10 September 2003 Media Statement

New website takes aim at proliferation of qualifications

A new website containing details of over 5000 qualifications makes a strong case for rationalising the number of courses available for study in New Zealand, says Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey.

www.kiwiquals.govt.nz was launched at Parliament this evening. It enables users to find and compare on the one site all quality assured qualification available in this country. It currently covers more than 5000 qualifications offered by more than 1000 providers.

Steve Maharey said KiwiQuals will be very useful for the independent quality assurance bodies who approve new courses.

“Being able to search by classification will reveal areas where we probably just have too many course options and where there is wasteful and pointless duplication.

“In the future the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will be able to decline to fund particular courses where they believe further proliferation to be unnecessary. KiwiQuals will assist the TEC to identify disciplines where further investigation, and/or fewer providers, is warranted.

“Bringing information about all the qualifications offered in New Zealand together in one easily accessible place will also have other major benefits. For example:
- learners can now find and compare every qualification available in their area of interest;
- employers will now be able to understand and compare what can be a mystifying array of qualifications that appear on CVs – as well as checking out options for upskilling staff; and
- tertiary education organisations will easily be able to see how their current and proposed course offerings match up with those on offer elsewhere,” Steve Maharey said.

Development of the website by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, other quality assurance bodies and a number of other government agencies has been underway for the last two years.

ENDS

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