Academic audit

Academic audits are part of the external quality assurance arrangements for universities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Until recently they were conducted by the Academic Quality Agency (AQA), the body that has had responsibility for quality assurance of New Zealand universities. Quality Assurance arrangements for is currently being reviewed by Universities New Zealand. While announcements on the future structure of Quality Assurance for New Zealand Universities can be expected later in 2026, these systems are currently overseen by Universities New Zealand’s Transitional Academic Audit Committee (TAAC).

Academic audits have been conducted every seven to eight years. The AQA Audit Report—Cycle 6: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington was published in March 2023.

Cycle 6 AQA audit final report—March 2023

In March 2023, the AQA audit panel completed their Cycle 6 report on Te Herenga Waka. This report provided the University with seven commendations, 11 affirmations, and 12 recommendations.

The panel affirmed many of the University’s programmes of work to support students and made recommendations for further work, which the University will implement and review.

Included in the commendations was the work undertaken by staff during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Special mention was made of the University’s dedicated services for supporting Māori students and Pasifika students during the pandemic and the support system developed in the change programme for learning and teaching infrastructure.

Read the AQA Audit Report—Cycle 6: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

New—Two-year update report—December 2025

At the end of 2025, Universities New Zealand’s Transitional Academic Audit Committee (TAAC) approved our University’s two-year update report. This report follows on from the acceptance of the one-year update in August 2024 and the publication of the Cycle 6 Academic Audit report in March 2023.

The two-year update report provided a commentary on the progress the University has made in relation to the 11 affirmations and 12 recommendations set out in the March 2023 academic audit. The update report identified that there had been considerable progress made by the University in the last two years. This progress is a testimony to the hard work of staff across the University. Notably, the progress made in relation to the 11 affirmations and 12 recommendations has occurred alongside the University’s efforts to respond to new priorities and challenges that emerged over the last two years.

TAAC’s acceptance of the two-year update report brings the formal response to the audit to a close. This also means that the University does not need to provide an interim report before the Cycle 7 audit phase begins.

It can be expected that our ongoing progress in relation to the audit affirmations and recommendations will be considered as part of the Cycle 7 review process. No methodology or timing has yet been finalised for the Cycle 7 academic audit.

The two-year update report can be downloaded here.

One-year update report—August 2024

The one-year update report documented the progress made on the affirmations and recommendations a year after the original March 2023 report. This update detailed significant developments that have taken place at the University in the year following the audit report's publication, including changes in University leadership, operations and strategic context, and wider challenges that have impacted the entire sector.

Key areas of progress identified in our one-year update include the development of the Ngā Kīwai o te Kete—Student Engagement Framework, the University’s work to implement a new learning management system, and the development of Tītoko, a holistic model to support student success.

Overall, our work on most of the audit report’s affirmations and recommendations was completed or well-advanced. Key areas where we sought to make improvements include University-wide work on a curriculum framework, supporting Pasifika Student Success and implementing the recommendations that emerged from the University’s own Te Tiriti o Waitangi audit.

Read the academic audit one-year update report for Cycle 6—August 2024.

The audit process

The audit process, undertaken in 2022, involved two broad stages including a self-review, followed by an audit panel visit to the University.

Over 18–24 months, a working group engaged with student groups, faculties, schools and central service units to gather responses and evidence for the development of the self-review report that the audit panel used as background for their visit. A steering group oversaw the process and provided strategic guidance.

As part of the report, the University was expected to consider the whole of institution, including all students, all delivery, and all staff who teach, supervise, or support teaching or supervision.

The report responded to 30 guideline statements outlined in the audit framework. These reflect good practice expectations of academic quality covering:

• leadership and management of learning and teaching and academic quality
• student lifecycle, support, and wellbeing
• curriculum, assessment, and delivery
• teaching quality
• supervision of postgraduate research students.

As part of the review, the panel met twice before undertaking an in-person site visit to the University in September 2022.

The audit panel

Audits are undertaken by a panel of peers comprising senior academics or academic managers in Aotearoa New Zealand, a Māori panel member, a Pacific panel member (where possible), an international panel member and a student or recent graduate. Each university in New Zealand is audited by a different panel of experts.

They examine evidence provided by the university and conduct meetings with university staff and students to evaluate the academic quality of the university and present their findings in a public report.

Background

You can find more information about the background of the Cycle 6 audit (PDF).

Read the University’s 2023 Cycle 6 AQA Audit Report.