Executive director awarded Fulbright scholarship

Friday, 9 February 2007

Manukau Institute of Technology executive director awarded Fulbright scholarship

Educational commentator and MIT executive director of External Relations and Student Affairs, Dr Stuart Middleton, has been selected for the Fulbright New Century Scholars Programme. He will be taking his local experience to the global stage

Manukau Institute of Technology’s Dr Stuart Middleton has been selected to participate in the prestigious Fulbright New Century Scholars (NCS) Programme 2007-2008, making him only the second New Zealander to be chosen for this global programme since its inception in 2001.

Dr Middleton was awarded the scholarship to address the topic “Higher Education in the 21st Century: Access and Equity”. Only 36 participants have been chosen worldwide for the programme – 12 from the US and 24 from other nations.

“I feel extremely privileged to have been awarded this scholarship and am anticipating great results as I experience the opportunity to work with peers from other countries towards resolving issues associated with the critical issue of access and equity in higher education. All education systems are struggling with this,” says Dr Middleton, MIT executive director of External Relations and Student Affairs.

While each scholar will draw on their own experience within different education systems in their respective nations, all Western countries face similar challenges in maintaining standards of educational success and achievement in face of the challenges associated with maintaining access with an increasingly diverse student population, according to Dr Middleton.

“The K-16 (pre-school, primary, secondary) education sector grapples with issues of student achievement for those who come from ethnic minorities, from linguistic communities where English is not prevalent and from those communities faced with economic disadvantage,” he says.

“The traditional supply of students who enter higher education with conventional and adequate levels of preparation for it is shrinking at a time when governments have recognised the importance of increasing the numbers continuing into higher education.”

Dr Middleton says, however, that in attempting to address the need to increase numbers the very nature of what “higher education” is has been distorted. He believes that the New Zealand higher education has been redefined “downwards” to create an increase in access and participation. However, he says this has not led to any significant increase in real terms of students graduating with the education qualifications so essential to a modern economy.

“This opening ‘downwards’ has produced a confusing picture that shows an increasing level of participation of minority students in the new and lowest levels of higher education, while minority group representation in the higher and more conventional higher education qualifications is at best static and in some institutions, declining.”

To successfully address this, Dr Middleton says today’s education providers must begin shaping their environments and programmes to enable students better access and success in higher education and provide supportive environments which aid retention.

“In New Zealand blunt policy responses to educational issues have failed to target key groups with little impact on access and outcomes. The study will identify educational policies that can be said to have lifted levels of access and led to more equitable outcomes. This debate must be informed by best practices in other systems.”

Manukau Institute of Technology has in place a major strategic project, Target 2010, and policies in access and equity. By the year 2010, MIT has committed to having Maori represent 20% of its graduate output, Pasifika to represent a further 20% and at the same time achieve a 10% increase in school leavers.

According to Dr Middleton, early indications are that the project is achieving outstanding success – the Pasifika target has already been passed, the Maori results are tracking positively towards them and there has been a 30% increase in enrolments from K-16 over the past three years.

“It is likely that by 2010, Manukau Institute of Technology will be performing well as an institution of higher education that meets the tough criteria of equity and access that will be essential in New Zealand. This will be achieved through providing a learning environment that sees students inducted in a well coordinated and connected network of student support, pastoral and academic.”

MIT also works closely with the K-16 (pre-school, primary, secondary) education system to build pathways into higher education that are seamless and effective in giving access to higher education programmes for students who have conventionally faced barriers.

“Despite well-founded and expressed intentions, the allocation of educational success continues to reflect conventional patterns – those who have done well in higher education continue to be the groups that enjoy the greatest share of success at K-16,” says Dr Middleton.

“The New Zealand curriculum has traditionally favoured those going on to a conventional university programme and there is declining participation in the senior secondary schools in our country. Too many students arrive at the interface between K-16 and higher education ill prepared for study at a higher level.

“We need seamless progression from compulsory education into higher education if the latter is to be a realistic goal for members of the diverse communities that education now serves.”

Issues such as these are what the global team will be exploring, and Dr Middleton believes his experience of Counties Manukau will enable him to make a considerable contribution to the discussion of diversity in education and its associated challenges.

“Manukau City is the largest Polynesian city in the world and as the fastest growing city in New Zealand it brings diversity of population to the region.

“The city has a demographic and socio-economic profile that is unlike any other area, but one which is considered to be a glimpse of the future of New Zealand. MIT’s roll is drawn significantly from communities which are conventionally under-represented in New Zealand higher education so we are well placed to offer considerable input into this global study.”

New Zealand Fulbright programme and advising team leader Peggy Tramposch says the scope of the NCS award gives grantees the chance to work with a range of scholars in their areas of interest who might not have the opportunity to work together.

“Because of the rare opportunity, the competition for the award is of the highest calibre,” she says.

“Stuart Middleton’s broad experience brings practical, measurable solutions to issues affecting access and equity in higher education. Working with partner institutions, his various projects show improving graduation rates among groups of students who have in the past been under-represented. Because of the diverse communities of Manukau, these programmes can be used as a model for other parts of the world with similar demographics."

About “Higher Education in the 21st Century: Access and Equity” 2007-2008:

Three themes related to the central topic of access and equity in higher education will be examined in depth. They are:

- The cultural and societal norms that affect access and equity

- The role of K-16 in limiting or advancing access to higher education

- The resources and policies that provide greater access to higher education

At the end of the programme year, scholars share the results of their collaborative interaction and engagement in a public forum in which they present their conclusions and recommendations for initiatives that will translate the results of their collaborative thinking into tangible impact on the local, regional or global level.

The first New Zealand recipient of the scholarship was Dr Nicola Gavey, from the University of Auckland in 2004.

* Go to www.fulbright.org.nz for more information on the NCS programme.

ENDS

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