Academic quality , Te kounga pūmātauranga

Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University is routinely audited by the Academic Quality Agency (AQA). AQA are the external body assuring academic quality across all universities in New Zealand.

These cyclical audits help the University to improve student engagement, academic experience and learning outcomes.  ​​​​​​​

The Office of Academic Quality, Reporting, and Assurance (OAQRA) audit team liaise with AQA, colleges, service providers and student associations within the University to facilitate the entire academic audit process and gather all information required for the audit.   ​​​​​​​

Cycle 6 – Academic Audit, 2017 - 2027

Cycle 6 is broken up into three phases:

• PHASE 1 – the enhancement phase
• PHASE 2 – the audit phase
• PHASE 3 – the review, evaluation and planning phase

Initiated in 2017, the enhancement phase (which is new to Cycle 6) identifies a common initiative for all eight universities in New Zealand.  This cycle’s theme is: ‘Access, outcomes and opportunity for Māori students and for Pasifika students’.

The audit phase is split up into two stages:  A self-review report and a site visit.  

The framework for the academic audit is made up of 30 guideline statements, which are divided into five sections:

1. leadership and management of teaching and learning and academic quality,
2. student life-cycle, support and wellbeing,
3. curriculum, assessment and delivery,
4. teaching quality, and
5. supervision of postgraduate research students.

The framework also has three supporting parts, which the audit also reviewed:

1. te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations,
2. interdependence of university research and teaching, and
3. the University’s role as critic and conscience of society. 

AQA and the Panel conducted their audit on Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University in 2022 and 2023. 25 interview sessions were held during the site visit with 61 members of staff and 28 students.

From here, AQA issued a report in 2023, made available to the public, comprising of commendations, affirmations, and recommendations made by the Panel.

Coordinated by the OAQRA audit team, three follow-up responses are expected by AQA during 2024 to 2027.

The review, evaluation, and planning phase is AQA’s opportunity to reflect back over the course of Cycle 6 to see whether there are any changes to the theme used, the framework and guidelines, time frames, and processes taken in preparation for Cycle 7.

Academic Audit Report and Responses

Cycle 6 Audit Report

The report of the 2023 academic audit of Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University is available on the AQA website.

The report contains 15 commendations, 10 affirmations, and 17 recommendations. This is a great outcome. The recommendations noted are not surprising and are areas that were identified as part of the self-review process.

This phase was used to identify, share and build on good practice amongst members of all the University sections. Part of the self-reflection is also to identify and analyse areas where improvement might be made. The University is grateful to the Audit Panel for confirming with us where we can focus our efforts to progress our commitment to our students, staff and university community.

Cycle 6 Audit Responses

The University’s one-year response was considered and accepted by the AQA Board in August 2024 and can be accessed below:

Previous Cycle Audit Reports

​​​​​​​A copy of the reports from previous audits can be found below:

• Massey University, Cycle 5 Academic Audit Report, February 2014
• Massey University, Cycle 4 Academic Audit Report, December 2008