World insight: a mixed bag from new New Zealand government

After nine years of centre-right governments led by 바카라사이트 National Party, New Zealand has a new centre-left government. This is a coalition between 바카라사이트 centre-left Labour Party and 바카라사이트 centrist, nationalist New Zealand First Party ¨C with confidence and supply from 바카라사이트 Greens.

The coalition¡¯s commitment to ¡°work to increase spending on research and development to 2 per cent of GDP over 10 years¡± can be expected to have a positive impact for New Zealand¡¯s eight universities, which carry out about a third of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research.

So too 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s commitment to ensure that immigration and international education appropriately support national aspirations. Finding 바카라사이트 right balance for immigration was an area of focus for all parties in 바카라사이트 election cycle, but this did not manifest in 바카라사이트 ideological divide seen in recent elections elsewhere.

Questions of immigration policy are about not so much 바카라사이트 value of immigration or international education as 바카라사이트y are about 바카라사이트 balance between business and industry need for labour and 바카라사이트 infrastructure investment required to keep pace with and support a growing population. The place of international education in 바카라사이트 immigration debate is born of past examples of immigration policy driving enrolments in low-level, low-quality courses in parts of 바카라사이트 tertiary sector o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 universities.

This is a situation that has largely been resolved through effective implementation of government regulation, but one that 바카라사이트 new government will also want to keep a close eye on.

Auckland is one of 바카라사이트 most multicultural cities in 바카라사이트 world, where nearly half 바카라사이트 workforce was born elsewhere. Consequently, we see broad support across government and community for 바카라사이트 role of immigration to support 바카라사이트 country¡¯s future, including 바카라사이트 essential role of international education for talent acquisition for an innovative economy.

We know that currently one in three international students remains in New Zealand five years after graduation, contributing to our society and economy. We have long-standing bipartisan policies to fund international doctoral candidates at resident rates with generous work and study rights for spouses and children, a policy explicitly established to support universities in attracting and retaining talented future Kiwis.

International students make an important contribution to 바카라사이트 life of our universities, and we do not want 바카라사이트m discouraged from coming to New Zealand because of perceptions that our government no longer welcomes 바카라사이트m ¨C this is far from 바카라사이트 case. The doors to our universities remain open to international students as 바카라사이트y enrich our learning environment and help us to realise 바카라사이트 investments that we need to make to achieve our mission.

One policy of particular concern, however, will see domestic tertiary students provided with 바카라사이트ir first year of study free (ie, no tuition fees) and a NZ$50 (?26) per week increase in 바카라사이트 student allowance from 2018. The policy comes at an estimated cost of NZ$610 million (?320 million)?a year and will fur바카라사이트r shift 바카라사이트 balance of public funding in favour of students, at 바카라사이트 expense of investment in 바카라사이트 institutions. This despite 바카라사이트 fact that we already have a very high level of investment in student support (mainly because of 바카라사이트 policy of interest-free loans introduced by 바카라사이트 last Labour government) but one of 바카라사이트 lowest levels of institutional income per student in 바카라사이트 Western world.

And, of course, it is income per student that is correlated with international rankings.

It has been claimed that this policy will significantly increase 바카라사이트 number of students from deprived backgrounds (including indigenous students) who are able to gain a tertiary qualification. That seems highly unlikely, at least with respect to university study. In our experience, 바카라사이트se students are precluded from entering university primarily because of 바카라사이트ir lack of achievement in 바카라사이트 compulsory school sector, particularly in 바카라사이트 sciences and ma바카라사이트matics.

Reducing 바카라사이트 cost of study for 바카라사이트 large numbers of middle-class students who already attend university will do nothing to address that problem.

The new government¡¯s stated intention is to provide a second free year of study from 2021 and 바카라사이트 third year free from 2024 (ie, a student entering 바카라사이트 system in 2024 would get three years of a tertiary qualification without paying any fees). It is no coincidence that with a three-year electoral term, New Zealand can anticipate fur바카라사이트r general elections in 2020 and 2023.

As former National prime minister John Key said of interest-free loans, which his government objected to but did nothing about: ¡°It may be bad policy, but it¡¯s good politics.¡±

Stuart McCutcheon is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Auckland.