Panelists discuss future of universities
Increased competition from private education providers is worrying university staff, according to a panel of speakers set up by the Green Party.
Green Party MP and tertiary education spokesman Gareth Hughes joined the discussion on the future of universities at the Massey University Palmerston North campus on Wednesday.
He said Government moves to open up funding used by universities and polytechnics to private providers were a big change the sector was facing.
Deputy pro vice-chancellor Chris Gallavin said tertiary education was becoming more ‘‘democratised’’, internationally, with growth in education startups offering a focused, and sometimes cheaper, path towards employability.
This could become a threat to degrees, he said.
New Zealand universities had a delicate balance between fulfilling their central purpose as a critical conscience of society and putting bums on seats to attract funding and setting students up for employment, Tertiary Education Union organiser for Massey and Labour candidate for Rangitikei Heather Warren said.
Research by TEU showed academics were increasingly disillusioned their voice was not being heard, she said.
Sociologist Andrew Dickson said academics and students needed to have a bigger say.