Media Release – Friday 1 November 2013
Research to reveal student perspective on tertiary education
The NZ Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) has announced steps in the final stages of its new research programme
designed to strengthen the voice of tertiary students at campuses throughout New Zealand in 2014.
The research programme has seen a series of nationwide consultations conducted over the last two months and moves to
establish an innovative new network of Learner Advisory Panels.
The information that is being collected will complement NZUSA’s core membership of university and polytechnic student
associations who are meeting for their annual congress in Wellington next week.
The programme’s first project – titled Better Student Information – surveyed students about factors that influence the
decisions they take when making study choices. Responses were collected from a representative cross-section of 385 class
and course representatives.
Initial findings from the project indicate that an overwhelming number of students are not receiving sufficient
trustworthy information to inform either their study or career pathways, coupled with a sense that employment outcomes
are being ignored.
A full report of findings will be released this month around the same time as submissions on the draft Tertiary
Education Strategy close on 15 November.
The network of Learner Advisory Panels is being set up in 10 regions. Recruiting for the panels is intended to provide
access to up to 200 students who will be called on to participate in a number of online focus groups and occasional
face-to-face forums throughout the academic year.
A key launchpad for NZUSA’s research programme was a report about how to implement best practice for using the student
voice at tertiary institutions to improve quality. This was published in conjunction with the national centre for
tertiary teaching excellence Ako Aotearoa in May and is available at www.akoaotearoa.ac.nz and www.students.org.nz
ENDS