Universities 2012

The 201113 planning environment

Universities will need to deliver on their core roles, meet Government expectations, and support the TES priorities within their revenue and resource constraints. The 201113 planning horizon will be characterised by limited TEC funds for volume growth across the tertiary system. Universities need to: manage enrolment levels in line with agreed Plans anticipate the educational and financial consequences of the introduction of performance-linked funding ensure the maintenance of high levels of overall institutional financial performance.

Meeting Government expectations for universities

The TES defines the core roles and expectations for universities as: Core roles Government expectations

To undertake research that adds to the store of knowledge

Enable a wide range of students to successfully complete degree and postgraduate qualifications Undertake internationally recognised original research Create and share new knowledge that contributes to New Zealands economic and social development and environmental management

To provide a wide range of research- led degree and postgraduate education that is of an international standard

To act as sources of critical thinking and intellectual talent

More than any other part of the tertiary system, New Zealand universities are part of an international network. International linkages, for example, provide valuable pathways for New Zealand learners to study overseas, and support overseas learners to study in New Zealand. Universities are expected to have a focus on ensuring the continued strengthening of international linkages that gain value for teaching and learning, research, and economic development. Ensuring New Zealand university education equips learners for being global citizens is just one of the benefits from strengthening universities international relationships. For New Zealand, the overall reputation of the university system is as important as the standing of a single institution. Within New Zealand, each university needs to identify its role and how to support its strengths. The differentiation that has developed to date can be seen at whole-of-university level and in specialist subjects. Further focusing on individual university strengths may involve ensuring that good quality general degrees are widely available while collaborating around more specialist undergraduate and post-graduate provision. There are also common issues that should be worked on collectively, such as those in relation to participation and achievement of under-represented groups, and working with businesses and Crown Research Institutes to enhance research uptake.

Achieving the TES priorities

Universities will contribute to the following TES priorities: Increasing the number of young people (aged under 25) achieving qualifications at level four and above, particularly degrees Increasing the number of Mori students enjoying success at higher levels Increasing the number of Pasifika students achieving at higher levels Increasing the number of young people moving successfully from school into tertiary education Strengthening research outcomes. There are three key areas that universities will be required to focus on in order to support the TES priorities, each of which will be discussed as part of Plan engagement: Aligning provision to support the TES priorities Raising achievement rates for enrolled learners Strengthen research and economic outcomes.

Aligning provision to support the TES priorities

The TES states the Government wants to see more young people, Mori, and Pacific peoples achieving at NQF Level 4 and above, particularly degrees. These three priorities will only be achieved at a national level over the medium term through a systemlevel approach that includes the compulsory sector, other parts of the tertiary sector, as well as universities, and involves the participation of the relevant communities. Universities have the opportunity to take a leadership role by ensuring the application of their research and educational expertise to the complex issues of lower levels of participation and achievement of Mori and Pacific peoples in tertiary education. Areas of possible university contribution include, for example: research directly focussed on understanding and addressing these problems; sharing best practice; ensuring the training of teachers for the compulsory system equips them to successfully teach culturally diverse classes; contributing to the professional development of the teaching workforce; and putting in place mentoring programmes to provide motivation and aspiration for Mori and Pacific peoples in low decile schools. In a low-growth funding system, the needs of groups targeted in the TES must be prioritised. The expectation is that universities will prioritise younger learners where decisions are made in relation to managing enrolments but not at the expense of older learners from less represented groups (Mori and Pacific peoples in particular). The approach to managing entry to university, along with managing satisfactory progression within institutions, needs to reflect these TES priorities, as well as more generally ensuring learners are enrolled in qualifications in which they have a reasonable chance of success and that those who are appropriately prepared are able to enrol at university. This is important both in terms of supporting expectations around higher course completion and progression rates, and in terms of using Government funding effectively and efficiently. The TEC will engage with universities to identify how each institutions provision and enrolment profile relates to the educational needs of catchment demographics (recognising that all universities are to some extent national providers), the TES priority groups, and the delivery of other tertiary organisations. The

TEC, along with other Government agencies, will continue to work with universities on the settings relating to entry to degree provision.

Raising achievement rates for enrolled learners

The TES states that a key driver to enhance the value of public investment in tertiary education is to improve course and qualification completion rates. Course and qualification completion rates indicate learners have achieved their learning goals, and are associated with better employment and social outcomes. Therefore, universities need to be aware of the educational needs of learners, enrol learners into programmes that meet each learners needs, and support each learner to succeed. Learner achievement rates will influence future funding allocations to universities. As part of the Plan development process, the TEC will be providing each university with course and qualification completion performance information in relation to the TES priority groups. Universities will be expected to outline how they intend to raise educational performance, to support the development of performance commitments in these areas. The TEC will also discuss the performance of universities in supporting learners to continue their study towards a qualification (i.e. retention/continuation), and progressing learners into postgraduate levels of learning (i.e. progression).

Strengthen research and economic outcomes

The TES states that two of the Governments six main structural policy drivers are to ensure New Zealand has the skills it needs to drive economic performance and to support innovation and business, and one of the TES priorities is strengthening research outcomes. Universities are key contributors to these areas. Universities produce much of New Zealands research, and have a central role in ensuring that strong connections with firms enable the uptake and commercialisation of research. This requires the development of enduring two-way relationships that add value for universities, firms, and other stakeholders who use research to enhance social, health or environmental outcomes. The TEC will discuss with universities how their research contributions to national goals can be best measured. Universities are also key contributors to economic development through: providing qualifications that respond to the changing needs of business and industry by preparing learners with the graduate attributes they need for a successful career providing research training, advanced critical thinking, and entrepreneurship skills within research degrees. The destination of graduates is an important outcome measure of the alignment of qualifications with the needs of employers. The TEC will discuss with the sector how universities intend to capture and use information on graduate destinations. Information on outcomes may inform future funding decisions and be used in the publication of performance information.

http://www.tec.govt.nz/Funding/investment-plans/Information-fororganisations/Universities/