Accreditation in New Zealand is the state's quality control of providers and programmes. For polytechnics and private providers it is run by NZQA (the New Zealand Qualifications Authority), which registers the provider, approves its programmes and carries out regular external evaluations, after which each provider is placed in a category from 1 to 4. The eight universities have their own system through CUAP and the AQA agency. All nine New Zealand partners in the Nairi International University (NIU) catalogue are in the NZQA register. Below: a table of their categories and evaluation dates, how to check any provider yourself, and NIU's legal details.
Updated 30 September 2026. Information is taken from the NZQA register and official sources on that date.
How quality assurance works in New Zealand
| Type of provider | Who assures quality | How |
|---|---|---|
| Universities (8) | Universities New Zealand | programmes approved by CUAP (Committee on University Academic Programmes), institutional audits by the independent AQA |
| Polytechnics | NZQA | registration, programme approval and accreditation, external evaluation (EER) |
| Private training establishments (PTEs) | NZQA | the same; a Category 1–4 after external evaluation |
Sources: NZQA — quality assurance, Universities New Zealand — CUAP.
Universities do not have an NZQA category. That is not a weakness, just a different quality system.
What NZQA categories mean
After an External Evaluation and Review (EER), NZQA gives two judgements: its confidence in the provider's educational performance and in its capability in self-assessment, on a scale of Highly Confident, Confident, Not Yet Confident and Not Confident (NZQA):
| Category | Condition |
|---|---|
| Category 1 — the highest | two Highly Confident judgements, or Highly Confident on performance plus Highly Confident or Confident on self-assessment |
| Category 2 | two Confident judgements, or Highly Confident on self-assessment plus Confident on performance |
| Category 3 | at least one Not Yet Confident |
| Category 4 | at least one Not Confident |
The code for international learners
Every provider that enrols international students must sign the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021, in force since 1 January 2022 and overseen by NZQA. It covers offers, enrolment, contracts, insurance and visa matters, and a provider that has not signed it may not enrol international students. In the NZQA register the field still carries its old name, "Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students".
NIU's partners: status in the NZQA register
All information from the NZQA register, checked on 30 September 2026:
| Provider | Type | NZQA category | Latest external evaluation | Code for international learners | Register record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICL Graduate Business School (ICL Education Ltd), Auckland | private (PTE) | Category 1 | 20.09.2022: Highly Confident / Highly Confident | signed | NZQA |
| Lincoln University | public university | — (CUAP and AQA) | — | signed | NZQA |
| Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) | public polytechnic | Category 1 | status: Highly Confident / Confident | signed | NZQA |
| Whitireia & WelTec | public polytechnic | Category 1 | 2021 report | signed | NZQA |
| Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) | private (PTE) | Category 1 | 07.09.2023: Highly Confident / Highly Confident | signed | NZQA |
| New Zealand Management Academies (NZMA) | private (PTE) | Category 1 | 14.02.2023: Highly Confident / Highly Confident | signed | NZQA |
| Whitecliffe (Whitecliffe Education Ltd) | private (PTE) | Category 1 | 11.02.2022: Highly Confident / Highly Confident | signed | NZQA |
| Yoobee Colleges | private (PTE) | Category 2 | 18.12.2024: Confident / Confident | signed | NZQA |
| Skill New Zealand, Manukau (Auckland) | private (PTE) | Category 2 | 17.04.2025: Confident / Confident | signed | NZQA |
NZQA registration dates from the records: AIS and Whitecliffe 01.04.1991, NZMA 01.07.1991, Yoobee 02.06.1992, Skill NZ 01.12.1993, ICL 15.01.2003. ICL and Skill NZ also have separately registered sites for online delivery offshore.
Polytechnic reform. Since 1 January 2026 NMIT has operated as an independent public polytechnic, one of ten established out of NZIST (Te Pūkenga). Whitireia & WelTec remain a division of NZIST throughout 2026; the independent institution is legally established on 1 October 2026 and starts operating on 1 January 2027 (Tertiary Education Commission).
How to check a provider yourself: 4 steps
- Find the provider in the NZQA register at nzqa.govt.nz/providers. Search by legal name, since some providers trade under a different name, for example "ICL Education Ltd, trading as ICL Graduate Business School".
- Check the category and the date of the latest evaluation. Category 1 is the highest; if the evaluation was some time ago, read the report linked from the record.
- Check the code. The record should show that the provider has signed the code for international learners; without it, it cannot enrol you.
- Check the programme. Its NZQCF (formerly NZQF) level: bachelor's 7, postgraduate diploma 8, master's 9 (NZQA). The programme should appear among the provider's accredited programmes.
Nairi International University: legal details
| Legal entity | NAIRI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ONLINE COMMUNITY SpA |
| Country of registration | Chile |
| Tax number (RUT) | 77.928.614-2 |
| Address | Reñaca Nte. 265, Of. 510, Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Chile |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Format | a private open online university with no traditional campus |
| Governing law | the law of the Republic of Chile |
| Rector and founder | Serzh Nairi |
| Contacts | info@nairiuniversity.com · +56 9 2046 3530 (phone, WhatsApp) · Telegram @NIU_Study_Chile_NZ |
NIU's joint programmes with New Zealand partners rest on an inter-institutional agreement and recognition of prior learning (RPL): the partner credits NIU's credits towards its own programme, 60 of 180 on the Master of Business Informatics and 180 of 360 on the Bachelor of Business Information Systems. The New Zealand degree is awarded by the partner, which is registered with NZQA and has its own category and accredited programme; for the NIU stage, graduates receive an NIU certificate.
Recognition of qualifications
Recognition is a separate procedure from accreditation, and its rules are set by the country where you use your qualification. In Russia, Honours, Master's and PhD degrees from six New Zealand universities, including Lincoln University, are recognised automatically; qualifications from other providers are recognised by Rosobrnadzor on application. Details on Degree recognition.
Find out more
- All partner programmes are in the Programs and courses catalogue.
- NIU's projects and partnerships: Projects and partners.
- What a double degree is and how joint programmes work: Online double degree.
- Choosing a master's: Master's in New Zealand.
Sources
All links checked on 30 September 2026.
- NZQA — Provider register: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/index.do
- NZQA — Quality assurance: https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/tertiary/quality-assurance/
- NZQA — Provider categories after external evaluation and review: https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/tertiary/quality-assurance/eer/provider-categories-after-external-evaluation-and-review/
- NZQA — The New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (1 July 2025): https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Qualifications-standards/Understanding-NZQF/The-New-Zealand-Qualifications-and-Credentials-Framework.pdf
- Universities New Zealand — CUAP Handbook 2024: https://www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/sites/default/files/uni-nz/CUAP%20HANDBOOK%202024.pdf
- Tertiary Education Commission — Future of the remaining polytechnic divisions from NZIST (23.07.2026): https://www.tec.govt.nz/strategic-initiatives/vocational-education-system/changes-to-the-vocational-education-and-training-vet-system/future-of-the-remaining-polytechnic-divisions-from-the-nzist
- Tertiary Education Commission — Establishment of institutes of technology and polytechnics (01.05.2026): https://www.tec.govt.nz/strategic-initiatives/vocational-education-system/changes-to-the-vocational-education-and-training-vet-system/establishment-of-institutes-of-technology-and-polytechnics
- Provider records in the NZQA register — linked in the table above.