Frequently Asked Questions
What does NZUAAU do?
What do you mean by audit?
What are the auditors looking for?
Who does the auditing? Are they independent?
What happens after an audit?
When is my university next being audited?
Where can I read the reports from previous audits?
Who funds the NZUAAU?
Is NZUAAU an accreditation agency?
Who is responsible for quality assurance in other parts of the New Zealand education sector?
I have a complaint or concern about quality in a New Zealand university. Can you help?
Does NZUAAU receive individual submissions for upcoming audits?
What does NZUAAU do to enhance quality in the universities?
NZUAAU supports New Zealand universities in their academic responsibilities in research and teaching. It does so, primarily, by conducting institutional audits on university campuses and by identifying and disseminating information on good practice. NZUAAU convenes an annual meeting on quality enhancement in the sector. It is an active member of international networks concerned with building capability in quality assurance and in enhancing academic quality.
What do you mean by audit?
NZUAAU undertakes audits (or ‘reviews’) of New Zealand universities on a cyclical basis with a focus on the university’s mechanisms for ensuring academic quality. The audit begins with a process of self-review which informs an audit portfolio in which the university evaluates its progress towards achieving its own academic goals and objectives (related to the focus of the audit). The audit panel reviews the portfolio and conducts interviews in a site visit to the university to verify claims made and augment understanding of challenges and achievements. Final audit reports, which are publicly available, commend good practice and make recommendations intended to assist the university in its own programme of continuous improvement.
Guidelines and evaluation questions for each audit are published in the Audit Manual for that cycle. Themes for audit cycles to date have been:
- Cycle 1 1995-1998 – Whole of institution
- Cycle 2 2000-2001 – Research, and a theme chosen by the institution
- Cycle 3 2002-2007 – Teaching and Learning
- Cycle 4 2008-2012 – Whole of institution
What are the auditors looking for?
NZUAAU audit panels focus their attention on areas of particular importance to universities, including mechanisms for:
- Quality assurance and enhancement in the design, monitoring and evaluation of courses and programmes of study for degrees and other qualifications;
- Quality assurance and enhancement in teaching, learning and assessment;
- Quality assurance and enhancement in relation to the appointment and performance of academic and other staff who contribute directly to the teaching and research functions;
- Quality assurance and enhancement in research in the context of its relationship with university teaching;
- Taking account of the views of students, of employers and of other stakeholders in respect of the ongoing quality assurance and enhancement of courses and programmes.
Institutional audits, including audits of NZUAAU itself, are carried out in accordance with the International Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) Guidelines of Good Practice in Quality Assurance.
Who does the auditing? Are they independent?
Academic auditors are appointed to the Register of Auditors by the Board of NZUAAU. There are 28 auditors on the current Register (note: NZUAAU staff and Board members who are auditors may not serve as auditors of a New Zealand university, but may serve on audit panels of other institutions). The Register of Auditors includes senior university academics and people from outside academia (including business, industry and the professions). All auditors are trained by NZUAAU.
Four or five auditors are appointed to each audit panel. Each auditor brings with them different skills and perspectives, but NZUAAU aims to assemble a panel that has the required level of expertise and experience in quality audit and higher education. Panel members cannot be current or recent staff or students of the university being audited, and must declare any conflicts of interest.
What happens after an audit?
Progress on recommendations is submitted to the NZUAAU Board in a follow-up report 12 months later. A report on progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous audit also forms part of the self-review process in the next audit round.
When is my university next being audited?
Cycle 4 (2008-2012) audits have been completed for Massey University, the University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Canterbury, the University of Waikato, Auckland University of Technology, and the University of Otago (report currently being finalised). Lincoln University will be audited in the first half of 2012.
The reports of the latest two audit cycles (3 and 4) are available from the NZUAAU website. For copies of audit reports from earlier cycles (1 and 2), please contact us.
NZUAAU is an unincorporated body funded by New Zealand’s eight universities, through the office of Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara.
Is NZUAAU an accreditation agency?
No. The Committee on University Academic Programmes is the body to which universities must submit any proposals to offer new qualifications or to make substantial changes to existing qualifications.
Who is responsible for quality assurance in other parts of the New Zealand education sector?
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approves all qualifications outside of universities (e.g. schools, institutes of technology and polytechnics, private training establishments, wānanga, and government training establishments).
I have a complaint or concern about quality in a New Zealand university. Can you help?
No. NZUAAU cannot investigate individual complaints. You should follow the complaints processes of the university concerned.
Does NZUAAU receive individual submissions for upcoming audits?
NZUAAU does not normally receive individual submissions. The process and topics for audits are prescribed in the current Audit Manual, including the indicative framework for the self-assessment portfolio and the role of students and staff in site visits. Please talk to the office responsible for academic quality in your university for more details.
What does NZUAAU do to enhance quality in universities?
NZUAAU sees its role as a facilitator. In particular it identifies good practice both nationally and internationally and communicates this to universities. Avenues for communication include newsletters, emails, occasional papers, audit reports, participation in international good practice databases, and the annual Quality Enhancement Meeting.