Changes ‘put Marlborough’s NMIT campus at risk’

Proposed changes to polytechnics and tertiary institutes could threaten the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s (NMIT) Marlborough campus, the mayor says.

A consortium of Marlborough leaders have made a joint submission to the Government as part of its consultation on the proposed reform of vocational education.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett said the proposed reforms risked reducing the presence of institutes of technology and polytechnics in the regions.

‘‘This is of particular concern for Marlborough, as we host a satellite campus of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, which has been very successful.

‘‘Whilst we understand the drivers for change at the national level, the risk for Marlborough is that any rationalisation of NMIT’s activities in Nelson might threaten the future existence of the campus here in Blenheim,’’ he said.

Last month, Education Minister Chris Hipkins proposed a massive overhaul of the sector, which would merge all 16 New Zealand polytechnics into a single entity.

Leggett said the Government needed to consider Marlborough as a region in itself, rather than as part of a wider top of the south group with Nelson city and Tasman district.

‘‘There are significant differences between the two areas.’’

Marlborough was the ‘‘obvious’’ location for a national Centre of Vocational Excellence focusing on viticulture and winemaking, Leggett said. Almost 80 per cent of New Zealand’s wine cultivation and manufacturing took place in the region, with 4850 direct, fulltime equivalent employees.

Leggett said NMIT, the Marlborough Research Centre and the Bragato Research Institute were already in the process of creating a Marlborough Hub of Excellence for viticulture and oenology, located at the NMIT campus in Blenheim.

The hub would host the institute as well as Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, Plant and Food Research’s Viticulture and Oenology Group, and Wine Marlborough, the regional body representing the Marlborough industry, he said.

NMIT’s Marlborough campus hosts wine-related tertiary qualification courses, up to a three-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking (NCEA Level 7).

This academic year, NMIT’s viticulture-related enrolment was 120, equating to 50 fulltime equivalent students, including 31 from overseas, primarily China.

‘‘Marlborough Inc’’ presented a single submission to the Government on the issue.

The Marlborough District Council consulted with a wide range of parties from across the region in preparing its submission.

The submission also says there is potential for aquaculture teaching capacity to be located at the campus in Blenheim, and for some aviation industry teaching capacity to be established at RNZAF Base Woodbourne and the adjacent Airbus facility.