Archive for the ‘Policy’ Category

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Fewer Staff at MOE, TEC, NZQA

In: Policy

17 Mar 2010

Tony Ryall, State Services Minister, has just released data on the effects of capping the public service. From the end of 2008 to the end of 2009 staff dropped at the MOE by 46 (1.6%), at the TEC by 66 (18%) and at NZQA by 19 (4.3%). Overall public sector staff numbers dropped by 940 or 1.8%. The [...]

Dumb Research Findings – Skateboarders and Attractive Women

In: Research

17 Mar 2010

New research published in Social Psychological and Personality Science demonstrates that physical risk taking by young men increases in the presence of an attractive female – who woulda thunk it? Luckily the researchers come from the University of Queensland, and aren’t funded by us. Here’s the abstract – apparently it’s something to do with testosterone…
HT Chronicle [...]

News 15 Mar – Briefings to New Minister, Budget Lobbying Starts

In: Funding| Government on Industry| Policy| Research| Strategy & Policy| Tertiary Staff

15 Mar 2010

Joyce’s Briefings Steven Joyce released briefings given to him as the new Minister on Friday. There are nine papers for the curious. (I = ED Insider story)
Tertiary Education Reforms The Manawatu Standard has come out in support of performance-based funding for providers and for student loans. Martin Kay, political reporter, has written a lengthy piece [...]

University of Waikato Exceeds Funding Cap

In: Funding

13 Mar 2010

One of the big issues in tertiary education last year was whether providers could enrol above their funding cap. Enrolment demand was high due to the recession, while there was slower growth in places than in previous years, so providers were open to getting more funded places (obviously) as well as enrolling unfunded students (mainly [...]

ITP Musical Chairs 6 – Ministerial Appointees

In: Policy| TEI Issues

12 Mar 2010

I started a series on ITP Councils in early February but have been distracted from it over the last couple of weeks. so I thought I’d better write something about Ministerial appointees. (This is the sixth post in a series on ITP Council changes – the seventh will be on Joyce’s decisions and the last one [...]

News 12 Mar – Students Get a Car, a Mock Funeral and Criticism

In: Funding| ITOs| Industry Groups| Research| TEI Issues

12 Mar 2010

Student Giveaway Waiariki Institute of Technology has given away a car as part of a promotion to encourage students to pay their fees early. Roberto Mura won the prize and is pictured with Waiariki CEO Pim Borren (on the right). I think this may be the biggest prize ever given out as part of a [...]

Bologna Process Stirs Blockades – Really

In: Quality Assurance

11 Mar 2010

The Bologna Process is an EU initiative that is basically designed to align degree structures across the EU (and the wider world – NZ’s relationship is covered here). The EU is running a Ministerial Anniversary Conference in Vienna this week “to honour and to assess the achievements of common action and its contribution to enhancing [...]

All Must Be Above Average…

In: TEI Issues

11 Mar 2010

I was reading the proposed risk criteria for tertiary education institutions earlier this week and loved this item, which will probably just apply to polytechnics.
“12. That the institution is failing, or is likely to fail, to achieve educational outcomes that are commensurate with the average sector performance in terms of meeting the needs of learners, [...]

News 11 Mar – Telford and Lincoln to Merge?

In: Funding| Quality Assurance| TEI Issues

11 Mar 2010

Lincoln University and Telford Rural Polytechnic are considering merging in 2011, according to an ODT story today. Telford spokespeople have referred to cuts in funding for short courses as a driver, along with the potential for lower running costs. The two institutions both operate in the primary sector but run complementary courses.
Tertiary reforms

Steven Joyce and [...]

Let’s cut law courses!

In: Funding

10 Mar 2010

…well, give them the hard word anyway. A Facebook discussion I had last night made me think more about the impact of Steven Joyce’s performance funding on universities. While we usually talk and think about non-university, sub-degree courses in relation to poor course or qualification completion, some university courses also have poor results, like law.
Law [...]


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  • Kiwis tapping the iPhone's potential March 18, 2010
    It's a well-worn adage, especially within the software development industry, but necessity really is the mother of invention for some of New Zealand's most successful iPhone application developers. […]
  • Dozen Witt staff face the axe | Stuff.co.nz March 18, 2010
    Up to 12 full-time staff will be axed as Witt tries to make up for a $2.25 million funding cut expected next year. Consultation has already been completed with the affected employees, who work across a number of areas and it could be finalised this week. […]
  • Lincoln, Teleford study merger proposal March 18, 2010
    Lincoln University and Telford Rural Polytechnic are exploring a possible merger of their two institutions in the coming year. The merger talks have been prompted by the tertiary shake-up that looks set to "squeeze" the South Otago rural training institution. […]
  • Study Looks At Exceptional Māori Students March 18, 2010
    Outstanding Māori secondary school students are the focus of new research into what factors influence their success. University of Auckland Faculty of Education lecturer Melinda Webber is one of four researchers, all of Te Arawa descent, who have gone back into their Rotorua community to profile Māori... […]
  • Southern School of Swing Set to Succeed March 18, 2010
    The University of Canterbury’s proposal for a new music school is looking to go ahead, while Wellington plans of a similar nature lay in the pipeline. […]
  • Designer praises iD Fashion to the heavens March 18, 2010
    While the Dunedin fashion scene recovers from a week packed with 16 events, including two sold-out shows, organisers of iD Dunedin Fashion Week are already thinking of next year. […]
  • Fees may put tertiary study 'out of reach' March 18, 2010
    The cost of tertiary study is rising and Government changes could make it dearer still. Critics are worried spiralling costs will take higher study out of reach for some people. […]
  • Editorial: Tapping potential March 18, 2010
    OPINION: The selection of two irrigation schemes among the four winners of a competition to find projects with a long-term potential capacity to make a significant contribution to the Canterbury economy demonstrates the significance of the appropriate use of its water resource to the region. […]
  • Failing students may get two-year reprieve before losing loans March 18, 2010
    Tertiary students failing more than half their papers may be given a two-year time limit to prove they are worthy of keeping student loans. Tertiary Minister Steven Joyce has floated plans to make obtaining student loans subject to a student's success, but details of how it would work are yet to be finalised. […]
  • Exam time for the tertiary education sector March 18, 2010
    Welcome to Tertiary Education Challenge, here is your starter for 10: How many tourism qualifications does a country of four million people need? Let's put it another way. […]
  • Aoraki restructure too fast – union March 18, 2010
    The Tertiary Education Union says Aoraki Polytechnic's restructure is "risky". Six top-level jobs will be axed and new positions created under a new school structure, which Aoraki chief executive Kay Nelson said would help meet the Government's latest demands for the tertiary sector. […]
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