On the 1st of August this month 2024, the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA) celebrates another key milestone achievement in its operation as a National Post School Education and Training (PSET) regulator in Vanuatu for being certified as a full member of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) for successfully meeting all the requirements, required by the APQN.
The Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) is a non-profit and non-governmental network seeking “to enhance the quality of higher education in Asia and the Pacific region that contains over half the world’s population, through strengthening the work of the QAAs and extending the cooperation between them” for its ultimate goal of “Dissolving Boundaries for a Quality Region” according to its Constitution.
The certification of full membership is being awarded to the Authority by APQN which connects VQA with other Quality Assurance Authority members around the world to have access and benefits such as;
o Participate in the APQN Annual Conference (AAC) and AGM as well as the APQN on-line forum;
o Gain branding through using the APQN logo on the VQA website or relative documents.
o Develop different kinds of collaborations across the distinguished network of Quality Assurance Agencies (QAAs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through AACs;
o Co-organize international seminars, workshops or fora together with APQN in our local context;
o Have the right to apply for an APQN Award which occurs once every year;
o Have access to over 180 the consultants in Consultant Data Base and get advice on different and specific Quality Assurance (QA) matters;
o Receive the electronic APQ News twice every year and Annual Report;
o Publish our qualified research paper on APQN Academic in Proceedings during AAC every year;
o Have Access to the electronic periodical of the academic journal “Higher Education Evaluation and Development (HEED)”;
o Have the right to apply for the Asia-Pacific Quality Register (APQR) for QAAs; and
o Have the right to apply for the accreditation of APQN Quality Label for HEIs.
This is a great achievement for the Authority as the National regulator of the PSET sector in Vanuatu, more specifically, as a Quality Assurance Agency for Vocational Training and Higher Education. This milestone marks the commitment, hard work, perseverance and support towards this achievement which will now be a beneficial to the VQA in its operation as a full member of APQN.
For more Information Visit: https://apqn.org/
The Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA) is mandated under the VQA Act No.1 of 2014 to safeguard the public interest of the people of Vanuatu by ensuring sound standards of Post-School Education and Training (PSET) delivery and that qualifications are achieved, maintained and continuously improved. The VQA supports, inform and encourages providers of education and training to meet national and internation quality standards, and meet their obligations for registration of their organization, accreditation of courses and ongoing quality assurance.
As part of the Quality Assurance processes, the University of the South Pacific (USP) Emalus Campus in Port Vila is a registered Provider under the VQA Act for a period of five (5) years. The registration period has now elapsed and in preparation for the renewal of its registration, an External Quality Review has been conducted from 3rd to 5th June 2024 by International and Regional Auditors appointed by the Authority. Major purposes for the audit were to identify how well:
- The University’s practices comply with its own policies and procedures, meet the minimum VQAF standards for registration, condition of registration etc
- the outcomes of the University’s education and training services meet the needs of its stakeholders;
- the University continuously improves is outcomes and performance; and
- if the University of the South Pacific Emalus Campus is ready to apply for renewal of its registration.
The three days site visit to Emalus Campus was completed on Wednesday 5th June 2024 and the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority would like to express its sincere gratitude to the University of the South Pacific Board and Management, Head of Schools and Faculties, Lecturers, Tutors, staff and students both from Laucala and Emalus Campus for their corporation and commitment during the whole process of the External Review.
On the 25th of April 2024, the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA) Board approved the renewal of registration for TAFE Queensland (operating as Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) and Vanuatu Agriculture College (VAC). The renewal of registration is effective for five years as approval by the VQA Board. The Board also granted Approval to Deliver to Vanuatu Agriculture College (VAC) for the delivery of the following courses;
§ Certificate III in Animal Science (Animal Husbandry)
§ Certificate IV in Animal Science (Livestock husbandry and Marketing)
§ Certificate III in Agriculture (Plant Science)
§ Certificate IV in Agriculture (Plant Science) and
§ Certificate IV in Agribusiness (Marketing)
The approval of the Vanuatu Agriculture College renewal of registration allows the VAC to re-open its door for operation as a National training institute in Vanuatu to provide trainings to interested candidates who wish to or interested to study at the VAC.
