New Zealand Qualifications Authority And Malaysian Qualifications Agency Joint Statement On The Recognition Of Bachelor's, Master's And Doctoral Degrees

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) signed a Joint Statement (SoC) on the Recognition of Bachelor Degrees on August 8 and August 13, 2012, respectively. The signing signifies that the two agencies recognised non-professional Bachelor degrees awarded in both countries based on the compatibility of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) and the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), their quality assurance practices and the equivalency of qualifications. In this regard, both agencies agreed that the NZQF Level 7 Bachelor Degree and the MQF Level 6 Bachelor Degree are comparable and their quality assurance systems are compatible.

Pursuant to the outcomes of the first exercise, both agencies agreed to extend the exercise to a higher level of qualifications. In 6 and 25 November 2015 respectively, MQA and NZQA signed another SoC on the recognition of Master's and Doctoral Degrees, in which both agencies agreed that NZQF Level 9 Master's Degree and MQF Level 8 Master's Degree are comparable. NZQF Level 10 Doctoral Degree and MQF Level 8 Doctoral Degree are also comparable.

Both Joint Statements are aimed to facilitate student mobility as well as academic recognition, acceptance and exchanges between the two countries. Application of this recognition is also subject to the existing academic and non-academic requirements of higher education institutions, professional bodies, governmental and non-governmental agencies in Malaysia and New Zealand.

MQA and NZQA have also successfully completed a publication on the whole process of the comparability exercise, which includes the findings of the comparability of the Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degree by both countries. The online version of the publication can be accessed here.

Further information on the quality assured Bachelor's, Master's dan Doctoral programmes and qualifications in New Zealand can be found on the website of NZQA at www.nzqa.govt.nz/, whilst information on the Bachelor's, Master's dan Doctoral programmes and qualifications accredited by MQA is accessible through the Malaysian Qualifications Register at http://www2.mqa.gov.my/mqr/

No.	Title	Download
1.	MQA-NZQA Joint Statement on the Recognition of Master's and Doctoral Degrees
2.	NZQA MQA publication FINAL online version