Tertiary Education
UnitedFuture proposes a bold new approach to tertiary education policy, which would see New Zealand as a nation that finally offers free education to its citizens from the age of 3 years old, right through to university and beyond.
We propose a zero-fees policy for tertiary education in New Zealand in place of Student Allowances, accompanied by a push to increase the quality of tertiary education and protect the value of New Zealand degrees.
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- Ensure that entrance standards remain high for universities to keep universities competitive internationally.
- Encourage links and incentives between tertiary providers and industry to ensure that skills taught are relevant and required in the future labour market.
- Ensure that tertiary education instructors undergo a minimum amount of training in teaching, and require teaching performance to be monitored and included as a factor in promotion decisions.
- Ensure that degree courses are taught by staff actively engaged in relevant research.
- Ensure that the intent of the University Act is not diluted by external audit of compliance areas, especially in non relevant research.
- Promote greater awareness of the opportunities afforded by vocational training.
- Encourage all young people under 25 who are not at school to either be “earning or learning” (i.e. in some form of education/training or work) and support initiatives such as the Mayoral Taskforce for Jobs.
Student Support
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- We propose a zero-fees policy for tertiary education in New Zealand in place of Student Allowances, accompanied by a push to increase the quality of tertiary education and protect the value of New Zealand degrees. This will apply to both full and part-time students.
- Such a scheme would mean that students would only borrow living costs, rather than the crippling loans which are currently being incurred to cover fees, especially by Medical and Dentistry students.
- A zero-fees regime would be funded by abolishing the Student Allowance, any shortfall would be offset by reduced rates or borrowing and default, an increased focus on repayment compliance and monitoring of overseas-based student loan holders.
- Focus on quality so that more New Zealand universities are ranked in the top 100 universities in the world. Australia has 6 ranked in the top 50 – we only have one in the top 100 – and this needs to change.
- Ensure all tertiary students unable to find work over the summer period have access to the Emergency Unemployment Benefit.