The Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016
Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre has agreed to observe and be bound by the Education (Pastoral Care for International Students) Code of Practice 2016. Copies of the Code, and Taratahi's obligations, are available from the NZQA website at www.nzqa.govt.nz.
DRS - Dispute Resolution Scheme
Taratahi, as a code signatory, is required to have a formal process for handling student complaints, and to make sure these processes are accessible to students. Taratahi's current process is being reviewed internally but should be published by the end of November 2017.
If an international student has a complaint about their provider’s compliance with the Code of Practice, they should try and resolve it by using the internal provider process in the first instance.
If the complaint is still unresolved, the student can take their complaint to one of agencies found on the NZQA website.
External Evaluation and Review
NZQA is responsible for ensuring that tertiary education organisations continue to comply with the statutory policies and criteria after initial programme approval and accreditation and/or registration is granted.
Engagement in periodic external evaluation and review is one of NZQA's policies. Each external evaluation and review provides an independent judgement of the educational performance and capability in self-assessment of all non-university tertiary education organisations (TEOs).
By educational performance is meant the extent to which the educational outcomes achieved by the TEO represent quality and value for learners and the wider community.
An evaluation of educational performance involves answering questions focused primarily on the quality of learning and teaching, and the achievements of learners.
Judgements on capability in self-assessment indicate how effectively an organisation uses self-assessment information to understand performance and bring about improvement.
Through periodic external evaluation and review TEOs are held accountable to their students, employers, funders, quality assurance bodies and other interested parties. The review process also provides information to support improvement across the tertiary education sector.
Results of Taratahi's latest EER, issued in July 2017 can be found here.
Immigration
Full details of immigration requirements, advice on rights to employment in New Zealand while studying, and reporting requirements are available from Immigration New Zealand, and can be viewed on their website at www.immigration.govt.nz.
Also check out this information with regards to your rights to work in New Zealand whilst you study.
Eligibility for Health Services
Most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand. If you receive medical treatment during your visit, you may be liable for the full costs of that treatment. Full details on entitlements to publicly funded health services are available through the Ministry of Health, and can be viewed on their website at www.moh.govt.nz.
Accident Insurance
The Accident Compensation Corporation provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents, and temporary visitors to New Zealand, but you may still be liable for all other medical and related costs. Further information can be viewed on the ACC website at www.acc.co.nz.
Medical and Travel Insurance
International students, including group students, must have appropriate and current medical and travel insurance while in New Zealand.
Appropriate medical insurance is classified as being able to cover:
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Medical care in New Zealand, including diagnosis , prescription, surgery and hospitalisation and
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Repatriation or expatriation of the student as a result of serious illness or injury, including cover of travel costs incurred by family members assisting repatriation or expatriation and
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Death of the student, including cover of:
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travel costs of family members to and from New Zealand and
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costs of repatriation or expatriation of the body and
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funeral expenses.