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Paving the way for improved recognition of Pacific qualifications
In the Pacific, people frequently move between countries for work and study, both through labour mobility schemes and individual arrangements. Pacific governments are increasingly focused on how to better support the ‘recognition’ of Pacific qualifications in other countries, to ease the access to further education and skilled employment opportunities for Pacific people.
Improved recognition of qualifications from the Pacific region would remove a barrier to Pacific people’s employment, by helping governments, education providers and employers understand how Pacific peoples’ knowledge and skills – such as those recognised by the Pacific Qualifications Framework - compare with graduates of their own country’s education system.
To strengthen recognition of Pacific qualifications, we need to build trust and confidence in the quality of the education in Pacific qualifications systems, supported by strong quality assurance systems regionally and nationally.
The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP) in partnership with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) organised a study tour to NZQA in October 2023 allowing representatives from four Pacific Island countries to learn about the processes involved in qualifications recognition and how the referencing of national frameworks can help supporting recognition of individual qualifications.
This study tour planted the seed to the 5-year Pacific Qualifications Recognition project, that is being delivered in partnership between SPC and NZQA with the funding support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The project, supporting Pacific countries part of the PACER Plus aid and trade agreement, aims to strengthen the Pacific Qualifications Framework (PQF) and Pacific national qualifications and quality assurance systems to support improved recognition of Pacific qualifications.
NZQA’s Tautai Pasifika – Project Lead - Pacific Qualifications Recognition, Alison Dittmer Croad, explained that: “we had a wonderful week with our participants from the Pacific national qualifications agencies and our colleagues from EQAP in unpacking what our Pacific Qualifications Project is all about and how we want to build relationships within the project. This will not only enable qualifications recognition but also offer the opportunity to strengthen our processes that support recognition and strengthen quality assurance processes that sit behind the recognition.”
The week-long tour allowed participants to understand the purpose of the qualification recognition process, to learn about the application of the referencing outcomes on recognition of qualifications and to determine the recognition status in their respective countries.
Additionally, the participants learnt about mechanisms involved in reporting the status of qualification recognition and identified the role of industry in the entire process.
SPC Educational Quality and Assessment Programme’s Team Leader – Qualifications, Rajendra Prasad, highlighted that: “the study tour provided the opportunity for representatives of national quality assurance agencies and staff of SPC to learn about the processes, criteria and requirements on accreditation of training providers, qualifications and micro-credentials; recognition of qualifications (that support the migration of skilled workers into New Zealand); and development of qualifications by industry organisations”.
“The participants also learnt about the architecture of the qualifications information management system, and the benefits and process associated with the referencing of qualifications frameworks. It is anticipated that the participants will use the information and knowledge to strengthen their national qualifications systems and frameworks for enhanced recognition of their qualifications externally,” Prasad added.
The study tour provided the representatives from Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu the opportunity to learn about the mechanisms that they could plug into their respective systems that will help strengthen and align to a more unified Pacific system.
Vanuatu Qualifications Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, David Lambukly, highlighted that: “The sessions were very relevant, and we learnt new things about the qualification recognition services at the NZQA and the processes involved. The other learning that I gathered from the tour is about the information system, they have a very good information system at NZQA, and I think I learnt a lot from that presentation. There is a lot of things to get from the system and customise it back home to strengthen the information system in Vanuatu.”
The study tour was made possible through the ‘Funding with intent – peer learning initiative’. Thus SPC was able to organise the study tour providing the opportunity for officers from national agencies to learn about NZQA’s qualifications recognition process.
New Zealand, as a key trade partner in the PACER Plus agreement, has a well-developed and strong qualifications recognition system that could be used as the model in the region. The best practices from this model could be adapted by Pacific countries to suit their national contexts.
Xavier Breed, Education Advisor at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships through initiatives such as the study tour : “The opportunity of being at NZQA for the study tour also enabled EQAP, NZQA and MFAT to meet face to face and plan how to progress the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project activities. A number of meetings were convened and they were a welcome change to the many virtual meetings held previously,” said Breed.
Having learnt about the processes at NZQA, participants will now share their knowledge and experience with other colleagues in their countries and utilise the knowledge to bring about the required enhancements to their national quality assurance systems, processes and requirements.
