There are two external quality assurance regimes - programme approval and accreditation and external evaluation and review. Both are administered by New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Programme approval and accreditation.
This process approves the qualification, programme and courses which are proposed and accredits the institution to deliver the programme. It uses an external panel of primarily subject experts to recommend the approval and accreditation to NZQA. The process is the same for all other polytechnics and institutes of technology, other than being a solely distance institution our accreditation applies to students where ever they live, whereas for class-contact institutions, accreditation is site specific.

External evaluation and review.
This process, involves a team of trained external evaluators appointed by NZQA, visiting the Polytechnic, every four years, to evaluate the Polytechnic’s capability in self assessment activities (leading to continuous improvement) and its educational performance to ensure that the Polytechnic continues to meet the QA requirements set up by NZQA. The process is the same for all other polytechnics and institutes of technology.

A specific business unit within the Open Polytechnic has responsibility for quality assurance preparing the organisation for external evaluation and review.

In terms of distance education, this unit monitors the effectiveness of key academic quality assistance processes specifically moderation.

To ensure we are a sector leader in Open Distance Learning (ODL) pedagogy and innovation technology enabled learning:

• we actively contribute to policy/consultation papers on academic and educational issues from external educational agencies.
• implement and monitor a student engagement survey

All programmes are required to be undertaking a continuous process of self evaluation, which culminates in an Annual Programme Evaluation Report presented to the Polytechnic’s Academic Board. The self evaluation is based upon the outcomes for students and key stakeholders and the key process leading to those outcomes. The process is based upon identify actions for improvement in performance and evidence that the improvements are happening.  All programmes are required by the Academic Board to undertake a formal programme evaluative review at least once every four years. The evaluative review involves external subject experts and key stakeholders. It is and designed to review and update the outcomes of the programme, the programme structure and the programme activities and delivery and also any changes to the courses within the programme.

Courses are formally reviewed every three years and more frequently if there are significant changes to their content brought about by changes to content.

Owned by the institution but with no licensing back to staff

(Comment: Academic staff sign an IP agreement when employed, in accordance with institutional policy)

The Government’s stated vision for tertiary education in general is ‘Relevant and efficient tertiary education provision that meets the needs of students, the labour market and the economy.’

The expectations of government on Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPS) to deliver ‘smarter, better public service for less’ poses the sector wide challenge of lifting educational success and rationalising programmes while maintaining participation and lowering costs. Specifically, in 2010, a new performance-based funding system was introduced which will mean in future the government will be more and more focussed on the academic performance of all learners and how well institutions support their success.

Our challenge as a specialist national provider of open distance learning (ODL) is to demonstrate that investing in the Open Polytechnic is a better investment than funding the replication of ODL models in other parts of the sector.

To meet the Government's expectation as set out in 14.1 the Open Polytechnic has a range of initiatives either at the planning stage or in delivery, related to our seven key shifts. Specifically these are:

Service leadership - distinguishing our provision through demonstrated capability in service focused distance education

Stakeholder engagement – active positioning through listening and communicating our contribution to vocational education

Academic portfolio – enhancing the vocational relevance of our portfolio so that qualifications lead to good jobs and meet stakeholder needs

Student demographics – generating viable demand across a diverse student base Value for money and financial performance – maintaining financial viability and providing value propositions for students and funders

Educational performance – ensuring our learners succeed in their study and advance to vocational application or high learning

Staff engagement – inspiring our staff so that they contribute to the development of the Open Polytechnic

About 30%, mainly degree-level courses (Ls5-7 of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework) take courses wholly or largely delivered by e-learning.

About 20% take courses where the amount of institutionally supplied/guided e-learning is "significant".

About 50%, mainly lower level qualifications, take courses where the where the amount of institutionally supplied/guided e-learning is insignificant.