Skills shortages solved by collaboration not pork barrel politics.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union says a third medical school at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato is not an effective way to resolve either the crisis in tertiary education or the doctor shortage.

Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey says “to make a unilateral decision of where and when to fund a third medical school in a politicised way without any meaningful consultation with the medical profession as a whole or the tertiary education sector is inappropriate and irresponsible.”

“This proposal flies in the face of the growing consensus that universities should be working together more collaboratively, not continuing down the failed path of competition and vanity projects.”

“What we’ve seen over the last few weeks is the old model collapsing. Universities, Waikato included, are running deficits due to a broken funding system that rewards bad choices to put empire building before staff and students.”

“A much more cost effective and impactful policy solution than this would be to expand the two medical schools we already have that enjoy excellent reputations at home and abroad and use the money that would have been wasted on duplication and $380 million in capital costs to attract some of the high-quality staff we have lost back into academia.”

Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Shane Vugler adds “it’s now plain to see what a million dollars in consultancy fees for Steven Joyce has bought the University of Waikato. It’s disappointing to see that the Vice Chancellor is choosing to spend time and resources this way when his staff are overworked and their salaries are falling further and further behind inflation.”

“There are many other important skills shortages that need addressing such as nursing and teaching. We should be addressing them holistically with a sector-wide strategy that puts staff and students at the centre of decision making, not former National Party ministers and those wedded to old thinking.”