AQA Board seeks new lay members

The Board of the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities (AQA) is seeking two lay members of the Board with expertise in quality assurance for a three-year term beginning 1 January 2019. The retiring members of the Board have served two consecutive terms and are not eligible for re-appointment.

The purpose of the AQA is to contribute to the advancement of New Zealand university education by:

• engaging as a leader and advocate in the development of academic quality,
• applying quality assurance and quality enhancement processes that assist universities in improving student engagement, academic experience and learning outcomes, and
• supporting confidence in the academic quality of New Zealand universities.

The AQA is an unincorporated body. While it was established by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, it is operationally independent of NZVCC in the conduct of its quality assurance activities. AQA is governed by an 8-person Board, appointed by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee. The Board includes academic, student and lay membership, and meets three or four times a year in Wellington, with electronic communication between meetings.

Core functions of the Board include: appointing and reviewing the performance of the Executive Director; ensuring that the process of quality assurance is such as to produce reliable reports that reflect an independent judgement and that are perceived as authoritative, rigorous, fair and perceptive; exercising the power of governance over the AQA; and advising the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee of the terms of reference of the AQA and its operation.

Particular skills/competencies sought:

• Expertise in quality assurance (national and/or international);
• Knowledge of the New Zealand university sector or other relevant educational institutions/sectors;
• The ability to support AQA in giving effect to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; and
• Prior board experience.

The role attracts a modest honorarium (currently $1920 per annum) and travel costs are met by AQA.

Persons who wish to be considered for appointment to the Board are invited to email a curriculum vitae with names of up to three referees to the Chair of the AQA Board c/o admin@aqa.ac.nz. Further information about AQA can be found on the website www.aqa.ac.nz or by emailing admin@aqa.ac.nz.

Applications close 28 August 2018