Project investigates credit transfer pathways for students

 

Published by the Communications and Development Department

11 November 2003

 

Ways to facilitate student movement between qualifications offered by the Canterbury Tertiary Alliance partners are the focus of a project being undertaken by the CTA’s Credit Transfer Working Party.

 

Project manager Jacqui Lyttle is seeking staff input on how the alliance partners — Canterbury University, the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Lincoln University and the Christchurch College of Education — might establish mobile credit pathways for students who start a qualification in one institution and want to finish it or upgrade it in another.

 

“While there are established credit transfer arrangements amongst universities in New Zealand, these have tended to be conservative and do not generally apply to movement between universities and other tertiary institutions. The aim of the project is to move from a case by case approach, requiring individual student applications, to a more structured and certain process.”

 

The objective is in support of the Government’s requirement for institutions to take steps to facilitate movement and access for students between tertiary institutions.

 

“The Government is expecting institutions to work collaboratively and to develop guiding principles setting out clear pathways for the mobile learner,” Mrs Lyttle said.

 

Complementarity and comparability between courses and levels would need to be established when considering credit transfer, she said.

 

“CUAP [the Committee on University Academic Programmes] sets out quite clearly that credit transfer must recognise the distinctive differences between institutions and the integrity of their programmes. The aim is to facilitate access and promote new study opportunities, without compromising the quality or standards of qualifications.”

 

Mrs Lyttle said an example already in place was the three-year Diploma of Jazz offered by CPIT. After two year’s study, with good academic results, a student could do a further year at Canterbury’s School of Music and achieve a BMus.

 

• Staff members interested in discussing the project or who have suggestions on qualification pathways that could be established with other institutions, should contact Mrs Lyttle on extn 6831 (364 2831) or email jacqui.lyttle@canterbury.ac.nz