The briefing paper prepared by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC) and handed to the government late last year was released publicly earlier this week. The paper, according to TEU transitional national co-president, Associate Professor Maureen Montgomery, makes many laudable points about the under-investment in New Zealand universities, the uncompetitive nature of academic salaries, the role of universities in the nation’s (and the world’s) economy and society, and the need for increases in research funding.

“The briefing paper, however, also signals to the government two ways in which the institutional funding crisis might be addressed,” said Dr Montgomery. “Implicitly, it challenges the government to revise its policy of providing student loans as this constitutes a much larger proportion of public funding for tertiary education than in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US.”

“Secondly, it seeks a review of the fee-maxima policy if increased public investment in the institutions is not forthcoming,” Dr Montgomery continued. “If both suggestions are seized upon by the government, that is to say, reducing the availability of student loans and increasing student fees, this would have a drastic impact on the affordability of university education and undermine the NZVCC’s express desire for the Government to ‘retain equality of access to university education for all who benefit from it’.”

Last year, the university sector of the TEU put on the agenda the need for a tripartite discussion involving unions, the government, and the NZVCC about the funding crisis in the universities. “We are now renewing our request for such discussion to take place,” said Dr Montgomery. “University staff are a valuable intellectual resource and can make a major contribution to seeking solutions.”

The TEU is planning a series of regional symposia to open up the debate about the future direction of tertiary education in New Zealand in relation to funding and quality.