14 December 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
From: Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics of New Zealand
1.2% funding increase leaves ITPs (and NZ) short
“The government’s 1.2% funding increase for institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) leaves the sector and the
country short. Most importantly, it reduces ITPs’ ability to deliver what New Zealand needs. ITPs play the leading role
in providing vocational and applied education and research, and they need resources to maintain and improve their
contribution,” said Dave Guerin, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITP New Zealand) Executive
Director
The Tertiary Education Commission announced today that the ITP sector’s funding would increase by 1.2% in 2008 over 2007
levels. This is half the inflation rate and a much smaller fraction of the increase in other tertiary education
sub-sectors.
“The government has focused this year on reducing funding to the ‘wrong’ activities. From today, the debate has to shift
to delivering resources where it matters for employers, communities and students. The signal sent by today’s
announcement runs counter to that imperative.”
“ITPs have spent months working with the TEC on plans that will deliver new qualifications, research links with industry
and regional development. The resources now have to be secured to deliver those benefits to New Zealand. This
announcement falls short.”
“A major focus of the TEC’s announcement is out of region provision. Most ITP New Zealand members support constraints on
out of region provision and have agreed to work together to identify and manage provision in other ITPs’ regions. Some
members are pursuing a different approach. “
“We acknowledge that CPI adjustments have been advised for 2009 to 2011 and this will improve ITPs’ ability to plan.”
The allocations to individual ITPs vary considerably, but ITP New Zealand will not be commenting on the funding of
individual ITPs.
ENDS