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Academic Review

Regular evaluation and review of academic provision ensures that programmes and the qualifications to which they lead remain relevant and current and continue to meet stakeholders’ needs. This approach is designed to demonstrate that our academic provision continues to meet all relevant approval criteria and promotes academic excellence and an on-going commitment to quality improvement based on evaluative practice.

Evaluation and review of our academic provision recognises that our stakeholders are critical to the success of our graduates and our programmes. A key aim is to identify important and significant opportunities for improvement/development to ensure programmes best meet the needs of ākonga, employers, industry, professional bodies, and the communities we serve.

Evaluation and review will be conducted using evidence-based methodology and will conform to relevant Unitec policies and procedures, and guidelines.

A schedule of academic reviews is confirmed annually by Te Komiti Mātauranga | Academic Committee. This schedule is available on PowerBI under Institutional Reports > Academic Quality Oversight

Each Head of School (HoS) is responsible for ensuring that Academic Review is undertaken according to the agreed schedule.

Who contributes

Stakeholders contribute to ensure that our programmes are relevant, current and fit for purpose

  • Students
  • Graduates
  • Teachers
  • Researchers
  • Professional staff

What it involves

The scale and scope of each review will be determined according to the requirement of the type of offering. For example:

  • For programmes leading to a New Zealand qualification (level 1 – 7) the review process typically follows the approval and publication of a new version of the qualification on the NZQCF. This type of review is designed to determine the extent to which the programme will meet the requirements of the updated qualification version and that its design and delivery remain relevant to stakeholders.
  • For programmes level 7 – 10 both the qualification and the programme that leads to it is reviewed on a cycle that typically occurs every four to five years. The focus of this review is to ensure that both the qualification and the programme continue to remain current and the design and delivery remain relevant to stakeholders.
  • For Micro-credentials there are two review processes. The first is an annual review that seeks continued accreditation, and which presents evidence of continued need for the credential. The second is the ‘regular’ review that seeks to determine that the credential design and delivery remain relevant to stakeholders.
  • For short courses and other related academic products a ‘regular’ review that seeks to determine that the credential design and delivery remain relevant to stakeholders is required.

For more information take a look at the Academic Review Guidelines

Once the Academic Review is complete, a report is created that is then  approved at PAQC and SMART actions will be created and tracked through PAQC. The Review will be filed in the e-academic library.

Last updated: 13 August 2025

Resources

AC 7.2.1 Academic Review Guidelines

Process

Academic Review Flowcharts

Templates/Forms

Academic Review Report Template

SMART Goals Action Plan

Relevant Policies and Procedure

AC 7.2 Review of Academic Provision Procedure

AC 7.2.1 Academic Review Guidelines