Code of Practice - Pastoral Care

South Seas Film & Television School Ltd has agreed to observe and be bound by the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students published by the Minister of Education. Copies of the Code are available on request from this institution or from the New Zealand Ministry of Education website at www.minedu.govt.nz

Introduction
When students from other countries come to study in New Zealand, it is important that those students are well informed, safe, and properly cared for.

New Zealand educational providers have an important responsibility for international students' welfare.

This document provides an overview of the "Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students" (the Code), and provides a procedure that students can follow if they have concerns about their treatment by a New Zealand educational provider or agent of a provider.

What is the Code?
The Code is a document that provides a framework for service delivery by educational providers and their agents to international students. The Code sets out the minimum standards of advice and care that are expected of educational providers with respect to international students. The Code applies to pastoral care and provision of information only, and not to academic standards.

Who does the Code apply to?
The Code applies to all education providers in New Zealand with international students enrolled. The Code is mandatory to these providers and must be signed by them.

What is an "international student"?
An "international student" is a foreign student studying in New Zealand.

How can I get a copy of the Code?
You can request a copy of the Code from your New Zealand education provider. The Code is also available online from www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international.

How do I know if an education provider has signed the Code?
The New Zealand Ministry of Education maintains a register of all signatories to the Code. This is available online from www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international. If the education provider that you are seeking to enrol with is not a signatory to the Code, you will not be granted a permit from the New Zealand Immigration Service and you will not be able to study at that institution.

What do I do if something goes wrong?
If you have concerns about your treatment by your education provider or by an agent of the provider, the first thing you must do is contact the principal, the international student director, or another person who has been identified to you as someone that you can approach about complaints at your institution. The Code requires all institutions to have fair and equitable internal grievance procedures for students and you need to go through these internal processes before you can take the complaint any further.

If your concerns are not resolved by the internal grievance procedures, you can contact the International Education Appeal Authority (IEAA).

What is the International Education Appeal Authority (IEAA)?
The IEAA is an independent body established to deal with complaints from international students about pastoral care aspects of advice and services received from their education provider or the provider's agents. The IEAA enforces the standards in the Code of Practice.

You can write to the IEAA at:

   International Education Appeal Authority
   C/- Ministry of Education
   Private Bag 47-911
   Ponsonby
   Auckland

   Fax: (09) 374 5403
   Phone: (09) 374 5481
   Email: info.ieaa@minedu.govt.nz

What will the IEAA do?
The purpose of the IEAA is to adjudicate on complaints from international students. The IEAA will investigate complaints and determine if there has been a breach of the Code. The IEAA has the power to impose sanctions on education providers who have committed a breach of the Code that is not a serious breach. These sanctions include an order for restitution, publication of the breach, and/or requiring that remedial action be undertaken.

The IEAA will refer complaints that are not about pastoral care to another regulatory body if appropriate.

The education provider will be given a reasonable time to remedy the breach. If the breach is not remedied within that time, the IEAA may refer the complaint to the Review Panel.

The IEAA can determine if it considers that a breach of the Code is a serious breach. If the breach is a serious breach, the IEAA will refer the complaint to the Review Panel.

What can the Review Panel do?
The Review Panel can remove or suspend an education provider as a signatory to the Code, meaning that the provider would be prevented from taking any more international students. Only the IEAA can refer complaints to the Review Panel.

Summary
The Code sets standards for education 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 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.

The Code also establishes the IEAA and the Review Panel to receive and adjudicate on student complaints.

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2 Marketing, recruitment, and enrolment
of international students
4 Provision of information to prospective international students
4.1 All information provided under this Part must be either in writing or in an electronic format, and available for
production to and inspection by the IEAA or Administrator. Records of all moneys paid and received should
be in writing.
4.2 Signatories or their agents must make the following information available in writing to prospective
international students before students enter into any commitments, either by referring the student to specific
website information or directly providing the information on:
4.2.1 Cost of tuition and all other course-related costs, so that there are no substantial hidden costs;
4.2.2 Application requirements and procedures;
4.2.3 Conditions of acceptance;
4.2.4 Refund conditions;
4.2.5 English language proficiency requirements (if applicable);
4.2.6 Information on facilities, equipment and staffing;
4.2.7 Information on the course/s or qualification/s the signatory offers;
4.2.8 Information on medical and travel insurance requirements; and
4.2.9 Information and advice on the types of accommodation applicable to students.
4.3 Information on accommodation must include the following:
4.3.1 Availability and characteristics of living accommodation options;
4.3.2 Realistic estimates of the cost of accommodation on and off campus;
4.3.3 Application processes for securing accommodation; and
4.3.4 Whether the signatory has assessed the suitability of the accommodation, and the result of any Form.

9 Immigration requirements
9.1 Signatories must inform prospective international students that the student must meet the requirements of Immigration New Zealand to study in New Zealand.
7
For the Pastoral Care of International Students
codeofpractice
9.2 Where a prospective international student does not hold authority from Immigration New Zealand to study,
or a signatory is unable to determine whether a prospective international student holds the necessary
authority, the signatory must either:
9.2.1 Obtain advice from Immigration New Zealand, or
9.2.2 Advise the international student to seek advice from
(i) Immigration New Zealand, or
(ii) an immigration adviser licensed under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, or
(iii) a person that is exempt from being licensed under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007
and ensure the prospective international student holds authority from Immigration New Zealand to study
before allowing that person to undertake any course of study or training. A register of licensed immigration
advisers is available from the Immigration Advisers Authority website at www.iaa.govt.nz.
9.3 Signatories must immediately report any termination of enrolment to Immigration New Zealand, using the
electronic notification form available at www.immigration.govt.nz

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