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2. The New Zealand Context: Our Development as a Prosperous and Confident Nation

The world’s economy is undergoing significant change, with an increasing emphasis on the creation and application of knowledge as the foundation for prosperity and social inclusion. For New Zealand, the development of a prosperous and confident knowledge society must build on this nation’s uniqueness and strengths. To create, market and sell high value products and services will require a strong focus on the global marketplace, and sophisticated new skills and knowledge. It will also require a culture of continuous inquiry, innovation and improvement and of risk-taking and entrepreneurship.

The Government’s vision for a New Zealand knowledge society is clear. New Zealand will be:

a birthplace of world-changing people and ideas;
a land where diversity is valued and reflected in our national identity;
a great place to live, learn, work and do business; and
a place where people invest in the future.

This Strategy supports the Government’s Growth and Innovation Framework, and takes a broad view of New Zealand’s development, framed within this section around the six national goals of:

economic transformation;
social development;
Maori development;
environmental sustainability;
infrastructural development; and
innovation.

The Strategy outlines how the tertiary education system will help give effect to the Government’s vision and goals.

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