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The change required to achieve this strategy

Key to achieving this strategy is supporting and developing strategic capacity and leadership at both management and governance levels. This requires TEOs giving more attention to student success (rather than focusing on simply increasing student numbers) and to developing robust, long-range planning, based on the needs of their communities, regions and the nation.

This strategy encourages TEOs to identify their distinctive contribution to tertiary education, resulting in increased differentiation of provision.

One of the ways of achieving the greater capability identified in this strategy is improved collaboration between TEOs and with key stakeholders, to make better use of resources, improve networks of professional practice and offer more integrated courses and qualifications to learners.

This strategy also emphasises raising the quality of tertiary education through improving teaching capability and learning environments, supported by the sector and government agencies working together to develop a more coherent and reliable system of qualifications, learning recognition and credit transfer.

Included within this strategy is a focus on sustainable growth of export education capability, centred on a reputation for quality teaching and pastoral care.

Progress to date

There is a strong policy focus on the quality of teaching and learning in three areas. The first is accelerating the shift towards more effective teaching and learning by establishing a National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. The second is enhancing the quality assurance and risk management practices to support and improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning. The third is to provide a broad funding-based incentive for providers to assist learners to succeed through the Student Component Performance Measure.

There has been attention to supporting good governance practice in TEIs. The financial situation of most TEIs continues to improve. However, there are still significant areas of financial risk and indications that some TEIs are struggling to manage within the increasingly complex environment of tertiary education. There is great variation in financial performance across the PTEs. However, the number of PTEs on two- to three-year NZQA audits is increasing, indicating increasing stability in these organisations.

The strategic development funds have continued to provide support for developing wider system capability, particularly in the areas of e-learning, innovation and collaboration. The Partnerships for Excellence fund has provided support for significant, innovative projects that are developed in partnership with the private sector.

There is continued reliance on Asia for international students and signs of declining numbers of students from this region. This may put some international student programmes at risk. Compliance with the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students has been good, with low levels of complaints being made. The majority of complaints relate to PTEs and to students wanting course refunds due to dissatisfaction with the provider and/or the course.

Key challenges for moving forward

From the analysis of progress to date, the following key challenges for moving forward to achieve this strategy are evident:

• building the external focus in leadership and management of TEOs to achieve a more cohesive tertiary education system that meets the needs of students, stakeholders and the nation

• continuing to improve the quality of provision and the success of students.

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• Table of Contents

• The State of Play

• Cross Strategy Indicators

• Raise foundation skills

• Skills for our knowledge society

• Strengthen research and knowledge creation

• Te rautaki mātauranga Māori

• Pacific people’s development and success

• Capability and quality

• Technical and Data Definitions