New Zealand reviews ‘urgently needed but light on detail’

Reviews of New Zealand higher education and science are welcome news but light on detail, sector representatives said.

The two evaluations will be headed by Sir Peter Gluckman, former chief science adviser to the prime minister, who has been enlisted to spur productivity and economic growth.

Innovation minister Judith Collins said a “science system advisory group” would explore the “well-documented issues” facing New Zealand science. “There is a proven link between science and innovation and economic productivity, so it is critical the sector is operating efficiently,” Ms Collins said.

Tertiary education minister Penny Simmonds said the “university advisory group” would consider issues including equity, international education and the Performance-Based Research Fund. She said universities were “a key contributor to New Zealand’s…ability to grow and innovate and to achieve better social outcomes”.

The two groups will operate separately. “Having the same chair, however, will ensure that any changes made can benefit both…sectors,” Ms Collins said. “We will bring about the changes needed to ensure the science and higher education systems are well-placed to deliver maximum benefit.”

This is no small task, after the National Party-led government abandoned a well-advanced science reform process known as the Future Pathways programme and cancelled NZ$451 million (£214 million) of science infrastructure spending commitments.

Meanwhile, the combination of flat funding, rising costs and Covid-induced losses of international education revenue has left some universities reeling. A funding review promised by the former Labour government has also been shelved.

University of Canterbury vice-chancellor Cheryl de la Rey, who chairs the Universities New Zealand committee, said the reviews were “urgently needed”.

“Our universities are in serious financial difficulty, and we…risk seeing a real decline in the quality and range of both our teaching and our research,” she said.

Universities New Zealand said research funding had not increased at all since 2018. Overall sector funding had increased by just 8 per cent since 2019, amid inflation that had raised costs by 21 per cent.

“Our universities and their role in the wider science system are the key to navigating many of the challenges New Zealand will face in the coming decades,” said chief executive Chris Whelan. “This work offers a chance to explore how universities can deliver much greater value with different funding settings and investment levels.”

He said the two groups’ work would be effective if it satisfied four “key principles”: protecting universities’ core mission, providing financial sustainability, preserving core capability and producing simplicity, predictability and stability.

The Tertiary Education Union said the announcements were “light on details and heavy on ideology”.

“We don’t yet know what the terms of reference are, who will make up the advisory groups or who will have input,” said national secretary Sandra Grey. “But we do know that economic performance is the overwhelming priority.

“Any review of higher education must feature staff and student voices at its heart. There is no science sector or tertiary education system without us.”

She said higher education could not achieve better social outcomes if it was merely deemed “a business and a tool to lift economic growth. You have to invest in education as a public good, which means investing in staff and students.”

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com