Education Group needs to ensure that there is
sufficient moderation to ensure that assessment activities were clear and
understandable for all components of the programme. In addition, students at the
international site were unclear about how they could access the counselling
network to find practicum placements to complete their qualification.
International students enrol in the tourism and hospitality courses because they
wish to gain New Zealand qualifications relevant for employment or to enrol in
higher-education programmes. The hospitality and tourism tutors use their
professional networks to help students find work placements and assist
international students to prepare curriculum vitae to find employment in New
Zealand and overseas. There is some anecdotal evidence that students are
employed by large hotel chains, but further analysis would help to identify whether
the course is matching hospitality employer needs for international workers, or
whether students are entering into further training here or overseas.
The organisation has to revise the Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management
course assessments because the course owner, the UK-based Confederation of
Tourism and Hospitality, has changed the assessment requirements to projectbased rather than examinations. This has caused some confusion for current
students as to course requirements. The organisation has responded by providing
more tutorial sessions and is looking to align work placements with the level 6
(diploma) curriculum to help with understanding. Currently, all international
students can complete low-level hospitality training to help find part -time work
while studying.
The organisation would benefit from more formal feedback from graduates and
employers of graduates to understand whether the programmes are meeting their
most important needs. The external advisory groups mainly consist of tutors, with
little opportunity for graduates and employers not involved in the delivery to provide
feedback.
1.4 How effective is the teaching?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
Many of the systems put in place following the organisation’s review of student
achievement have helped to improve attendance, and course completion rates
have subsequently risen. Changes include modifying the activities used for
distance learning courses to suit the students’ learning styles better, which has
helped to create a more conducive learning environment. For example, the
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development of more drop-in centres for face-to-face learning support ‒ and
organising workshops for people completing similar workbooks to access one-toone tuition and peer support ‒ are engaging the learners, as evident from the
organisation’s own review and student course evaluations.
Quantum Education Group employs tutors with an industry background, and many
continue to work part-time alongside their tutoring roles. This helps to develop
teaching activities using current industry scenarios as learning examples.
Tutors across the organisation’s three entities receive professional development
training in adult education and adult literacy education. This has been a focus for
the governance team over previous years, and all tutors currently hold these
qualifications, with the exception of new tutors who are still completing the training
towards the qualifications. This was identified as a need to ensure that students
were receiving appropriate teaching in accordance with their learning needs. In
addition, the tutors meet together on a regular basis at each site and across the
whole of the organisation annually to review their teaching effectiveness. These
strategies contribute to the consistent approach and development of shared
teaching resources.
All assessments are sent to markers with specific sector knowledge, based in
Christchurch. This system was introduced following the organisation’s review of
moderation systems three years ago and was made to enhance consistency and
ensure assessments were at the national level in response to NZQA’s adverse
national external moderation report. In some cases, the students felt disconnected
because they did not have the same relationship with the marker as with the tutor.
However, tutors said the new system enabled more objective marking practices,
and they could still provide personalised feedback to the students about their
assessments to identify areas for improvement. The new arrangement also
facilitates better moderation because moderators can comprehensively cover the
unit standards over the duration of the moderation plan to ensure assessments
materials and marking judgements are accurate.
The professional counselling tutors are required to operate within the ethical
guidelines of the counselling profession, and the teaching environment reflects
these guidelines. The sector’s industry training organisation (Careerforce) has not
requested the three unit standards involved in the programme for moderation since
its merger with Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi (the industry training organisation previously
responsible for social services training). These have been internally moderated
with good results by the academic team moderators. However, this does not
provide a robust validation of the course outcomes as there was no evidence that
the local components, which comprise a significant majority of the course, had
been moderated. However, the organisation has developed a moderation plan that
includes a comprehensive internal moderation of the local components of the
programme.
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International students are able to attend additional English language classes to
help them with their studies, and there is good one-to-one support available from
their tutor for academic writing as well as employment skills.
The academic team and management monitors tutor performance weekly using
individual student progress reports and overall centre results. Tutors also meet
with a centre manager each Friday to review student achievement. This helps to
identify any gaps and ensure that students are making progress. Tutor
performance is monitored using the centre outcome reports, and annual 360degree feedback is conducted to help identify areas for development or to confirm
good performance.
1.5 How well are learners guided and supported?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Excellent.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
The centralisation of student enrolment processes is working well to encourage and
support student achievement. Staff members at the enrolment centre in Tauranga
check each application to ensure that the relevant information is received, including
IELTS levels. A course advisor previews each application to determine whether the
course is suitable for the students or whether they should be referred to a precourse taster if required. The students then receive their course materials and are
contacted by their tutor within two weeks of the course start date to introduce
themselves and answer any queries the students may have about the course.
Regular contact via email, social media, telephone and face to face creates an
ongoing relationship where the students feel comfortable to contact the tutor if they
require assistance. Tutors maintain a contact log to monitor students’ activity and
will contact them if it appears they are falling behind with assignments. Home visits
are also part of the strategy, where students with low attendance are identified
through the weekly reports and contact log, and the tutor will arrange one-to-one
support. These processes are helping with the students’ engagement, as
demonstrated by the increased participation and completion of courses, and lower
withdrawal rates (from 40 per cent to 10-20 per cent) in the past few years,
noticeably in Manurewa.
The tutors provide a safe learning environment for the professional counselling
seminars, where students are required to sign a confidentiality agreement because
of the nature and content of the peer and tutor sessions. Tutors are trained in
handling the sensitive topics that are covered during the seminar, and regularly
keep in contact to provide appropriate levels of support.
International student support is managed at the central city site in Auckland, and
staff members on site help students with advice about course requirements and
living in New Zealand. International students are required by their visa conditions
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15
to maintain a high attendance rate, and this requirement is closely monitored by the
centre manager. Homestays are arranged for these students, but many choose to
live independently. International students are provided with access to English
language classes or are referred to external courses if they need help with learning
and maintaining compliance with student visa requirements.
The organisation has implemented numeracy testing as part of the initial enrolment
process, but there is insufficient data to conduct an analysis to see whether there
are significant gains in numeracy as a result of the teaching, or whether the literacy
testing might be a useful tool to identify any gaps. The organisation could also
work to identify organisation-wide approaches to providing culturally appropriate
support systems for the high number of Māori and Pasifika students.
1.6 How effective are governance and management in supporting
educational achievement?
The rating for performance in relation to this key evaluation question is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this key evaluation question is
Good.
The organisation’s board provides clear guidance to the management team and
regularly monitors progress towards educational and business goals. The ability of
the organisation to implement changes successfully demonstrates how well the
board and senior management team communicate changes to staff. There is
evidence that staff members are consulted about changes, as shown by the
successful implementation of the centralisation of services as a result of the
organisation-wide review, and with the potential purchase of the organisation by
Intueri Group. The organisation also provides staff with training to upskill them to
adapt to new systems or business requirements.
The organisation has established a system of ongoing internal evaluation and
review, which it uses to identify how well tutors and all other staff, including
management, are performing against the NZQA key evaluation questions. This has
identified areas for staff professional development, which is one of the mechanisms
for improving student engagement and review of the business plan to check that
strategies are working.
The organisation complies with the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of
International Students, and recent reviews have led to the employment of an
additional staff member in the support role to assist with the orientation and
ongoing care of students. Agent services are reviewed to ensure they are
providing correct advice to students coming to New Zealand. Further follow-up of
student destinational outcomes would help the organisation to understand whether
students are achieving their educational and career goals.
The business strategy lacks a specific Māori strategy. It would be prudent to
develop such a strategy considering that 67 per cent of the current student roll is
Final Report
16
Māori, which is above the 2014 enrolment target of 65 per cent Māori. The
organisation has also not analysed Māori educational and destinational outcomes
in comparison with other students on similar courses to ensure that the
programmes and support match their needs for qualifications and employment. A
Māori advisory committee has been set up to provide advice, which could help with
establishing relevant indicators and goals for this student demographic.
Ongoing review of performance against the TEC measures ‒ using weekly tutor
reports and centre reports ‒ is used to identify any gaps. This is enabled by the
student support system and centralisation of student records. The management
team reviews centre course results to identify where additional support is needed,
which has led to improved completions at sites. However, this information could be
better analysed by using qualification outcomes for similar courses across centres
for internal benchmarking and comparison over time.
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Focus Areas
This section reports significant findings in each focus area, not already covered in
Part 1.
2.1 Focus area: Governance, management and strategy
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Good.
2.2 Focus area: International students
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Adequate.
2.3 Focus area: Diploma of Professional Counselling (Level 6)
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Good.
2.4 Focus area: Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management
(Level 5)
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Adequate.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Adequate.
2.5 Focus area: Certificate in Computing (Level 4)
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Good.
2.6 Focus area: Certificate in Travel, Tourism and IATA Fares and
Ticketing (Level 3)
The rating in this focus area for educational performance is Good.
The rating for capability in self-assessment for this focus area is Good.
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Recommendations
NZQA recommends that Quantum Education Group:
•
Collect and review course outcomes across sites to enable better
comparative analysis.
•
Enhance systems to review domestic and international data across
campuses, courses and differing levels for educational and destinational
analysis.
•
Incorporate analysis of activities identified in internal evaluation review to
show whether they have been effective in improving outcomes for students.
•
Review the composition of the external advisory groups to include input
from graduates and employers.
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Appendix
Regulatory basis for external evaluation and review
External evaluation and review is conducted according to the External Evaluation
and Review (EER) Rules 2013, which are made by NZQA under section 253 of the
Education Act 1989 and approved by the NZQA Board and the Minister for Tertiary
Education, Skills and Employment.
Self-assessment and participation in external evaluation and review are
requirements for maintaining accreditation to provide an approved programme for
all TEOs other than universities. The requirements are set through the NZQF
Programme Approval and Accreditation Rules 2013, which are also made by NZQA
under section 253 of the Education Act 1989 and approved by the NZQA Board and
the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.
In addition, the Private Training Establishment Registration Rules 2013 require
registered private training establishments to undertake self-assessment and
participate in external evaluation and review, in accordance with the External
Evaluation and Review Rules (EER) 2013, as a condition of maintaining
registration. The Private Training Establishment Registration Rules 2013 are also
made by NZQA under section 253 of the Education Act 1989 and approved by the
NZQA Board and the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.
NZQA is responsible for ensuring non-university TEOs continue to comply with the
rules after the initial granting of approval and accreditation of programmes and/or
registration. The New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC) has
statutory responsibility for compliance by universities.
This report reflects the findings and conclusions of the external evaluation and
review process, conducted according to the External Evaluation and Review (EER)
Rules 2013.
The report identifies strengths and areas for improvement in terms of the
organisation’s educational performance and capability in self-assessment.
External evaluation and review reports are one contributing piece of information in
determining future funding decisions where the organisation is a funded TEO
subject to an investment plan agreed with the Tertiary Education Commission.
External evaluation and review reports are public information and are available
from the NZQA website (www.nzqa.govt.nz).
The External Evaluation and Review (EER) Rules 2013 are available at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/About-us/Our-role/Rules/EER-Rules.pdf, while
information about the conduct and methodology for external evaluation and review
can be found at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/external-evaluation-andreview/policy-and-guidelines-eer/introduction/.
NZQA
Ph 0800 697 296
E qaadmin@nzqa.govt.nz
www.nzqa.govt.nz
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