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Referencing and Benchmarking: the first steps towards achieving recognition of Pacific Qualifications
Nine Pacific Island countries, under the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project (PQRP), convened in Nadi, Fiji, in late July to enhance their skills and knowledge on qualifications referencing and benchmarking. This marked the region’s first step in enabling Pacific islanders to provide quality education across the Blue Pacific continent.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Pacific Community (SPC) jointly facilitated the PQRP’s Technical Working Group on Referencing and Benchmarking. This regional convening provided countries with the opportunity to learn about the six criteria for referencing and benchmarking.
Niga Haulangi, Education Policy Advisor at Nauru’s Department of Education and Training, explained that “The project gives us guidance and information on the different qualifications frameworks we have across the region. This workshop has educated us and built our capacity in terms of referencing. My favourite session was the group activities, as through these activities I came to know about the qualifications systems of other countries and aligned it with Nauru’s system, which is the goal of this five-year project”.
Referencing and benchmarking of qualifications systems to the Pacific Qualifications Framework is a key step to support future recognition of qualifications between countries. During this process country representatives prepare and compile information in response to the Pacific Qualifications Framework criteria on referencing and benchmarking and critically evaluate responses prepared by other countries.
SPC is also compiling information to demonstrate the Pacific Qualifications Framework’s role in enabling connections between education systems and consistency in understanding quality assurance across the region.
The Pacific Qualifications Advisory Board (PQAB), a group of national education and quality assurance leaders from across the region, had endorsed the referencing criteria, guidelines and processes. The PQAB will oversee the referencing and benchmarking process and be asked to endorse the reports and outcomes of referencing and benchmarking.
Wendy Vaaia, Education Officer – Qualifications and Accreditations at Tuvalu’s Department of Education, highlighted that “This workshop provided me with a clear understanding of what and how to carry out processes under Criterion 2, which is based on strengthening our partnership with our stakeholders. For our country, this is an alarm for us to get our qualifications delivered by our training providers to be accredited so that it can be recognised across the region”.
The TWG meeting provided an opportunity for ‘referencers’ and ‘benchmarkers’ to share their experiences and challenges, learn from each other, support and assist each other to ensure the outcomes expected from the activities are achieved and receive guidance and support from the NZQA and SPC's Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP).
Rajendra Prasad, SPC’s Team Leader for Qualifications, aligned the intent of the TWG work with the aim of the PQRP.
“From 2024 to 2028, SPC and NZQA will work closely with the nine countries to update and align their national qualifications frameworks and systems with the Pacific Qualifications Framework (PQF) to strengthen the recognition of qualifications, enabling the movement of learners and skilled workers across borders,” explained Prasad.
During the July TWG, countries were also trained on compiling and finalising reports that would be used to update the project cohort on the progress against each criterion and aid in planning for support required by each country.
Melesete Lino-Mariner from Samoa Qualifications Authority, shed light on her takeaway from the July TWG.
“I would like to emphasise the role of collaboration and cooperation in this work. It is a challenging task but countries will need to cooperate and will need to respond when required and be mindful of the timelines that are given,” she said.
Melesete added, “The activities during the TWG provided a clear timeline and between now and October we will need to finalise our responses to Criterion 2 while taking into account the evaluation feedback we have received from other countries”.
The second TWG meeting is scheduled for October 2024 during which the reports against Criterion 2 will be reviewed and finalised and the referencing against Criterion 3 will commence.
About the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project:
Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Pacific Qualifications Recognition project aims to strengthen the Pacific and national qualifications frameworks and systems that will promote the recognition of qualifications, enabling the movement of learners and skilled workers across borders. The five-year project is jointly implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
