POLICY No PCD01 Programme/Qualification development, modification and sharing Key evaluation questions Programme Qualification development, modification and sharing.docx How well do programmes and activities match the needs of learners and other stakeholders? How effective are governance and management in supporting educational achievement? Key Stakeholders involved in consultation: Strategic Leadership Group, Programme Approval Committee, Te Poutama: Quality, Teaching and Learning, Student Administration Unit 1. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the development, sharing, and redevelopment of programmes of study and, where relevant, qualifications. This is to ensure that programmes of study and qualifications: Are academically sound, financially viable and fit for purpose. Are aligned to BoPP s strategic direction and to the needs of the region and learners. Meet NZQA approval and accreditation criteria. Give effect to the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership. 2. SCOPE This policy applies to approval of all programmes of study and qualifications owned by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, across all levels, credit values, funding types and delivery sites, and offered by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (BoPP). 3. POLICY PRINCIPLES Quality commitment 3.1 BoPP is committed to delivering well designed and vocationally relevant programmes that offer our students valued outcomes including pathways into the workforce and/or further education and capability to contribute to their wider communities. 3.2 BoPP is committed to ensuring the polytechnic has the confidence of its regulating agencies through the excellence of its programme approval and accreditation documentation and quality assurance of its delivery. Programme development 3.3 Qualifications, programmes and/or Training Schemes developed by BoPP will meet the: BoPP Academic Statute, NZQF requirements for graduate outcomes, programme structure, credits and level 1
NZQA requirements for programme structure, learning outcomes, assessment, moderation and stakeholder support TEC/MoE requirements for funding (where appropriate) BoPP assessment of academic soundness, coherency, relevance, and transparency 3.4 Programme/Qualification documentation will use BoPP approved templates and will identify: Programme philosophy, delivery style, site and mode, and assessment approach Programme structure Rules and regulations for admission, enrolment, assessment, progression and graduation Moderation and/or monitoring to maintain academic standards Employment, vocational training and secondary school alignment pathways How the qualification/programme staircases into other qualifications Articulation, cross credit and/or credit recognition arrangements The fit with commitments to Te Waka Hourua, sustainability, globalisation and BoPP Graduate Attributes. 3.5 In developing new programmes/qualifications, developers are encouraged to benchmark the development against similar programme/qualification offerings in New Zealand and overseas as a mechanism for ensuring comparable delivery as well as identifying points of difference of BoPP offerings. 3.6 All new developments and major redevelopments must be accompanied by a completed Business Case specifying likely revenue and costs for development and delivery over a 3-year period. Stakeholder Consultation 3.7 All qualifications and programmes will be developed with input from relevant stakeholders including teaching teams, local industry, iwi and communities. Evidence of, and input from, consultation and the impact this has had on the development will be summarised in the approval documents. 3.8 Training Scheme applications may be supported by relevant feedback from stakeholders. Where the Training Scheme is not associated with an approved BoPP programme, such consultation and evidence of support is a requirement for approval. Sharing programmes with other organisations 3.9 Where BoPP enters into arrangements to collaboratively develop programmes and/or qualifications or to share already approved programmes, the arrangement will be covered by an MoA/MoU as appropriate. The agreement will specify the lead provider that will take responsibility for external approval of the programme/qualification. 3.10 Conditions covering the sharing and use of intellectual property will be specified in the MoA/MoU and must be approved by BoPP Academic Board or delegated authority and signed by the CEO or approved delegate. 2
Programme approval 3.11 All qualifications and programmes of study must be internally approved for financial viability and resourcing by Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) and for academic quality by either Academic Board or its delegated authority. 3.12 Where a programme/qualification or components of the programme are intended for delivery off-shore, the relevant NZQA requirements must be met. 3.13 Where a student requests a programme of study towards a Certificate of Proficiency or Certificate of Personal Interest, these will meet the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) requirements, be documented on the approved form, and approved by the Academic Director. 3.14 All programmes of study must be delivered at sites approved by NZQA and, where relevant, TEC. Site approval is specific for a programme and new sites must be approved by the Academic Board or delegated authority. The Delivery Site Approval template is to be used to assess the quality of the delivery site. Modification to existing programmes 3.15 Changes to approved programmes require formal approval. The type of approval required will depend on the nature of the change to the programme. Major revisions to qualifications and/or programmes that change level, credit value or structure of the qualification or programme will require approval by Programme Approval Committee and NZQA. Minor revisions that do not alter size, level or structure will be approved by Programme Approval Committee (PAC) with notification of the approved change sent to NZQA. 3.16 Changes to the assessment structure of a course within an approved programme that does not impact on learning outcomes, level or credits may be approved by the relevant Programme Cluster Committee (PCC). Once approved the changes must be ratified by PAC. 3.17 Where approved changes impact on current students, they must be advised of the change in writing in a timely manner. Programme resting or discontinuation 3.18 Approval to rest or discontinue a programme of study/qualification must be approved through the Strategic Leadership Group, and Academic Board and be communicated to internal and external stakeholders including industry. Programmes to be discontinued will be notified to NZQA. Programme Records 3.19 Te Poutama will maintain the official Curriculum Directory for each qualification/programme offered by BoPP, including records of all approved changes, in accordance with the Public Records Act. This will contain the approved: 3
Programme Specification and Rules document Capability documents (where relevant) Course descriptors External approvals Self-Evaluations, moderation and monitoring reports Information for Marketing, and Any other documents associated with the programme including contracts for delivery, MoAs/MoUs, site accreditations etc. 3.20 SAU will be responsible for ensuring that set-up of programme data within the student management system adheres to agreed Single Data Return standards, funding and coding conventions. Marketing 3.21 A programme/qualification that has been approved internally but is awaiting approval and accreditation by NZQA may be marketed as approval pending. 3.22 All programme approval documents must include approved marketing materials to assist in the information available to prospective students. Such information must meet any requirements of external organisations such as NZQA, TEC, professional bodies and/or NZ Careers Service. LINKS TO OTHER DOCUMENTS Legislation/Rules Education Act 1989 section 249 Public Records Act, 2005 Tertiary Education Commission, Single Data Return NZQA Guidelines for applying for approval of programmes leading to New Zealand Qualifications at Levels 1-6 on the NZQF and the accreditation of organisations to provide approved programmes NZQA Criteria for the Approval and Accreditation of Degrees and Related Qualifications NZQA Training Scheme Rules NZQA Consent to assess against standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards Rules 2011 NZQA DAS listing and operational rules 2011 Related policies G06 Establishing and Maintaining Relationships with Iwi and Māori Communities RES02 Ownership, management and use of intellectual property A07 Industry, Employer and Professional groups liaison Academic Governance Terms of Reference 4
Processes and procedures PCD01.1 Business Case process PCD01.2 Programme development and approval process PCD01.3 Programme changes process PCD01.4 Delivery site approval PCD01.5 Training scheme approval process PCD01.6 Training Scheme exemptions NZQA chart Guidelines NZQA Guidelines for the approval of programmes leading to NZ Qualifications at levels 1 6 on the NZQF and the accreditation of organisations to provide approved programmes NZQA Degrees and Related Qualifications: Guidelines for Programme Approval and Accreditation to Provide Programmes NZQA Guidelines to the Training Scheme Rules 2012 NZQA changes to programme approvals NZQA Ensuring consistency of qualification outcomes,- a discussion paper January 2011 (NZQA website) G-ACAD-001 Programme design and development principles for qualifications listed on the NZQF Programme Development Strategy V1.0 paper arising from the joint workshop between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology staff. Forms F-ACAD-041b Approval of programme curriculum template F-ACAD-048 Approval for post TRoQ programme development F-ACAD-0478a Business Case Approval for new programme development F-ACAD-052 Certificate of Proficiency Approval Request F-ACAD-037 Delivery site approval application F-ACAD-005 Training scheme approval form F-ACAD-081 Programme change request School Capability document DEFINITIONS Accreditation Consent to Assess Confirms that a provider is deemed capable of delivering an approved, programme of study leading to a qualification. A programme of study must be approved if a provider wishes to be accredited by NZQA to deliver it. A provider may seek accreditation to deliver another organisation s approved qualification and/or programme (NZQA definition - modified). Confirms that a provider is capable of assessing against standards. A provider must have consent to assess for all unit standards assessed in a course before obtaining course approval and accreditation. (NZQA definition) 5
Programme of Study An approved programme is a coherent arrangement of learning or training that is based on clear and consistent aims, content, outcomes and assessment practices, which leads to a qualification listed on the NZQF. The term programme may be used. Qualification An award recognising the successful completion of a prescribed programme of study. Valued outcomes Educational outcomes that are valued by students, iwi, industry and community and that may include pathways into the workforce, further education, capability to contribute to a wider community, being a global citizen, gaining an enjoyable tertiary experience, or increased citizenship. DOCUMENT CONTROL Approving body: Responsibility: First point of contact: Academic Board Academic Director Te Poutama First approved: February 2016 This version approved: February 2016 Applies from: February 2016 Review due: February 2019 Version no: 1.0 (replaces part of policy AC- 01) 6