Category: Tertiary Education Commission

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 15 April 2024
Last updated 15 April 2024

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Members of the University Advisory Group, which will provide the government with advice on New Zealand’s university system, have now been named. 
Members of the University Advisory Group, which will provide the government with advice on New Zealand’s university system, have now been named. 

Led by the Chair, Professor Peter Gluckman, the group are from a variety of backgrounds and are highly respected in their fields.
Professor Sir Peter Gluckman is Chair of the Advisory Group and Chair of the Science System Advisory group, former Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, a paediatrician, and Koi Tū director.
Dr Alastair McCormick is a professional director and Emeritus Professor of the University of Auckland, and is currently a Commissioner on the Tertiary Education Commission board.
Arihia Bennett (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi) is the former Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Chief Executive and current Chair of Kāpuia – the Ministerial Advisory Group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques.
John Allen is Chief Executive of WellingtonNZ, the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency and Chancellor at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.
Phil O’Reilly is Managing Director of Iron Duke Partners and previously the Chair of the Board of Business at OECD, a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Business NZ Chief Executive.
Bella Takiari-Brame (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui) is a professional director, currently Chair of The Lines Company Ltd, director of Te Ohu Kaimoana, and a member of the ACC Board and Crown Infrastructure Partners Ltd Board.
Sir David Skegg is an epidemiologist and public health physician, currently Emeritus Professor of the University of Otago and formerly its Vice-Chancellor, as well as President of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Chair of the Health Research Council, and special adviser to Parliament’s COVID-19 Epidemic Response Committee.
Dame Paula Rebstock is a consultant and company director/board member of Asia Pacific Healthcare Group, Vector Limited, NAZ Ltd, AIA New Zealand and Vector Metering, previously Chair of the Commerce Commission, the Accident Compensation Commission and several government reviews and panels.
The group will meet regularly to develop their advice and recommendations.
For more information, including full biographies of each member and the terms of reference for the Group, visit University Advisory Group.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 30 October 2023
Last updated 30 October 2023

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This page explains how tertiary education organisations report on the Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) and how we monitor their performance.
This page explains how tertiary education organisations report on the Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) and how we monitor their performance.

Reporting
If you receive SSG funding, you must complete a report to show us how you use the funding.
Reporting requirements include:
details of the tutorial support provided for each programme/activity
the outcomes/benefits for learners
how the funding was spent.
The reporting template for each year will be loaded to your Workspace 2. TEC will notify you directly when the template is uploaded. Please upload your completed report to Workspace 2 no later than four working weeks after we notify you. 
You can access the latest reports (sector-level view) below:
Special Supplementary Grant (SSG) funding report 2020 and 2021 (PDF 225 KB)
Special Supplementary Grant (SSG) funding report 2022 (PDF 197 KB)
Monitoring
We monitor TEOs’ performance and practices to understand their performance in the sector, and to inform our decisions about future funding.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 26 March 2024
Last updated 26 March 2024

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To receive Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) funding, tertiary education organisations must comply with the applicable DQ1-2 funding conditions.
To receive Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) funding, tertiary education organisations must comply with the applicable DQ1-2 funding conditions.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 26 March 2024
Last updated 26 March 2024

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This page provides information about how the Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) is allocated and payments are made.
This page provides information about how the Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) is allocated and payments are made.

The SSG is allocated as part of the Investment Plan process to tertiary education organisations (TEOs) that have previously delivered provision to learners requiring increased assistance. It forms part of a TEO’s total annual allocation for the Delivery at Levels 1 and 2 on the NZQCF (DQ1-2) Fund (DQ 1-2).
Funding allocations, including any amendments, are available through the My Allocations and Payments app on Ngā Kete.
SSG funding is paid in equal monthly instalments as part of a TEO’s DQ1-2 payments.
For the calculation of indicative allocations see the methodology from the relevant year. The most recent information is at the top.
For more details regarding your specific allocation, please contact customerservice@tec.govt.nz or your Relationship Manager.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 24 January 2023
Last updated 24 January 2023

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The Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) is available to tertiary education organisations (TEOs) that have previously delivered provision to learners requiring increased assistance. 
The Special Supplementary Grant for Inclusive Education (SSG) is available to tertiary education organisations (TEOs) that have previously delivered provision to learners requiring increased assistance. 

The grant is designed to make access to tertiary education easier for learners requiring increased assistance. It helps provide additional tutorial support (above normal staffing levels) to work with learners who need it.
SSG is a “top-up” to Delivery at Levels 1 and 2 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (DQ1-2) funding, to help cover the costs of providing extra support for Supported Learners’ qualifications on the NZQCF. SSG is not intended to be the only or primary source of funding to support these learners. 

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Because of this, the Minister has decided that PBRF Quality Evaluation 2026 will not take place and the TEC will stop all work related to it. The UAG will consider policy settings including funding mechanisms, incentives, and allocation strategies for research and teaching (in particular the PBRF), with a focus on the university sector but recognising the relevance to the wider higher education sector.
While the PBRF Quality Evaluation 2026 will now not take place, the TEC would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Moderation Team, panel co-chairs and members, the Sector Reference Group, and other sector stakeholders who have supported recent consultation and operational design work.
Read the Minister’s media release.
Read the Terms of Reference for the University Advisory Group (PDF 84 KB)
For any questions about the PBRF Quality Evaluation, please contact PBRF.Help@tec.govt.nz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of the UAG?
The UAG is chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, and will collectively bring diverse expertise in higher education, research, funding policy, business, stakeholder engagement and connections, university governance, the Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and mātauranga Māori. The membership of the UAG will be announced shortly.
Will the work of the UAG result in a new approach or a revised PBRF?
The UAG will report to the Ministry of Education in February 2025. Following that, the Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Tertiary Education Commission and the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, will determine which proposals to take forward, conduct detailed policy development and consider the wider implications of any proposals the UAG makes about the PBRF before Cabinet makes any decisions on changes.
What is the timeframe for any changes to or replacement for the Quality Evaluation?
The UAG will produce a final report proposing levers and policy changes for government and the sector to consider for the future direction of the university system in February 2025. This report will include recommendations on the PBRF. The Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Tertiary Education Commission and the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, will work to determine which proposals to progress and will communicate timeframes for any changes.
Why has Quality Evaluation 2026 been cancelled?
The Minister has determined it is appropriate to stop Quality Evaluation 2026 for all participating TEOs while the UAG conducts its work. While universities are not the only organisations who participate, they collectively receive over 95% of PBRF funding.
What will happen to PBRF funding now that Quality Evaluation 2026 is not taking place?
PBRF Quality Evaluation component funding will continue to be allocated on 2018 results. The total value of the PBRF remains unchanged at $315 million.
I have been preparing my Evidence Portfolio for my institution’s Quality Evaluation submission. What will now happen to it?
Work on the Quality Evaluation is stopping. This means that planned institutional submissions to the TEC, including Evidence Portfolios, will no longer take place.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 27 March 2024
Last updated 27 March 2024

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Trades Academies are partnerships between schools, tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and employers.
Trades Academies are partnerships between schools, tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and employers.

Trades Academies aim to keep young New Zealanders engaged in education and training by creating a clear pathway between school and further education, training, or employment. Closer alignment of schools, the tertiary education sector and industry helps to make the future workforce more responsive to local and national business and economic needs. A Trades Academy can be led by a school or by a TEO.
The fund is administered by the Ministry of Education, with payments to TEOs administered by the Tertiary Education Commission.  
For information on Trades Academy funding, including eligibility, enrolment, and funding rates, please visit:

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

This update includes information about:
Timeliness of the supply of financial information – PTEs
Our funding conditions specify that you must supply to us any financial information the TEC requires you to provide, as per section 426 of the Education and Training Act 2020.
For PTEs, this includes providing us with audited or reviewed accounts and forecasts each financial year, within five months of your financial year end. Supplying this information to the TEC supports our financial viability assessment process. This is important to ensure TEC invests public funding responsibly and learners can have confidence when investing their own time and money in tertiary education.
It’s important to provide this information in a timely manner. If you expect that you won’t be able to supply it within the required timeframe, you should contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz
Correct reporting of Source of Funding code 31 (SoF 31)
In recent audits, we have identified that several TEOs incorrectly claimed funding for students who should have been reported under SoF 31 as non-funded confirmed student enrolments. You must ensure that your SDR accurately records all “confirmed student enrolments” where fees apply.
You may only claim funding for a course enrolment in which a student has completed 10 percent or one calendar month of the course – whichever is the earlier. In some cases, students withdraw after the student fee refund period, but before the enrolment becomes eligible for TEC funding. In these cases, if the TEO retains some or all of a student’s fee upon their withdrawal, we require the enrolment to be reported under SoF 31 and no TEC funding can be claimed.
Some TEOs, mainly PTEs, enroll students in all the courses of a programme (or qualification) up front. If a student withdraws after the programme’s fee refund period, the TEO may be able to retain all the student’s fee for that programme. This applies even where the start date for all course enrolments making up the programme have not been reached.
It’s important to understand the difference between receiving fees and retaining funding. While a TEO may retain student fees upon a student’s withdrawal from a programme, enrolments in courses that were part of the programme that have not surpassed the 10 percent or one-calendar-month threshold must be reported under SoF 31 and TEC funding cannot be claimed for these.
The reason for using SoF 31 is to provide full visibility of provision where there is a cost to the student and, sometimes, to the Crown through student loans and allowances. It also ensures that Education Performance Indicators can be calculated correctly.
We will continue to monitor the use of SoF 31 through SDR submissions and routine audits. If you do not correctly report enrolments under SoF 31, the result may be that you:
need to resubmit your SDR
incur potential funding recoveries.
If you have any questions regarding SoF 31, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz
Managing in-year funding
Using actual delivery data submitted through the Single Data Return (SDR) and Industry Training Register (ITR), and trends from previous years, the TEC forecasts the expected value of delivery for each TEO across the reported funds. The forecasts identify TEOs who are likely to under-deliver.
Our forecasts start with the April SDR. Our aim is to right-size TEOs’ allocations by:
decreasing funding during the year where allocations are not going to be used or expected enrolments have not been realised, and
increasing funding in priority areas.
The TEC expects TEOs to manage their funding in-year more proactively to reduce any forecasted recovery amounts at the end of each year. How a TEO manages its in-year funding, including working with the TEC around these targeted amendments, will be factored into any potential Repayment Plan assessments.
If you have any questions regarding in year amendments, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

This is the first of what will be regular Tertiary Education Commission (the TEC) monitoring updates. We gather a range of information about common issues or trends through our monitoring activities. At the TEC, we’re committed to partnering with providers. Sharing learnings from our monitoring work will help the sector build capability so we can all achieve better outcomes for learners.
We’ve made changes to how we monitor TEOs, to be more flexible and commit resources proportionately to the level of risk
To date we have been trialing and piloting new, more flexible monitoring approaches and are now pleased to confirm our new framework.
We now have three types of audits…
Self-audits
Desktop audits
On-site audits.
The three levels of audit allow our monitoring activity to be better matched to the size of a TEO or the nature of any concerns we may have. Auditing provides assurance that the services we purchase from a TEO comply with our funding conditions. They may be randomly scheduled or undertaken in response to information or complaints received by the TEC.
…and have made our approach to investigations more flexible
Investigations now include both what we used to call reviews as well as investigations. What we used to call reviews will be blended into investigations. These are less tightly defined and able to respond to the levels of risk and issues identified. Investigations are no longer tied to a fixed scope of five years’ provision. We will investigate our specific concerns and if no further issues are identified, that will be the extent of the investigation. However, we do have the ability to expand the scope if needed. Our intention is to place as little burden on providers as possible, while still ensuring the interests of learners, government and the tertiary education system more broadly are protected.
We have prepared detailed guidelines to help TEOs understand our investigation process.  
Tertiary Education Commission investigation guidelines (PDF 334 KB) 
We are more focused on supporting TEOs to monitor themselves
This monitoring update is the first example of a renewed focus on sharing useful information with the sector, so that TEOs can monitor their own compliance and address issues before they require TEC intervention.
We regularly review broader issues and trends that affect the whole sector, or certain subsectors or disciplines. Findings from these will be included in future monitoring updates and help us to continue to improve our guidance to the sector.
A good example is the recent update to our guidance on Compulsory Student Services Fees (CSSF), which followed a review of the fees providers charge, the services offered, and information available to students.
Some suggestions for TEOs from our analysis of audits
We’ve analysed audit results from the last three years and will use our monitoring updates to share suggestions on how to prepare for an audit. Our analysis indicates that New Zealand has a robust tertiary education system, as the majority of the issues identified through TEC audits are easy to correct. Below we’ve outlined three of these issues – if you can make these small changes at your TEO, you can ensure a smoother audit.
1.  One of the most common, and easy to fix, issues our auditors run into is missing records
Having a robust student record and retention policy will make it easier for you to confirm eligibility for funding. The TEC requires that you keep records that show:
student eligibility for funding (for instance: proof of domestic status, Ministry of Education exemptions for students under 15 years old, proof that funding is not being claimed for recognised prior learning etc)
you have NZQA programme approvals for the courses being taught
signed copies of student enrolment forms to verify the date of entry funding begins for these programmes.
2.  Check your subcontracting arrangements
While not a TEC funding condition, we recommend ensuring that the responsibilities of both parties are clearly set out in your subcontracting agreements. We have encountered issues where both a subcontractor and a TEO believe the other will submit completion of NZQA unit standards – without either having done so. Having clear agreements protects you, as you are ultimately accountable for the use of funding.
Reminder: all subcontracting agreements related to funded activities must be approved by the TEC, and the TEC will not fund subcontracted provision through certain funds, such as Youth Guarantee. Check with your Investment Manager if you have any questions.
3.  Ensure you can provide accurate data as it is imperative for TEC funding
While the accuracy of student information held on file and in TEOs’ Student Management Systems (SMS) is improving, you may need to implement better controls. Our suggestions include:
implementing data checks at regular points to ensure data quality
not having too many staff members having full access to data held in the SMS as this can lead to mistakes. Staff access should be restricted according to their needs. For example, teaching staff likely do not need full access to your SMS, but should have limited access to enter assessment results only
ensuring you have an up to date policy to enable staff from different delivery sites and the main offices to apply enrolment procedures consistently.
The TEC is implementing the new Government’s Fees Free policy
You will already be aware that we have an information sheet for TEOs on what you need to know about the Fees Free policy. Monitoring of fees-free tertiary education will be a significant focus for the TEC in 2018. Implementation of Fees Free introduces a number of new practices for TEOs in 2018, including confirming student eligibility and reporting on fees-free enrolments. We will use the data submitted by TEOs and additional audits to ensure the policy is being implemented effectively.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

This is the second of the TEC’s regular monitoring updates. We gather a range of information about common issues through our monitoring activities. At the TEC, we’re committed to partnering with providers, and sharing learnings from our monitoring work to help the sector build capability so we can all achieve better outcomes for learners.
How to report learning hours in STEO
As of January 2018 all new programmes submitted for approval and accreditation to NZQA use the following new definition of learning hours: “All planned learning activities leading towards the achievement of programme or qualification learning outcomes.” The updated definition means TEOs need to provide details to learners of all learning activities in the programme, and retain evidence of these activities.
The Services for Tertiary Education Organisations (STEO) website provides three fields for types of learning activities: teaching hours, work experience hours and self-directed study hours. We acknowledge that headings of these three fields is a limitation in light of the various learning activities that TEOs employ with students. However, please do continue to break down the different learning activities and enter hours into the relevant STEO field as accurately as possible according to the guidance below:
Teaching hours – including face-to-face classroom time, online, field trip, simulation time, tutorials, onsite assignments, assessments and examinations.
Work experience hours – including time the student spends practising or learning skills relevant to their study programme in a workplace. This includes a teaching workplace, which may be onsite, as long as it operates as a commercial enterprise.
Self-directed study hours – ‘self-directed study’ means only facilitated TEO study carried out by the student. For example, time the student spends on offsite assignments (such as homework assignments), and TEO-directed reading and study hours, that the student must complete in their own time. Note: self-directed study does not include self-directed activities that the student initiates.
Total learning hours in STEO must be the same as the total programme/qualification learning hours approved by NZQA. The actual delivery should align with the total learning hours and the learning activities approved by NZQA. This means TEOs need to regularly review the delivery of their programmes to ensure they are ‘right-sized’ for the majority of students (recognising that some students take more or fewer learning hours to achieve a qualification than others).
During an audit or investigation we may check whether your delivery reflects our and NZQA’s approvals. To do this we triangulate NZQA approval documentation, your STEO information, and your information for learners, and compare this information to actual delivery. We may also check that you have a record of the rationale you use to assign each learning activity to one of the three categories listed above.
Fund finder information will be updated to provide this guidance shortly.
Note: University qualifications are approved by the Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP). Universities should continue providing a breakdown of learning hours in STEO.
Qualification and unit standard reporting issues
The TEC and NZQA have identified discrepancies across numerous TEOs between the qualification completions reported to TEC and unit standards reported to NZQA for the same period. Some are due to different reporting timeframes or cross-crediting, but other discrepancies are due to administrative errors or SMS issues.
It is important this information is correct, in particular to ensure learners have accurate, up to date records of their educational achievement for employment and further education opportunities. Please ensure your organisation’s reporting is accurate and up to date.
We are contacting TEOs directly where we have identified discrepancies, and will be further analysing the April and August Single Data Returns. Accuracy of reporting is always a focus of TEC audits, and qualification and unit standards reporting will be continue to be a particular focus of all audits this year.
Fees Free – what’s covered?
From now on an important component of all of our audits will be checking that the Fees Free policy is being correctly applied. The first few TEOs we’ve audited this year have largely been applying it correctly. However, there may still be some confusion about what should be included.  
The Fees Free initiative for provider-based education will pay:
›     tuition fees and associated mandatory fees, and
›     compulsory student services fees.
Learners may be asked to pay other optional and occasional fees such as students’ association and club memberships, some course materials, and late fees.
For industry training, the Fees Free policy will cover all fees paid by eligible learners and their employers for training and assessment, including fees paid to industry training organisations or directly to training and assessment providers. The policy will not cover other fees and charges paid by eligible learners and their employers.
If you have questions about the Fees Free policy, in the first instance you can look at our FAQs for tertiary education organisations or talk to your investment manager.
Equity Funding Survey
You have received an email from the Monitoring and Crown Ownership team requesting that you fill out this survey on how you use Equity funding. If you have not yet completed it, please do so as soon as possible. We hope the results will provide some best-practice ways of working we can share with you.