Applicants are required to download the PDF application form, complete it, submit the online application form, and upload the completed PDF as part of the submission process.
Accreditation means the confirmation of a course of study that has met the standards set by the Board and which leads to a qualification approved by the Board. It is granted by the Board of TNQAB when it is satisfied that a programme of learning satisfies the criteria for a qualification to be listed on the Tonga Qualifications Framework and has met relevant Quality Standards, including standards for delivery.
The aim of the programme accreditation process is to ensure that every qualification and programme of learning has been assured to be of adequate quality. An education and training organization must be granted registration by TNQAB before it applies for the accreditation of a programme. However, an application for the accreditation of programmes can be submitted concurrently with an application for registration.
The process of programme accreditation involves the assessment of both the qualification and the arrangements to deliver the programme. Providers use a single application form, which considers elements of the Quality Standards in two parts.
A provider may offer a Provider Qualification, i.e., a qualification that the provider develops itself (or through a contract) for delivery only by itself. Before developing a Provider, Qualification and applying for programme accreditation, a provider must give TNQAB notice of its intention to do so using the Intent to Accredit Form.
For providers that wish to offer a National Qualification, there is a streamlined assessment process, as the qualification requirements have already been quality assured. All providers can apply for programme accreditation can use the form ‘’Application for programme accreditation and Qualification Registration” (initial and renewal)’. Further information is provided in the ‘’Instructions to providers for Application for Programme Accreditation and Qualification Registration” to guide providers in filling in the application for programme accreditation and qualification registration (initial and renewal)
This Booklet provides instructions to assist providers with completing their application form for Programme Accreditation and Qualification Registration.
Providers submit a separate application for each programme leading to a qualification, except for ‘nested’ qualifications.
An application for Provider Registration can be submitted at the same time as this application for programme accreditation. See the Provider Registration application form.
This application form has three parts:
- Part A: Preliminary Information
- Part B: The Qualification and The Programme
- Part C: Delivery of the Programme.
There are instructions showing where to type information and the type of information that is required for Part B and Part C. Not every section of Parts B and C has instructions, as some sections are self-explanatory.
Sections in the application form marked with this symbol have Instructions in this Booklet.
There are additional documents that must be attached to the application. Templates for some additional documents are at Appendices 1, 2 and 3. There is a Checklist for these additional documents at the end of the application form.
All relevant sections of the application must be completed before the application will be accepted by TNQAB. Please contact TNQAB if you are not sure or need further advice.
Section B1. Characteristics of the Qualification
Complete this section for Provider Qualifications by adding text.
For National Qualifications, complete this section by copying and pasting from the approved description of the National Qualification.
The table below lists the characteristics of a qualification, and the information required to complete this section.
| Characteristic | Information Required | ||||||||||||||||||
| Title | The title of the qualification includes the : Provider / National , type of qualification, the field/sector, and level of qualification. Use of the terms “Tonga”, “Tongan” or “National” in a qualification is restricted to qualifications that meet the criteria for registration as national qualification(s). The developer should ensure that the qualification title aligns with the TQF qualification definitions. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Purpose Statement | This statement must clearly identify the following:
a) who the qualification is for and how it meets the needs of the individual, professional, industry and/or community for which it is designed; b) what the qualifying learner will know and be able to do on achievement of the qualification. c) the scope and relevancy of the proposed qualification. For instance, the proposed qualification may be relevant to an occupation, a group of related occupations, a sub-sector or an entire sector. d) how the qualification supports the priorities established in the Government of Tonga’s latest Strategic Development Plan. |
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| Rationale | The rationale should indicate how the qualification meets the specific needs in the sector or sub-sector for which it has been developed. The range of typical learners should be clearly identified | ||||||||||||||||||
| Outcomes Statement | This statement must clearly indicate what the qualification represents in terms of the knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities of individuals holding the qualification (the learning outcomes).
Each outcomes statement includes: · Graduate profile that identifies the expected graduate outcomes of a qualification. This comprehensively describes what a person awarded the qualification must be able to collectively do, be and know. In developing graduate profiles, the qualification developer should consider the full range of capabilities and competencies. · Employment pathways that identify the areas in which a graduate may be qualified to work, or the contribution they may make to their community. |
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| Learning Pathways | This statement must indicate the relationship of this qualification with other available qualifications for this industry sector, sub-sector or learning field (national and international), and the likely pathways into and out of the qualification. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Level | This should be a number between 1 and 10. The Tonga Qualification Framework is organized into ten levels from 1 to 10, with outcomes descriptors for each level. All quality assured qualifications offered in Tonga will be registered at one of these levels. In order to determine the appropriate level for the proposed qualification, the outcomes for each unit of competency should be compared to the level descriptors of the TQF to determine the best match. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Credit Value | One (1) credit is equivalent to ten notional learning hours. ‘Learning hours’ refer to the total time a learner uses to achieve targeted learning outcomes. Notional learning hours include direct contact time with teachers and trainers (directed learning), time spent in studying, doing assignments, and undertaking practical tasks (self-directed/work related), time spent in assessment.
Credit values are determined by evaluating how long it would take an average person to learn and demonstrate the learning outcomes or competencies specified in each component of the proposed qualification. A single credit represents 10 notional learning hours.
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| Qualification Components | These refer to the specific units of study (Appendix 1 or Appendix 2) that make up a qualification. A component of a qualification comprises a set of learning outcomes that must be achieved for the award of a qualification. There are usually more than one set of learning outcomes for a qualification, hence, a qualification is usually made of more than one component.
The components of qualifications are normally called units (sometimes modules or courses) or units of competency. The unit codes are determined for National Qualifications or by the provider if a Provider Qualification. |
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| Entry Requirements | Any necessary entry requirements or pre-requisite qualifications should be specified. Entry requirements should not exclude individuals on the basis of gender, descent, social origin, place of birth, or special needs. Whenever possible, open entry is encouraged in order to widen access to learning opportunities. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Learning Assumed to be in Place | This section should capture and reflect the “building blocks” of knowledge, skills and understanding which it is assumed the learners will already have prior to entry, and which support the achievement of the qualification by the learner. It should help the learner understand what is required in order to be successful with the learning involved in studying towards the qualification.
Examples: Ability to communicate using the Tongan language Basic algebra or science or English up to TQF level 1 Using word-processing and spreadsheet programs such as MS Word and MS Excel |
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| International Comparability | This statement must clearly indicate how and to what degree the qualification compares with equivalent qualifications offered internationally. The qualification and its components should be compared with qualifications offered in countries that are leaders in the sector, sub-sector or learning field and qualifications offered in other Pacific nations. As a guide, each qualification should be benchmarked against at least two comparable overseas qualifications. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Recognition of Prior Learning | This statement should clearly describe how the qualification may be gained in whole or in part through Recognition of Prior Learning, however such learning was achieved. The approach to RPL should reflect the objectives and principles of the TQF and must be in line with TNQAB Guidelines for the Recognition of Prior Learning (a separate document). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Support for Qualification | A provider qualification should have the support of relevant industry or professional groups, provided through an Industry Advisory Committee or other evidence of support. A national qualification must have the official endorsement of relevant national (and where appropriate international) industry, professional, academic, community and other interest groups. | ||||||||||||||||||
- (a) Information for unit of competency for TQF Level 7 and above at Appendix 2 (some units may be taught at TQF 5 and/or 6).
| Title of Unit | The unit title describes a discrete function that can be achieved and measured. The unit title is derived from the Functional Analysis. |
| Code | The approved internal institutional code, e.g. FM406 |
| Credit points for the unit | A unit standard’s credits indicate the notional learning time learners are expected to need to meet the standard’s outcomes. |
| Notional Learning Hours Ratio | State the Notional Learning Hours for the unit and provide the ratio of direct learning hours and self directed learning hours |
| Mode of Delivery | Face-to-face, hybrid, wholly online, intensive |
| Pre-requisites | List any units that must be completed before starting this unit |
| Co-requisites | List any units that must be taken together with this unit |
| Compulsory or Elective | Whether or not the unit is compulsory for the programme of study. |
| Description or purpose | Provide one paragraph, focusing on what will be learnt
Example: This unit develops students’….. [e.g., knowledge of; skills in; ability to…. |
| Learning outcomes
|
[Describe what students will know and be able to do if they pass the unit. Provide outcomes that reflect the level of learning (more advanced for later years).
By the end of this unit, students are able to:………….. Note: The learning outcomes for the units should map onto the programme learning outcomes, so the alignment is clear. |
| Graduate Attributes developed | List any relevant institutional graduate attributes that will be developed by students taking this unit |
| Unit Content | Brief list of key topics, generally between 6 and 12 but can be more |
| Teaching and learning strategies
|
Teaching and learning strategies include e.g., lectures, small group discussions, pairs discussion, presentations, quizzes, debates, practical exercises, guided discovery, role plays, interest-based research, problem solving, case studies |
| Proposed Assessment tasks / Criteria /Weights | Assessment is the process of identifying, gathering and interpreting information about students’ progress towards achieving the learning outcomes described in the unit outline. To ensure that assessments are fair and balanced, lecturers should use a range of methods, so students can demonstrate learning in different ways. Types include oral presentation, practical demonstration, portfolios of work samples, graphical representations, projects, written assignments, journals, log books, concept maps, models, written tests (multiple choice, short answer, selected response, and completion items)
Task 1: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Description: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Due date: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [e.g., in class, week 6, last day of residential] Length: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Criteria: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Explain the criteria you will use to assess] Weight: xx %
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| Moderation of assessment
|
Explain the arrangements to moderate the assessment tasks before they approved and the arrangement to moderate assessments after they have been marked |
| Attendance and other requirements to pass the unit
|
e.g., Students are required to attend 80% of face-to-face teaching sessions; Students are required to complete 100% of laboratory sessions |
| Feedback and unit evaluation strategies | [Example: Students are encouraged to provide informal feedback to the teacher (lecturer) during the unit. There will be a formal evaluation of the unit, either online or paper based. Students are advised to make constructive comments either positive or negative about the effectiveness of the teaching and learning strategies used to achieve the learning outcomes and to develop the graduate attributes. Comments made by students will help teachers to improve their professional performance |
| Other information
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Example: consultation times, formative feedback, use of a learning management system, availability of written course notes |
| Key references for the unit
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Example: Selected books, journal articles, web sites or other reference materials that students can access which helps them to achieve the learning outcomes of the unit. Use the APA referencing style (or other approved style) to list the references.] |
(ii) Information for completing details of unit learning outcomes (TQF qualifications Level 7 and above)
A learning outcome is a concise statement of what a learner is expected to know, be able to do and value as a result of a learning process. It can also be referred to as a ‘graduate profile’.
Bloom’s taxonomy for the cognitive domain serves as a guide for writing outcomes to reflect a range of levels of learning at TQF Level 7 and above, from simple description of an item to applying knowledge in practice to bringing together a complex range of ideas.
Learning outcomes for units at TQF Level 7 or above start with a phrase, followed by a verb, such as one of these types of verbs:
Knowledge: identify, describe, define, recall, tell, label, name, locate, list, show, relate, select, state, write, match
Comprehension: explain, illustrate, distinguish, interpret, infer, summarise, compare, estimate, represent, contrast, specify, give an example, put in your own words
Application: apply, use, change, calculate, demonstrate, construct, perform, compute, predict, order, solve, find, manipulate
Analysis: analyse, differentiate, diagram, classify, breakdown, discriminate, categorise, compare, contrast, detect, hypothesise, separate
Synthesis: create, combine, categorize, develop, compose, compile, propose, produce, devise, plan, explain, design, conclude, organise, summarise, restate, argue, discuss, organise, derive, relate, generalise, conclude
Evaluation: judge, evaluate, determine, support, defend, attack, criticise, select, justify, assess, choose, discuss, judge, evaluate, debate, consider.
Reference: Bloom, B.S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook: The Cognitive Domain. David McKay, New York.
An alternative taxonomy is the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy. For lists of typical SOLO taxonomy verbs see: https://edlab.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/The-SOLO-Taxonomy.pdf
Reference: Biggs, J., & Collis, K. (1982). Evaluating the quality of learning: The SOLO taxonomy. New York: Academic Press.
A curriculum map that shows the alignment between the program learning outcomes and the learning outcomes for each unit in the programme and also with the indicated qualification level
Use the template at Appendix 3 (i) to complete the mapping for qualifications at Levels 7 to 10. Place an I (Introduce), R (Reinforce) , or M (Master) in a cell to indicate different developmental levels the student will experience through the curriculum. I (Introduce), R (Reinforce) , or M (Master) are explained in the table below
| Introduce (I) | Reinforce (R) | Master (M) |
| Units introduce skills and knowledge, providing opportunities to acquire introductory skills and knowledge | Units provide opportunities to refine / reinforce skills and deepen knowledge in more complex contexts. | Units provide opportunities to demonstrate competency in the attainment of skills and knowledge |
| · Students are not expected to be familiar with the program SLO-related content knowledge or skills at the collegiate level.
· Instruction and learning activities focus on basic knowledge and skills with entry level complexity. · Only one or a few aspects of complex program SLOs are addressed |
· Students are expected to possess a solid foundation of program SLO-related content knowledge and skills at a more rigorous level.
· Instruction and learning activities concentrate on refining and deepening knowledge and skills, and expanding complexity, including practice with feedback. · Several aspects of program SLOs are applied and integrated |
· Students are expected to demonstrate an advanced level of program SLO-related content knowledge and skills, appropriate for students near the end of the curriculum, knowing when and where to apply content knowledge and skills.
· Instruction and learning activities focus on integrating knowledge and skills in multiple contexts at a complex level. · Program SLOs are addressed in all of their complexity across multiple contexts, purposes, and audiences. |
| Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO) / Graduate Profile | Unit
1 |
Unit
2 |
Unit
3 |
Unit
4 |
Unit
5 |
Unit
6 |
Unit
7 |
Unit
8 |
Unit
9 |
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXXX |
I | R | R | R | M | ||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXX |
I | I | R | M | |||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXXX |
I | I | R | M | |||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXX |
I | I | R | R | R | M | |||
Use the template at Appendix 3(ii) for Level 1 to 6, simply use an “X” in a cell to indicate which units support the programme learning outcomes /graduate profile
| Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO) / Graduate Profile | Unit
1 |
Unit
2 |
Unit
3 |
Unit
4 |
Unit
5 |
Unit
6 |
Unit
7 |
Unit
8 |
Unit
9 |
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXXX |
X | ||||||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXX |
X | ||||||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXXX |
|||||||||
| PLO 1
XXXXXXXXXXXX |
X |
Use the template at Appendix 3(iii) to complete the map that shows alignment of the program learning outcome and the TQF descriptors of levels. Place an “X” in a cell to ensure the Programme Learning Outcomes are adequately addressed by the curriculum and to identify potential structural concerns within the curriculum.
| Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)/Graduate Profile | TQF Level Descriptors (Generic Learning Outcomes) | |||
| Knowledge
XXXXX |
Skills
XXXXXX |
Application
XXXXX |
||
| PLO 1 XXXX | X | X | ||
| PLO 2 XXXXX | X | |||
| PLO 3 XXXXX | ||||
Provide the curriculum map as an additional document to the application.
A ‘nested’ qualification is a TQF lower level qualification that can provide entry or exit points for a higher level qualification, such as a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in a Bachelor degree.
Details of these nested qualifications can be included in the application form – there is no need for a separate application for each. All ‘nested’ qualifications will be assessed with the application for the highest level qualification.
Providers need to take care to ensure that ‘nested’ qualifications are designed to achieve both the learning outcomes of the exit level and make an appropriate contribution to the achievement of the different learning outcomes of the highest-level qualification.
Quality Standards to be checked in this section: 3.1, 3.2,3.3,3.4, 3.5,3.6, 3.7,3.8,3.9,3.10. 3.12
C4. Information for prospective students
Expected information includes entry requirements, TQF levels, mode of study, work placements or practicums, fees, additional costs, and any physical requirements.
Make sure the information includes the modes of study that are available.
Evidence should demonstrate that complete and accurate information on entry and selection criteria (admissions) is or will be provided.
Provide this information as an additional document to the application.
C7. Partnership
This section is to be completed where a qualification and its associated programme is to be offered or delivered in partnership with another organisation.
Explain the details of any partnerships for the delivery of the programme, such as an agreement between an overseas institution and a Tongan institution or between Tongan institutions to deliver a qualification or an overseas qualification.
Explain how the party that will award the qualification will assure the quality of its delivery with the Tongan partner. The standards set in the provider’s quality management system must include compliance with TNQAB’s Cross-Border Policy.
Section C8: Research required for Degrees and Postgraduate Qualifications
Accreditation Standard 3.12 states “Where degree courses of study are offered, adequate resources and support are provided to meet the provider’s defined research goals and objective”. In considering whether this Standard is met, TNQAB will have regard to the TQF Level of the qualification and whether the provider has committed to undertake research.
TNQAB expects that all teaching staff on programmes at TQF Level 7 and above will be active in one of the forms of scholarly activity identified by Boyer (1990): Teaching and learning scholarship; Integration of information; Application of knowledge; and Discovery, or original research that advances knowledge.
If the programme for which accreditation is sought is at Levels 9 or 10, TNQAB will expect to see that numbers of academic staff are active in research (the scholarships of discovery and application) and producing research outputs. The expectations are more limited for programmes at TQF Levels 7 and 8, although at least some staff teaching on the programme will need to be active researchers in order to support students.