Tertiary education is in crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand. Vocational education, the domain of the Polytechnic ‘Institutes of Technology’; and Science and Humanities’ education, the traditional domain of the Universities.

2023 was an election year, yet tertiary education did not feature in the election campaign, despite these manifest crises. The Labour government was not interested in campaigning on its record, and for the mainstream media who frame election campaigns, the matter was not sexy enough. The media wanted a campaign largely restricted to fiscal holes, identity politics (especially bi-cultural divisions), and coalition-alignments (with a fascination for Winston Peters comparable with the fascination of the American media for Donald Trump).

(Occasionally health, education and climate change got into the election campaign discussion; but for health it was largely about constrained clinical services, in education it was about schools and possible curriculum impositions, and for climate change it was mainly about electric car subsidies. Nothing about the state of the population’s health, meeting New Zealand’s demographic challenges, the extent to which the consumers of education at all levels are disengaging with learning, addressing the lifestyle choices of the entitled minority, or fairly distributing the real cost burdens which we face.)

New Zealand’s underfunded universities are shedding staff in the public disciplines: humanities and public science. Once we were aspirational, or at least we wished to appear to be so, with Bright Future in 1999 and its predecessor, the Knowledge Society.

The Polytechnic Sector

The Te Pūkenga polytechnic saga is a scandal; a scandal attributable to former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins before he became Prime Minister. Yet his record in ministering to tertiary education was largely unremarked upon when he became Prime Minister, unopposed.

It was in the 1990s that the rot set in. Tertiary education became an export industry – not in itself a bad thing – which meant that this important public infrastructure increasingly came to be seen as a business (subject to private-market discipline) that just happened to do some intellectual public good as a side gig. The universities came to emulate polytechnics in that they increasingly emphasised professional vocational education over humanities; and they increasingly emphasised applied science over pure science.

Further, re the polytechnics, the governments either side of the millennium dropped the ball massively by not rebranding the leading polytechnics – as happened in Australia and United Kingdom – as Universities of Technology. For the polytechnics to be at the vanguard of a successful export-education model, they had to be branded as ‘universities’. So, for someone in Sri Lanka or Vietnam today – some young person who wants a good education which will gain them a good job in their home country – which was/is more attractive: University of Central Queensland at Rockhampton, or Manukau Institute of Technology?

New Zealand in 2023 has a tight labour market, though with unacceptably high levels of structural unemployment. The historical role of the New Zealand’s polytechnics has to address labour supply through reducing structural unemployment and structural underemployment; of upskilling the labour force. Yet this purpose of the polytechnic sector has been almost entirely absent from the minimal profile the sector has had in the mainstream media this decade so far; almost all I have heard is about financial losses, indicating the widespread perspective that the polytechnics are principally lame-duck businesses and only incidentally a critical part of the country’s educational infrastructure.

When such infrastructure is underfunded – the direct cause of the poor financial performance – two things happen. The polytechnic sector makes financial losses, the sector overinvests in a cost-management superstructure, and the sector gets restructured by the Ministry of Education. Service delivery – the sector’s raison d’être – becomes squeezed by the underfunding, management bloat, and top-down bureaucracy.

My impression has been that Treasury has been advocating a ‘free-rider’ policy; wishing to import skills from other countries, while seeking to suppressing investment in human capital on the grounds that employable educated Aotearoans can gain higher returns to themselves by emigrating. Such a free-rider policy is to be a net poacher of human capital; a poacher of people with employable skills.

In 2024 we, as a nation – as a mainstream liberal mediocracy – must start asking the right questions about the contributions that tertiary education can make to alleviating critical skills’ shortages. Labour supply is a critical component of a successful macroeconomy; and should not be addressed by austere monetary and fiscal policies which seek to suppress labour demand as a way of restoring balance to the labour market.

At least, in 2024, we have a Minister for Tertiary Education – Penny Simmonds – who understands the Polytechnic sector and its critical importance in addressing New Zealand’s labour supply problem.

The Polytechnic sector only made it through the media wall-of-silence this month because the cancelling of the Te Pūkenga project was just too big a story to ignore entirely. (Nevertheless, if I put ‘Te Pūkenga’ into the search facility of the New Zealand Herald android app, there are just two stories from 2023: one about a successful open day at UCOL’s Whanganui campus, 9 Aug 2023; and one from March about Microsoft facilitating the training of Māori and Pasifika for cybersecurity careers. Yet 2023 was an election year; a year in which the critical economic problem faced by this country was/is labour supply.)

The Universities

The previous government not only mangled the Polytechnic sector, it, also abandoned the University sector. (This abandonment took place despite, so much of the time since 2020, the government was saying “the science says …”.) While it had no functioning Minister of Tertiary Education – the Minister of Education in 2023 only really seemed to understand school education – the Government had a substantially underemployed Minister in Deborah Russell who could have been an excellent advocate for the universities, and their potential contribution to an evolving knowledge society. I trust that Penny Simmonds has a vision for universities – other than cost-cutting – while understanding that most of her ministerial bandwidth will be taken up with the polytechnic(s). The confirmation of Massey University’s retrenchment was discussed on RNZ today, 14 Dec, on Checkpoint: Massey University confirms it’s pressing ahead with its plans.

The new government needs to make an urgent and clear statement that it values the sciences and the humanities as public goods, and that the support of these civilisational cornerstone activities needs to be broader than cross-subsidies of university student fees.

Unitec

Unitec – formally Carrington Polytechnic, and which might have been better understood by non-Aucklanders had it been called West Auckland Institute of Technology – has suffered an appalling fate. Once New Zealand’s biggest Polytechnic – and the only tertiary educator of any note in West Auckland – Unitec became a land company around 2012. It became a campus with a Polytech as its main tenant. The first major problem was the Business School being turfed out of its purpose-built premises; premises which were then gutted by the new star tenant – multinational company IBM. Within about a year IBM abandoned its project, though the building continues to house a commercial tenant.

The polytechnic continued, doing great things despite underfunding and the machinations going on around the land which the government was coveting; and despite a burgeoning management superstructure, and its edict of ‘change management’. Eventually Unitec – a government owned land company cum polytechnic – was (unsurprisingly) practically bankrupt, and most of the land was sold to the government; and has subsequently been on-sold to a property development company.

The former campus is now a sorry site, and the property development scale and logistics will probably be unsurvivable for the tenant polytechnic; like a well-nourished rata tree strangling its host. This RNZ story this week Auckland urban development: complex manoeuvrings in Mt Albert gives a very pollyanna-ish take on the current state of this wonderful former green-space (and piece of Auckland’s history); now a ‘model’ “brownfield” development. (And we should note that, as well as suffocating Unitec – the tertiary educator, not the land bank – the development will surround the Mason Clinic, Aotearoa’s maximum-security psychiatric detention centre.)

My final plea is for the mainstream media to look at this ‘model’ property development with a critical eye, and see if it ‘cuts the mustard’ as a high density mixed-housing development. And to compare the potential of this ‘brownfields’ site with a nearby genuine brownfield site, the former Crown Lynn lands. Even if the former Unitec campus can be made to work as a modern tenement complex, will it have been worth the cost to the environment and to the educational infrastructure of West Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand?

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Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

The decision to suspend the academic chief of the University of the South Pacific pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of “material misconduct” was made legally by the university’s executive committee, says pro-chancellor Winston Thompson.

Thompson was responding yesterday to claims from concerned staff, students and some council members that the suspension of vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia on Monday was illegitimate.

During a press conference at USP’s Research Office at Laucala campus, he said the university’s statutes and ordinances to govern the discipline of the vice-chancellor gave them the mandate to act on behalf of the full council.

READ MORE: Secret report reveals widespread salary and allowance rorts at USP

Noting that the investigation of material misconduct against the vice-chancellor was a separate issue and in not linked to the log of allegations of financial mismanagement against past management put forth to the council by Professor Ahluwalia in March last year.

“This investigation of the VC, which was the subject of the meeting on Monday, is a different thing completely. These are allegations of misdemeanors, material misconduct that the current VC has been responsible for since he has been in office,” Thompson said.

“There is a lot of misinformation, disinformation and downright untruths that are being put into the public domain and that is causing everyone, especially staff and students, to be concerned,” he said.

“An independent investigation is going to be carried out to establish whether these allegations against the VC are true or not. This process would also clear him [Professor Ahluwalia] if he has not caused any gross negligence in the discharge of his responsibility.

‘Allegations need to be investigated’
“A suspension doesn’t mean that he is guilty but the allegations need to be investigated, and there are not one or two allegations. There is a long list. But a thorough investigation will be carried out so that the facts of those allegations will come forward.

“The governance instruments under which we operate are clear. The EC has the power under the statutes and ordinances of the university to take action in the case that it did on issues that it took on Monday.

“For anyone to claim that it is acting illegally is clearly incorrect.”

He said the terms of the EC was to take action when it seemed there was something serious taking place at the university and by mandate, the EC was not required to consult the whole membership of the council.

“So we do these things in our own judgment and in this case, there was clear evidence that some material misconduct had taken place, and we needed to deal with it. I was prepared to handle it internally and keep it under control but it was taken out of our hands when the whole council was circulated with all the material. The EC is empowered to do these things, it doesn’t have to consult the whole of the council members,” Thompson said.

This week, USP’s incoming chancellor and Nauru’s President Lionel Aingimea called for a special council meeting to urgently reverse what he claims was an illegitimate decision to suspend Professor Ahluwalia.

He claimed the decision by the EC had jeopardised the future of the institution and it was high time the council met to begin the process of removing pro-chancellor Winston Thompson and conduct the election of the deputy pro-chancellor.

Thompson’s statement contradicted
Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa also told local media FBC News that the USP Council did not suspend Professor Ahluwalia, contradicting Thompson’s statement that the EC was empowered and that it did not have to consult the full council.

“The council itself is large and it meets twice a year and in between the council meetings, the EC meets four times a year. The EC’s function is to decide on things that are delegated from the council to do in between council meetings and also in emergencies to act for the council,” Thompson said.

“So it isn’t just a small group of people meeting and making decisions. It is mandated to do these things when the university is under threat.”

Meanwhile, Thompson confirmed that they had received a quorum to hold a full council meeting and this would be organised once logistics were finalised.

However, he said his appointment was made by the council and removing him would require a two-thirds vote from the full council.

The Pacific Media Centre republishes Wansolwara articles in a partnership with the University of the South Pacific journalism programme.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Nauru President Lionel Aingimea has accused a “small group” of Fiji officials of “hijacking” the 12-country regional University of the South Pacific and suspending the vice-chancellor.

He has called for an urgent meeting of the University Council to reverse the “illegitimate” action against vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, which he described as a “personal vendetta”.

“The future of our regional Pacific university is now seriously in jeopardy,” he wrote yesterday in a statement following two days of extraordinary events at the Laucala campus in Fiji.

READ MORE: Commotion at USP over vice-chancellor’s suspension

Staff and students have met in rallies around campus protesting against the treatment of Professor Ahluwalia, a Canadian, and demanding governance and transparency at the institution.

The USP Students Association (USPSA) federal council also issued an open letter yesterday calling for the resignations of the USP Council chair, former Fiji diplomat Winston Thompson; deputy chair Aloma Johansson; and the chair of the council’s audit and risk committee, Mahmood Khan.

The statement signed by Joseph Sua, chair and president of the USPSA federal body, threatened a boycott of exams by students if the University Council did not act.

“The students will not step back from participating in peaceful demonstrations and boycotting exams, classes and other activities from USP’s 14 campuses should the USP Council fail to act,” Sua wrote.

Saying he was “appalled” at the developments at USP, President Aingimea wrote in his protest letter: “The executive committee [of the USP Council] met despite the conflicts of interest and the serious concerns expressed by the council members.

“Due process was disregarded. This must not be allowed to rest here and further action is warranted.

“In recent days, the hostility and a lack of duty of care to a council-appointed vice-chancellor shows what a small group of members, who are not direct members, have high-jacked [sic] council processes and failed to accord duty of care and natural justice to a council-appointed vice-chancellor,” the president wrote.

“These actions represent a personal vendetta against the vice-chancellor.”

President Aingimea wrote that it was now “high time” for the “entire [USP] Council to coalesce and begin a process to remove the pro-chancellor [Winston Thompson]”.

Ten council members are needed to support an urgent special meeting.

Another council member, Samoan Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, posted a statement on social media saying: “Be interesting to see how that [a special council meeting] pans out. USP at tipping point of becoming nationalised and the region looks on!”

‘Fight for justice’ plea
It was reported that Professor Ahluwalia had been told to “step aside” to allow for an independent investigation relating to allegations of “misconduct” and breaches of USP policies and procedures.

However, addressing supporters at a protest at the university’s Laucala campus yesterday, Professor Ahluwalia said he had not received any communication about stepping down.

He appealed to students and staff to carry on the “fight for justice” he had started.

The governments of Nauru, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga had reportedly called on the USP Council to drop the investigation into the vice-chancellor.

Professor Ahluwalia has been widely regarded by supporters as a whistleblower over practices at the university that he had exposed in allegations contained in a report last year.

Allegations of serious cases of mismanagement and abuse of process surfaced at the USP involving its former vice chancellor and president in May last year and were widely reported on by the Suva-based news magazine Islands Business in June and other Pacific media.

In an interview with RNZ’s Pacific Beat at the time, editor Samisoni Pareti said the allegations involved 11 staff, including a former vice-chancellor, and the claims were being investigated by Fiji’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).

Investigation report
It is understood islands Business is publishing a report today exposing the contents of a hushed up university investigation by international consultants last year.

The USP Students Association said it had its email links to the university’s students blocked and its open letter was sent to Pacific Media Watch.

The open letter addressed to USP Council chair and pro vice-chancellor Winston Thompson said:

Pro-Chancellor

I write this letter on behalf of the students of our 12 member countries and 14 campuses to convey to you our intense displeasure at the way you are handling matters as the Pro-Chancellor of the university.

The student body has cited the letter written to Council by Mr Semi Tukana, whom you appointed to the sub-committee to investigate the Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal [Ahluwalia]. The letter clearly points out that you and Mr Mahmood Khan are using the high office of your council positions to continue the personal vendetta against the VCP and blindsiding members of the University Council.

Despite numerous warnings and alarming concerns raised by the members of the University Council, you disregarded and disrespected these by convening the Executive Committee Meeting on June 8th 2020 to consider the removal of the VCP.

Despite your obvious conflict of interest on matters regarding the VCP, you participated in the meeting and also allowed other members who carry a conflict of interest to be part of the meeting of the Executive Committee yesterday.

You ignored and failed to respond to any of the alarming concerns raised by member countries, staff and students. This is poor governance on your part.

You have defied the intents and resolutions of the USP Council Meeting held in Port Vila last year that sought your commitment to work with the VCP and to let the special commission of the Council to look into matters as such independently.

You have withheld the minutes of the past council meeting and the special council meeting of the University that is supposed to be provided to all members despite numerous requests from members.

You have failed to acknowledge the great conflict of interest that you carry against the VCP since March 2019 when you made it clear to the public that you want to “sack the VCP” .

The Students of the University of the South Pacific have lost confidence in you as the Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the University Council; the Student Body has also lost confidence in the Deputy Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

In summary, we demand the resignation of:

1. Mr Winston Thompson, Chair of Council

2. Ms Aloma Johansson, Deputy Chair of Council

3. Mr Mahmood Khan, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

The Student Council requests all Member States to urgently look into our concerns and make appropriate arrangements to appoint an interim Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council and to declare the Executive Committee Meeting held on June 8th 2020 as null and void!

The Students will not step back from participating in peaceful demonstrations and boycotting exams, classes and other activities from USP’s 14 Campuses should the USP Council fail to act.

On behalf of Student Council.

Sincerely,

Joseph Sua
Chair and President of USPSA Federal Body
The University of the South Pacific Students Association
USP Laucala Campus, Suva Fiji

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A “fight for justice and good governance” at the University of the South Pacific has continued as staff and students have echoed strong calls for members of the USP Council to allow the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, to carry out his work without interference.

Hundreds of protesting staff and students rallied outside the New Administration Conference Room at Laucala campus in Suva, Fiji, yesterday with placards showing solidarity and support for Professor Ahluwalia as the special executive committee of the council convened a meeting to discuss allegations of “material misconduct” levelled against the vice-chancellor.

The meeting agenda allegedly included discussion about a letter from the deputy pro-chancellor about the claims of material misconduct, a report from the vice-chancellor in response to the allegations and a letter from the pro-chancellor in response to the VC’s report.

READ MORE: USP students, staff call on council to stop ‘harassment’ of Ahluwalia

Media reports said he had been told to “step aside” after this meeting. Professor Derrick Armstrong was reportedly appointed acting vice-chancellor and president to manage the affairs of the university.

Concerned USP staff member Elizabeth Fong said the show of solidarity for the vice-chancellor was also a call for good governance to prevail at the regional institution owned by 12 countries – not just Fiji.

“We don’t agree with what they are doing to [Professor] Pal. They are not letting him as VC do his work. Actual justice allows him to work by his contract, and if they had issues, there is a process and a way of managing it,” she said.

“The entire council of the university, which is regionally owned, needs to be part of any decision to remove a VC or suspend him so we are here to show that we want good governance to be put in place and to be practised by those who lead and govern us.”

Fong said it may be necessary for the USP Chancellor to step in to resolve the issue.

USP Students Association (USPSA) federal council spokesman Aneet Kumar said the students also wanted a quick resolution to the issue and made clear the student body supported the work done by the vice-chancellor done so far.

Kumar was joined by USPSA Laucala vice-president Shalvin Chand and USPSA deputy chair and vice-president Viliame Naulivou.

“There was a lot of outrage last year when the breaches of past management came to light,” Kumar said.

“Even the academics were pointing out that since we have a compulsory governance course, where is this going, what are we trying to teach and preach?

“There needs to be some common ground to reach. This is very disheartening for students. The student body sent a letter to the USP Council to express our disappointment at the way the matter is being handled.”

Students at Laucala campus also turned up with their placards of support, with student body vice-president Naulivou saying the believed the vice-chancellor had practised good governance.

“There are a lot of needs and wants out there but he [Professor Ahluwalia] came down to ground level and listened to us,” Naulivou said.

“That’s the only thing that pushed us to know the VC, his mission and vision. He visited the Lautoka campus and spoke to students, he begged students to say what they want. And what we want is good governance and transparency.”

Meanwhile, Professor Ahluwalia addressed staff and students yesterday saying he would continue to “fight for justice, transparency and accountability” within the legal framework.

The whirlwind of events started in March last year when the allegations of policy breaches of past financial decisions, such as speedy recruitment, appointments, promotions and questionable allowances for extra responsibility as well as breaches of the staff review procedures surfaced in a leaked confidential 11-page document drafted by Professor Ahluwalia and directed to the USP Council’s executive committee.

The University of the South Pacific journalism newspaper Wansolwara and website collaborate with the Pacific Media Centre.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Papua New Guinea’s Trade Union Congress has slammed the appointments of Jeffrey Kennedy as chancellor and Kenneth Sumbuk as vice-chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, reports the Post-Courier.

President John Paska said the congress had initially welcomed the announcement to investigate administrative malpractice and other aspects of the university but these two appointments now questioned the credibility of the exercise.

He said this was a governance issue which attracted public attention and commentary.

UPNG audit “action” pledged … front page story in The National.

“With the stroke of a pen the Minister, Pila Niningi, has turned what appeared to be a step in the right direction into a farcical exercise denigrating it into a comical show piece,” he said.

“Last year we questioned the selection process of candidates for the vice-chancellors position. Our questions emanated from information received about serious allegations that had been raised about Professor Sumbuk’s administration of K23 million (NZ$11 million) for various UPNG activities.

“We are not in any way pronouncing guilt on Sumbuk but the fact remains serious allegations hang over his persona that only a properly constituted investigation can ascertain to the contrary. To the best of our knowledge no investigation has been conducted to determine the veracity of the allegations,” he said.

-Partners-

Sources report that the university council had already recommended the appointment of Professor Frank Griffin, a former head of science at UPNG as vice-chancellor. However, the council was sacked on Monday and new members appointed.

Integrity in question
Paska told the Post-Courier Sumbuk’s integrity and credibility remained in question.

“Meanwhile, we query the eligibility of Mr Kennedy for the position of chancellor of the university. How does he qualify to be chancellor?

“Something is horribly wrong. The wheels of credibility and integrity of this investigation have collapsed before moving an inch. Unless otherwise my personal confidence in this exercise is shattered and I believe so is the public’s.”

“We call on the Prime Minister to intervene and rectify the situation, Paska said.

The National reports that the interim council would look into the 13 areas identified in a 2013 external audit as requiring attention, and implement them.

Acting vice-chancellor Professor Sumbuk told The National after his appointment by the interim council at its first meeting yesterday that he would “revive UPNG’s academic standard and review the 2013 external audit”.

Council ousted
“As we settle into the new academic year, we will audit all 13 areas of the university management that has not been done (since 2013),” he said.

“Parents and students must not worry about anything as there will be nothing shaken or swept under (the carpet). I am looking forward to facilitating the investigation and reviews proposed by the government.”

The 10 council members were appointed on Monday by Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Pila Niningi after ousted acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann and acting vice-chancellor Vincent Malaibe.

Niningi said he had to make the changes because of the failure by the university council to respond to queries he had made on matters regarding the institution since last July.

However, Dr Mann told The National on Wednesday that they would reserve their comment on their “sidelining” by Niningi because they were seeking legal advice from the university’s lawyers.

“Whether the decision to sideline us is proper or not, that would be advised by our lawyers and then we will announce it to the public,” Dr Mann said.

The council also rescinded the hike in compulsory fees, which will remain at K2939 (NZ$1300).

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz