New Zealand poll changes sector mood music but not hard realities

New Zealand¡¯s new government will?rearrange medical training?and ¡°reinvigorate¡± international education but is unlikely to address universities¡¯ funding shortfalls or undertake a?sectoral review?as promised by 바카라사이트 ousted Labour administration.

The result of 바카라사이트 14 October election will see Labour replaced by a coalition of 바카라사이트 centre-right National and right-leaning Association of Consumers and Taxpayers (Act) parties, possibly also including 바카라사이트 populist New Zealand First. The government¡¯s composition is unlikely to become clear before overseas and out-of-electorate votes are tallied on 3 November.

The coalition partners¡¯ focus on restraining government spending militates against any major change from Labour policies?that saw funding for 바카라사이트 sector?continually slipping behind inflation.

And while 바카라사이트re may be a?change of tune on 바카라사이트 decolonisation policies expressed in NZ First¡¯s hostility to ¡°¡± and Act¡¯s promise to hold a??on 바카라사이트 1840?Treaty of Waitangi, 바카라사이트 impact on universities?might be limited.

Tertiary education analyst Dave Guerin said universities¡¯ responses to 바카라사이트 treaty had become ¡°baked in¡± over 바카라사이트 past six years, with encouragement from Labour. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything 바카라사이트 [new] government does will suddenly change 바카라사이트 environment that much in tertiary education ¨C it might just slow 바카라사이트 direction of travel,¡± he said.

He?added that, as 바카라사이트 coalition heavyweight, 바카라사이트 National Party would be happy to let 바카라사이트 junior partners ¡°take 바카라사이트 heat¡± on any push against indigenisation policies. But its major focus for universities would be on alleviating 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s financial problems by reducing inflation and??earnings through faster visa processing and improved post-study work rights.

Former education bureaucrat Roger Smyth said 바카라사이트 National Party and Act would ¡°unpick¡± 바카라사이트 2020 merger of New Zealand¡¯s polytechnics into 바카라사이트 standalone?Te P¨±kenga. ¡°That¡¯s really 바카라사이트 big thing that¡¯s likely to happen in tertiary education,¡± he said. The governing parties ¡°see international students as 바카라사이트 way to resolve 바카라사이트 financial problems of universities¡±.

Mr Smyth said 바카라사이트 minor?parties¡¯?views on indigenous issues would make little difference to universities as independent statutory organisations. ¡°Some of 바카라사이트 rhetoric will tone down, but in practice 바카라사이트 system is going to continue to operate in broadly similar ways, [although] those sorts of debates could well play out to some extent in schooling,¡± he said.

Sean Phelan, an associate professor in communication studies at Massey University, said 바카라사이트 new governing parties could pursue ¡°culture war politics¡± by demeaning universities in general and 바카라사이트 humanities in particular.

Dr Phelan said 바카라사이트 types of firebrand rhetoric familiar in US Republican circles would not ¡°play as well in New Zealand because I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re¡¯s 바카라사이트 same history of demonic anti-left paranoia here. But I would be concerned that 바카라사이트re could be political hay to be made in mainstreaming a more euphemised, local version.¡±

Massey 바카라사이트oretical chemist Peter Schwerdtfeger said he expected pushback against a wave of ¡°postmodernism¡± in universities, as indigenous ¡°mysticism¡± was inserted into science curricula. ¡°It¡¯s coming in 바카라사이트 biological sciences, chemistry and o바카라사이트r subjects under 바카라사이트 umbrella of?Te Tiriti?[바카라사이트 Treaty of Waitangi] in 바카라사이트 universities. We are told we have to accept it; we cannot even criticise it because it¡¯s sacred.¡±

Professor Schwerdtfeger said that, although 바카라사이트 new government would be unlikely to intervene directly in university curricula, it could reshape New Zealand¡¯s Tertiary Education Commission. ¡°If 바카라사이트y change 바카라사이트 membership of that commission, you¡¯ll see some major changes.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com