ITP Degree Accreditation

IT Professionals NZ operates the IT industry's independent degree accreditation process, recognising and endorsing degree programmes that provide good pathways into industry and supporting international portability of qualifications.

Students of ITP accredited degree programmes can have confidence their degree is industry-aligned and of value to the IT industry.

ITP accredits degrees only, and does not offer degrees. Please contact the individual tertiary institution directly for more information about a particular degree programme.

  • At the invitation of tertiary institutions, the accreditation process involves a comprehensive review of everything to do with a computing degree programme, including a multi-day campus visit by a panel of academic and industry experts.

    Before a programme can be endorsed by the IT industry's professional body, the visiting panel and Accreditations board follow an in-depth process to consider whether it meets the needs of local industry - such as evidence of industry engagement, team-work, practical application of theoretical skills, staff capability, and professional practice.

    ITP Degree Accreditation is a very thorough process, and students of accredited programmes can be assured their degrees are robust and will be recognised, both locally and on the international stage, as high quality programmes responding to industry needs.

  • The Seoul Accord is an international accreditation agreement for professional computing and information technology academic degrees, between the bodies responsible for accreditation in its signatory countries. Established in 2008, the signatories are Australia, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    New Zealand, through ITP, is a provisional signatory of the Seoul Accord, alongside Ireland and the Philippines. Once full signatory status is granted, accredited computing degrees will be formally recognised across all signatory countries as meeting robust international best practice standards for computing undergraduate degrees.

    The Seoul Accord mutually recognizes tertiary level computing and IT qualifications between the signatory agencies. Graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries are recognized by the other signatory countries as having met the academic requirements as IT professionals.

  • The ITP degree accreditation process contains several steps, each outlined in detail in the Accreditation documentation below:

    Accreditation visits are undertaken at the invitation of the tertiary institution. A full application with documentation is completed in the first instance, followed by visit to the institution by an Accreditation Panel constituted for the process. Under no circumstances can accreditation be granted without an accreditation visit.

    The visit looks at every aspect of the degree programme and the department or school offering it. The process is thorough and robust, but also achievable for good quality tertiary institutions.

    You can download the Administrative Guidelines, or the full Accreditation document set for more information.