A joint research project between New Zealand and Korea has brought formal senior secondary school qualification recognition between the two countries one step closer.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and the Republic of Korea's Minister of Education HE Hwang Woo Yea met in Seoul today and announced the completion of the research project, which confirmed senior secondary school curricula between the two countries is comparable.

This means the New Zealand National Certificates in Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3 has a similar level of educational outcome to the Korean senior secondary school qualification.

“The research undertaken by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation promotes a shared understanding of both countries' education systems and curricula, and supports our shared interest in high-quality education systems,” says Mr Joyce.

The study is based on curriculum-to-curriculum analyses of Mathematics and Science using the internationally recognised concept of “best-fit”.  

“Working towards joint recognition of secondary schools qualification will encourage more Korean and New Zealand students to study in each other’s country, particularly as New Zealand and Korea are set to become even closer partners as we implement our new Free Trade Agreement.”

In 2014, Korea was New Zealand’s fourth largest source of international students with 7,910 students.

Mr Joyce is in Korea to attend the OECD Science Ministers meeting, and to further New Zealand’s relationship with our sixth largest export markets for goods and services.