Home Teaching and Research Te Korowai Kahurangi – Academic Quality Programme Development, Improvement and Management Delivery Site Accreditation

Delivery Site Accreditation

Definition

An additional delivery site is a site, which is within New Zealand but is not a part of Unitec’s Mount Albert or Waitakere Campus, and is a site at which students will be taught in a course or courses that are a part of a Unitec programme.

Additional sites may or may not be a part of another teaching institution.

Purpose

The purpose of additional site accreditation is to ensure that Unitec courses, programmes and qualifications meet appropriate standards in terms of their design and delivery, and are equivalent no matter where they are delivered or assessed.

Types of delivery sites

Permanent delivery site

By the end of January each year, Category 1 and 2 TEOs who plan to deliver at a new permanent delivery site will be required to submit a Permanent delivery site approval form to NZQA (Client Services) relating to the forthcoming 12 months.

If, during that year, a new unforeseen permanent delivery site is required, Category 1 and 2 TEOs must submit a separate Permanent Delivery Site Approval Form to NZQA for each such delivery site before delivery can commence.

When the Permanent delivery site approval form has been quality assured and approved by NZQA, then any such new site will be added to the TEO’s record as a permanent delivery site.

If you are a category 1 or 2 TEO intending to deliver a degree (levels 7-10) at a new delivery site, please submit a Type 2 change application to NZQA for that degree programme.

Temporary delivery site

Category 1 or 2 TEOs are required to notify NZQA via email to Client Services in advance if they propose to commence delivery at a temporary site. Planned repeated use of a temporary delivery site by Category 1 or 2 TEOs should be incorporated into the Permanent delivery site approval form as a permanent delivery site.

The notification to NZQA to use a temporary site must confirm to NZQA the:

  • location of the new temporary delivery site it intends to use, and
  • programme(s) or training scheme(s) to be delivered at the temporary delivery site, including the anticipated number of students per programme, and
  • suitability of each temporary site and how it meets all legal, and health and safety requirements, and
  • anticipated start and end dates of use, and
  • confirmation that all other NZQA requirements have been met.

Category 1 or 2 TEOs must have systems in place to ensure temporary sites are suitable as teaching venues and that all legal and health and safety requirements are met.

Requirements

Tertiary education organisations (TEOs) must ensure that all delivery sites (including all off-site learning) remain safe and adequate for the programme of study or training provided, its staff, the number of students enrolled, and for meeting students’ specific needs. TEOs are obliged to operate a safe and legally compliant environment, which includes the equipment it uses.

Process

The NZQA quality assurance process for the approval of permanent and temporary delivery sites applies as follows:

  • Unitec courses, programmes or qualifications may not be delivered or awarded at any Additional Delivery Site without the prior approval of NZQA.
  • Any proposal for approval of an Additional Delivery Site must demonstrate the adequacy of resources to ensure the quality of delivery at the proposed site, and normally needs to address NZQA’s published criteria for accreditation.
  • Proposals for Additional Delivery Sites for degree programmes and proposals for offshore programme delivery require separate, site specific NZQA accreditation.
  • Where using a partner organisation, Unitec remains responsible for the actions and performance of that partner organisation in relation to the programme delivery.
  • Approval to deliver at additional sites, within or outside New Zealand, other than approved Unitec campuses, must be granted by NZQA and the quality assurance authority of the other country or region (if applicable), prior to commencement.

Changes to, or adding new, delivery sites

Any change to a delivery site can affect the quality of teaching and learning and the resources available to learners. Changes may also affect the content that is taught, or how learning is structured.

Permanent delivery sites

For each new permanent delivery site which they intend to use, a TEO must submit an application to gain NZQA approval for each before delivery can commence. The application must include a completed Site Attestation form which attests that all applicable legal and regulatory requirements have been met. If required, NZQA may request further information and, in some instances, a site visit may be required.

Temporary delivery sites

TEOs must notify NZQA (Client Services) in advance by email if they propose to use a temporary delivery site and must confirm to NZQA the:

  • location of the new temporary delivery site it intends to use, and
  • programme(s) or training scheme(s) to be delivered at the temporary delivery site, including the anticipated number of students per programme, and
  • suitability of each temporary site and how it meets all legal, and health and safety requirements, and
  • anticipated start and end dates of use, and
  • confirmation that all other NZQA requirements have been met.

TEOs must have systems in place to ensure temporary sites are suitable as teaching venues and that all legal and health and safety requirements are met.

Planned repeated use of a temporary delivery site will require compliance with the process set out above for permanent delivery site approval.

Specific arrangements for Degree’s

Degree accreditation is specific to the approved delivery site. Institutions must have site approval before using any different sites. Institutions must at least notify NZQA of any changes to where a programme is delivered, including new sites. All changes need to be approved by NZQA.

Useful Resources

Process

 

Templates/Forms

NZQA Permanent delivery site approval form

Site Attestation form

Relevant Policies and Procedure

AC 1.0 Academic Development and Approval Policy

AC 1.1 Qualification and Programme Development and Approval Procedure

AC 1.3 Short Course, Training Scheme, and Vocational Pathway Procedure

AC 1.4 Change and Improvement Procedure

AC 1.5 Approval of Delivery Sites Procedure

AC 1.6 Collaborative Arrangements Procedure

NZQA Guidance

Approval of delivery sites for Level 1–6 Programmes and Level 7 Diplomas

Guidelines for approving and maintaining degrees and related qualifications

 

For assistance with any of the items on this page contact your Te Korowai Kahurangi Administrator or email us at tkk@unitec.ac.nz.