CTMES Blog Post

Kia ora koutou,

I trust you and your teams are doing well as we steam towards the end of the semester and year!! It continues to be a busy time in education and we wanted to highlight a few key changes that your teams should be aware of. I realise there is a lot of detail and information in this post – please note this is NOT intended to be a fully comprehensive list of all key changes (please do your own reading!) but hopefully is a useful prompt.

Firstly, NZQA have recently updated five Rule sets in 2025. These are:

•                      Micro-credential Approval and Accreditation Rules

•                      Private Training Establishment Registration Rules

•                      Programme Approval, Recognition & Accreditation Rules

•                      Qualification and Micro-credential Listing & Operational rules

•                      Student Fee Protection Rules

These updates cover several key areas:

Financial reporting and registration

• PTEs are no longer required to submit a separate Annual Financial Return to NZQA; instead, they provide the standard annual financial statements required by other legislation.

• The requirement to follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is replaced by an obligation to maintain adequate internal financial controls to produce compliant financial statements.

• Category 1 PTEs continue to provide an annual return every two years.

• The Annual Registration Fee Return form must still be submitted to NZQA by June 30 annually.

• PTEs must inform NZQA of changes to ownership, governing members, and conflicts of interest. 

Programme and micro-credential approvals

• Programme approval rules now link criteria more clearly with qualification listing details.

• Programme regulations must explicitly include completion requirements.

• PTEs must report the award of qualifications or micro-credentials to learners to either NZQA or TEC within three months of the award date.

• New rules specify that micro-credentials cannot exceed 40 credits if they are similar to or have outcomes better suited to an NZQCF qualification.

• A 6-month transition period allows qualifications, micro-credentials, or programmes already in development to be approved under the old rules until the end of 2025. 

English language proficiency

• Rules clarify that PTEs can require higher levels of English language proficiency evidence than the minimum standard. 

Student fee protection

• PTEs must provide their Student Services Fees report to the TEC within 14 days of giving it to students. 

Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance

• A self-reflective summary is now a specific requirement for programme applications from PTEs using the Te Hono o Te Kahurangi framework. 

Integrated Quality Assurance Framework (iQAF)

Secondly, NZQA are continuing final consultation around the Integrated Quality Assurance Framework (iQAF). The iQAF aims to be more risk-informed, reduce the compliance burden for high-performing providers, and better integrate with other education sector reforms. It was developed in response to stakeholder feedback about the increasing compliance burden under the old system and significant changes in the tertiary education environment since 2009. Its core purpose is to provide confidence that learners are achieving relevant, robust, and credible qualifications that meet the needs of employers, communities, and iwi/hapū/whānau. 

Key changes and framework components

• Phasing out EER and Assuring Consistency: The old External Evaluation and Review (EER) and Assuring Consistency functions will be discontinued from January 1, 2026.

• No EER category ratings: EER ratings (Categories 1–4) will not be replaced with a new rating system. Instead, NZQA will publish information about any statutory actions taken against a provider for non-compliance.

• Mandatory annual self-review: All Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) will be required to submit an annual self-review summary report and participate in an annual discussion with NZQA.

• Risk-based monitoring: Monitoring activities will be informed by risk assessments, increasing frequency or intensity where a higher risk is identified.

• Thematic reviews: NZQA will conduct periodic thematic reviews across the system to identify trends and inform best practices. 

These are some significant updates and changes to be aware of. CTMES is considering offering workshops around a range of these topics, eg: the iQAF, the annual self-review report and process, implications for PTE QMS frameworks ….

Very soon we will be sending out a survey to update CMTES members’ details.

If you have any questions please get in touch with Sue Davidson or Rob Ayres.

Ngā mihi

Rob

CTMES Networking Event: AGM and AI Workshop

CTMES Networking Event: AGM 2025 and Workshop

Tēnā koutou CTMES Members,

Formal notice is hereby given to the membership of the Christian Theological and Ministry Education Society (CTMES) that in accordance with the requirements of the CTMES Constitution, our Annual General Meeting for 2025 will be held on:

Thursday 1st May, 9:30am – 10:30am

at

Laidlaw College, 3 Smythe Road, Henderson, Auckland 0650

Cost: $20 per person attending on-site

The AGM will be followed by a workshop by Mark Smith on AI and Assessment.

For Members who are not able to attend the AGM in person, zoom link details will be sent out prior to the date.

The Agenda of the 2025 AGM will be as follows:

 1. Welcome from Chair

2. Apologies

3. AGM Minutes 2024

4. Matters Arising

5. Chair Report 2025

6. Financial (Treasurer’s) Report

7. Budget for 2025

8. Executive team appointments (voting)

9. Proposed constitution changes

9. Other Business

Other Business

Any appropriate business is to be submitted electronically to the Executive Committee at secretary@ctmes.ac.nz no later than 15 days prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting. All submissions are to be made no later than 10 April 2025.

Call to CTMES Executive Nominations

The Executive Committee is a committee of no less than five and no more than seven people elected by members at the AGM.

In accordance with the Constitution, Rule 3 (3.3), Executive Committee members will hold office for three years on a rotational basis, and will be eligible for re-election without re-nomination.

The Executive advises that Rob Ayres has completed his three year rotation and is seeking re-election. Phil Newman is stepping down from his position on the Executive Committee as Laidlaw College’s representative and is open for nomination as an Associate Member.

There are three vacancies to be filled.

Members are invited to nominate persons for election to the Executive Committee. To nominate, please complete the Nomination Form.

The Nomination Form is available [here].

Nominations must be received no later than 24 April 2025.

Elections will take place at the AGM on 1 May 2025.

The results of the election will be announced at the AGM following the counting of votes.

NOTE: In addition, nominees are to provide a short biography, key interests and may include a brief written statement stating what specific skills and experience they will bring to the Executive Committee (250 words maximum). Please email this to secretary@ctmes.ac.nz. Those nominated will be offered the opportunity to introduce themselves at the AGM.

The runsheet for the morning:

9:15 – Networking

9:30 – AGM start

10:30 – Morning Tea

11:00 – Workshop – Chat GPT or Cheat GPT? (Mark Smith, Academic Advisor, Unitech)

Generative AI and what it means for assessment, learning and teaching.

We’ll explore the capability of Gen AI to produce increasingly accurate and human like material and the implications this has for any ‘take home’ assessment.  This will include what it means for our approaches to learning and teaching, academic integrity, procedures and policies.  Finally, Mark will introduce the University of Sydney’s solution to the challenge of assuring learning in an age of AI.

12:30 – Finish

We look forward to your participation at the annual Members meeting and workshop either in person or via zoom.

Rob Ayres

CTMES Chair

Principal Carey Baptist College

Welcome to 2025! We pray that all theological colleges in Aotearoa New Zealand thrive this year.

Rob Ayres has asked that the following advert be sent out to CTMES members. Carey Baptist College are hoping that this advert will be circulated far and wide as they search for a new principal.