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These pages contain the original text of the Tertiary Education Strategy documents. Only edit content if you notice the text is inconsistent with the final published document. Feel free to develop your own cross references and index structure. Strengthen system capability and qualityRefer to Tertiary Education Strategy text for Strategy1 This strategy is outlined in full on pages 21–28 of the TES. It includes five-year objectives as shown below. In the period of this STEP, Strategy One is a critical area for development. Without improvements in overall system capability and strategic capacity, it will be difficult to make progress on the other strategies and objectives outlined in the TES.
Priorities for Tertiary Education OrganisationsThe critical priority is the need to improve the strategic capability and leadership of TEOs at both management and governance levels, as outlined in Objective1. This will be reflected in improved strategic and business planning that better meets the needs of stakeholders and communities, and is reflected in high-quality charters and profiles. During this period, there will also be continuing investment by agencies in supporting governance and management development for Maori and Pacific providers. The recent independent review of TEI governance undertaken by Professor Meredith Edwards suggests a number of measures for improving governance practice in TEIs. The Edwards report will be the subject of a number of public consultation events, and should provide a basis on which all TEIs and TEOs can consider improvements to their own governance practices. While Edwards also recommends some legislative changes (on which no decisions have been made by the government as yet), a number of her recommendations can be implemented by TEIs themselves. Cabinet decisions on aspects of the Crown entities reforms that overlap with the Edwards review will not be made prior to decisions on the Edwards review. Other major priorities for TEOs this year are Objective2 and Objective3. Once TEOs have worked with their stakeholders to understand their distinctive strengths and areas of focus, they will be in a position to articulate, in their strategic plans, their views about the nature of their contribution to the tertiary education system as a whole. They will also be able to outline their views on the most appropriate alliances, partnerships and collaborative ventures through which to give effect to their organisational strategies. Now that the framework is in place for the Partnerships for Excellence, TEIs will start developing high quality partnerships that meet the criteria for approval. There will be further opportunities for collaboration between TEIs and the Crown Research Institutes. In addition to these key objectives that apply to all TEOs, particular organisations will wish to respond to the other areas of focus described in the TES. Some TEOs may have a particular commitment to export education, in support of Objective4. They will continue to implement the government’s export education strategy (released in 2001 and referred to on pages 23–24 of the TES), which signals the issues and directions for change that are necessary for a sustainable, high-quality export education industry. TEOs engaged in export education will work collaboratively, with each other and with government, to define and implement a programme of research, quality improvement and development activities to be funded from the export education levy introduced through the Education (Tertiary Reform) Amendment Act 2002. Some TEOs should also be continuing to address the issues raised in the Report of the Elearning Advisory Group (released by government in March 2002 and outlined on page 25 of the TES). Government will continue to foster E-learning through the development of the E-learning portal and by means of the E-learning Collaborative Development Fund. Initiatives in this area contribute to stronger learning environments, in accordance with Objective5. TEOs should ensure that this is reflected in their charters and profiles. TEOs may be planning to address a range of objectives under this strategy in their applications to the Innovation and Development Fund. These distinctive initiatives should be supported by sound strategic analysis and should be outlined in strategic and business plans. In relation to Objective7, TEOs will review their credit recognition and transfer processes in 2003, and revise where necessary so that credit transfers can operate in 2004. From January 2004 revised processes and appeal systems will also be in place. Key Priorities for AgenciesFor agencies, the priorities for this period are Objective1, Objective6 and Objective7. The TEC and the MOE will continue to work with TEOs to develop governance and management capability. There will be an emphasis on strengthening governance through a number of initiatives. In particular, the MOE will be undertaking policy development on a number of the recommendations of the Edwards review, subject to the outcomes of the public consultation process and subsequent Cabinet decisions. New legislation to address TEI governance may be introduced through an Education Amendment Bill in 2004. Provisions that are required to preserve the status quo, or are not covered in the Edwards review, will be implemented through the Crown Entities Bill due to be introduced in late 2003. The TEC will work closely with TEOs to begin to understand, balance and manage the overall portfolio of provision, including the most appropriate specialisations and collaborative ventures of providers. Agencies will manage the assessment of applications under the established Partnerships for Excellence Framework, which relates to Objective3. The MOE, NZQA and the TEC will continue to work with TEOs to ensure Objective4 is achieved. This will include implementation of new requirements for quality assurance of courses of less than three months’ duration offered to international students, and of the pastoral care standards of providers offering these courses. Indicators of best practice for international student programmes will also be developed. Following the report of the Working Party on Credit Transfers, the government approved the credit recognition and transfer policy in December 2002. NZQA will promulgate the policy to learners, providers and quality assurance bodies in line with Objective7. Following implementation of the policy in 2004, NZQA will develop a good practice booklet for credit recognition and transfer processes, in consultation with the sector. Under Objective6, the MOE, the NZQA and the TEC, in consultation with the sector, will scope the review of quality assurance arrangements in 2003 and conduct the review in 2004. NZQA will need to develop a strong working relationship with the TEC in order to ensure effective communications with TEOs and stakeholders regarding quality management and assurance issues and improved and more flexible credit transfer arrangements across the system. The MOE and the TEC will also work with the sector to develop proposals for performance measures of the quality of learning outcomes. These measures will be used to drive funding decisions within a performance-based element of the Student Component in future years. ← Section2 | STEP2 | Strategy 2 → |
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