The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice
What is the Code?
The University of Canterbury follows the The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice. The Code sets out the minimum standards of non-academic advice and care that are expected of educational providers with respect to international students.
A summary of the Code
The Code sets standards for educational providers to ensure that:
- high professional standards are maintained
- the recruitment of international students is undertaken in an ethical and responsible manner
- information supplied to international students is comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date
- students are provided with information prior to entering into any commitments
- contractual dealings with international students are conducted in an ethical and responsible manner
- the particular needs of international students are recognised
- international students under the age of 18 are in safe accommodation
- all providers have fair and equitable internal procedures for the resolution of international student grievances
Full details of what is covered can be found in the Code itself. Copies of the Code are available from the NZQA website.
What do I do if something goes wrong?
If you have concerns about your experience at the university, the first thing you should do is contact Student Care, UCSA, or the University Grievance Coordinator to discuss your concerns and your options. For more information on the University's formal complaints process, please see the university’s How to Raise a Concern page. You need to go through the university’s internal processes before you take your concerns further. If your concerns are not resolved by these internal grievance procedures, you can then pursue an external complaint through NZQA.
If you have a complaint regarding pastoral care and have tried to resolve it through the UC Concerns Process but have not been able to, you can contact NZQA, a government organization. They can provide an independent assessment of your complaint and will either investigate your concerns or advise you what you can do next. You can submit your complaint query on the NZQA website, or send an email to risk@nzqa.govt.nz. If you need more information, contact NZQA on 0800 697 296.
If your concern is about a financial or contractual dispute, you can contact iStudent Complaints or 0800 00 66 75. This is a free, independent service for international students.