Universities Minister Shane Reti did not support his advisory group's main recommendation. Photo / Mike Scott
Universities Minister Shane Reti did not support his advisory group's main recommendation. Photo / Mike Scott
Universities Minister Shane Reti is defending his decision not to adopt his advisory group’s “highest priority” to split universities from the rest of tertiary education providers amid a new effort to modernise the sector.
Reti argues the central recommendation from the University Advisory Group, led by former chief scienceadviser Sir Peter Gluckman to assess the future of the universities system, would create disruption, delays and excessive costs and instead supported a more connected tertiary education sector.
He also disagreed with the group’s recommendation to set up a New Zealand Universities Council (NZUC) to later be a new government agency, instead opting for a University Strategy Group and appointing himself as chairman.
It comes as part of a refreshed tertiary education strategy with a focus on driving economic growth.
Reti’s advisory group, which submitted its final report in April, observed the “lack of effective policy consideration of the universities as a system operating in the national interest is a fundamental weakness”.
As such, the group recommended as part of Reti’s refresh that an NZUC be created as a future government agency, which could fund and administer the eight universities as a distinct system.
Universities Minister Shane Reti will chair a new strategy group. Photo / Mark Mitchell
However, Reti shot down the proposal in a paper he took to Cabinet.
“I do not consider the UAG’s proposed machinery of government changes justify the disruption, delays, cost and uncertainty they would create. Separating universities from the broader tertiary education system would not serve the national interest or help to drive economic growth and better outcomes for students.”
Speaking to the Herald, Reti said setting up a new agency would be too costly and cause delays, noting he preferred to keep universities connected to other tertiary education providers to provide continuity.
The group proposed the council be comprised of nine members, including three academics who didn’t hold university admin roles, an economics expert and a person of Māori whakapapa.
The University Strategy Group, which Reti has favoured, would have the minister act as chairman and include three independent members and up to three university vice-chancellors.
Reti said he believed his group would “achieve the same functionality” as the proposed council.
He accepted it was abnormal for a minister to act as chairman but argued he would “bring levers that can help drive the strategy”.
Asked for his view on the recommendation to have Māori representation on the council, Reti, who had Māori ancestry, raised his hand.
He then acknowledged the recommendation was worthy of consideration if “there’s not that set of skills around the table”.
Asked whether he could fulfill that recommendation, Reti said: “I can bring some of it, but there are others with certainly more expertise than I have.”
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
