Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP)
About the Committee
The Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) considers academic matters across the university system, including the exercise of programme approval and moderation procedures, advice and comment on academic developments, and encouraging the universities to develop courses of study that will facilitate the transfer of students between programmes and institutions.
What we do
Under New Zealand legislation, the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (Universities New Zealand) exercises the powers with respect to programme approval and accreditation that are held by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) for the rest of the tertiary education sector. Universities New Zealand has delegated its powers to CUAP. CUAP undertakes its programme approval and accreditation functions within policies such as the gazetted criteria for programme approval, developed by NZQA following consultation with the university sector. Representatives of CUAP meet representatives of NZQA four times a year to discuss matters of mutual interest and CUAP nominates university representatives to working groups convened by NZQA to consider a range of academic matters when invited to do so.
Frequency of meetings
CUAP meets twice a year (usually July and October) to consider proposals by universities for new qualifications or major changes to existing ones, as well as additional meetings on a range of academic matters.
Other information
Lists of the qualifications approved, deleted and renamed since 1990 are available.
New qualifications approved by CUAP are on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework – a comprehensive list of all quality-assured qualifications in New Zealand.
CUAP publishes a handbook (updated July 2023) describing the work of the committee, offering definitions of qualifications and outlining procedures to be followed in the submission of material.
Key UNZ contact
Wendy Robinson, Portfolio Manager – Academic Programmes
Committee members
- Professor Grant Edwards, Lincoln University (Chair)
- Professor David Crabbe, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (Deputy Chair)
- Professor Bridget Kool, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland
- Professor Wendy Lawson, AUT
- TBA, The University of Waikato
- Professor Giselle Byrnes, Massey University
- Professor Robyn Longhurst, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
- Professor Catherine Moran, University of Canterbury
- Dr Megan Clayton, Lincoln University
- Professor Tim Cooper, University of Otago
- Alan Shaker, Student Representative