Education awards a masterclass in excellence

MEDIA RELEASE

20 May 2009
Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand

Education awards a masterclass in excellence

ITP New Zealand, the national association for the country’s institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs), today announced the finalists for its annual awards.

“The awards show why polytechnics and institutes of technology are the most popular place for Kiwi adults to learn. The finalists can give a masterclass in excellence, real-life relevance and community engagement,” says Dave Guerin, Executive Director of ITP New Zealand.

The winners will be announced on 10 June at ITP New Zealand’s 2009 conference, Skilling New Zealand’s Recovery, in Wellington.

Most nominated is the Waikato Institute of Technology, which goes into the awards as a finalist in five of the six categories.

Finalists
Successful Cooperation
Working successfully with other education providers, the community or industry
• UCOL: Whanganui Tertiary Education Collaborative Venture
• Waikato Institute of Technology: K’aute Pasifika partnership

Widening Access
Widening access to learning and supporting students’ success
• Waiariki Institute of Technology: iwi radio journalism training
• Western Institute of Technology: Rugby League Education Academy

Relevant Learning
Improving the relevance of learning to community and industry needs
• Waiariki Institute of Technology: Tokoroa Trade Training Centre
• Waikato Institute of Technology: Employer engagement

Quality Improvement
Quality assurance processes that demonstrably improve student success
• Waikato Institute of Technology, Self Assessment Model
• Tai Poutini Polytechnic: development of training and standard assessment for the Extractive Industry

Global Role
Preparing New Zealanders to live and work in the wider world, or supporting the development of education in other countries
• UNITEC: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor South Pacific
• Waikato Institute of Technology: International Centre

Innovative Support Services
Recognising innovative non-teaching support services
• UNITEC: Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, Mount Albert campus
• Waikato Institute of Technology: SODA Inc.

Award profiles

ITP New Zealand is the national association for New Zealand’s 20 institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs). Its members provide high-quality, relevant and innovative vocational and applied research and education to more than 207,000 New Zealanders every year. ITPs are committed to building skilled communities. www.itpnz.ac.nz

Tai Poutini Polytechnic: development of training and standard assessment for the Extractive Industry
– Finalist, Quality Improvement
When it was unable to find enough New Zealand skilled workers for its new mine, Pike River Coal approached Tai Poutini Polytechnic for help to recognise overseas workers’ skills. The West Coast polytechnic developed a way to recognise miners’ current competencies without retraining, with the involvement of NZQA and EXITO. The model has been made available to the whole extractive industry and is being used by Tai Poutini for other courses.

UCOL: Whanganui Tertiary Education Collaborative Venture
– Finalist, Successful Cooperation
Convinced that more can be achieved for the city’s learners by working together, Whanganui’s public and private education providers joined forces. The River City collaboration has resulted in improvements in student participation, success and progression. It is a model for how the most can be made out of limited resources by building trust.

UNITEC: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor South Pacific
– Finalist, Global Role
Unitec’s Professor Howard Frederick is measuring entrepreneurial activity in the Pacific, funded by a research grant from the Australian Overseas Aid Agency. The research will lead to policy recommendations and training programmes to support fragile economies in the region. It builds on Unitec’s long-term involvement in supporting the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in New Zealand.

UNITEC: Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, Mount Albert campus
– Finalist, Innovative Support Services
A focal point for students and staff on campus and a place for celebratory and ceremonial gatherings, Te Noho Kotahitanga marae opened in March this year. Many ITPs have marae, but Unitec is recognised for its work to involve staff and students and the wider community, its construction philosophy, and for the fundraising support it generated.

Waiariki Institute of Technology: Iwi radio journalism training
– Finalist, Widening Access
Waiariki has been tuning into iwi radio training needs. Its provides formal journalism training for te reo Maori broadcasters in partnership with Te Whakaruruhau, the federation of iwi radio stations, and supported by Te Mango Paho. This recognises that many iwi radio staff are fluent in te reo Maori, but lack formal journalism training. Waiariki has developed a solution that supports students on the job.

Waiariki Institute of Technology: Tokoroa Trade Training Centre
– Finalist, Relevant Learning
A fine example of what can only be described as “community engineering”. The partnership between Waiariki Institute of Technology, the district council and engineering firms has delivered targeted training to meet a local skills shortage. The Tokoroa Trade Training Centre has boosted town spirit and stemmed the flow of young people leaving town.

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) for its Pasifika partnership
– Finalist, Successful Cooperation
In an industry first, Wintec invited K’aute Pasifika, a private training provider, to relocate to its city campus in Hamilton. The move resulted in increased Pasifika student enrolments for both K’aute Pasifika and Wintec, and saw more go on to achieve higher qualifications. More projects are in the works, including a possible Pan-Pasifika early childhood education centre.

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec): Employer engagement
– Finalist Relevant Learning
Wintec prides itself on giving employers what they really, really want. They reviewed every one of their programme advisory committees to ensue that they were getting the right information and focussing on the right issues. Industry partners are given opportunities to influence what is taught in the classroom so that training is relevant and graduates are work ready. Information is shared across all industry representatives via a member-only website.

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Self Assessment Model
– Finalist, Quality Improvement
Wintec is involving all staff with the new self assessment model for quality assurance. Involvement in the 2008 NZQA trial was used as an opportunity to focus on student outcomes and build capability across the whole organisation, with council and staff supporting the necessary changes to embed a new system.

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), International Centre
– Finalist, Global Role
Wintec has bucked the national trend and grown its Chinese international student numbers, thanks to a successful partnership strategy with tertiary institutions in China. A Beijing office provides local contact and expertise, and “pathway” study allows students to study first in China and complete their qualification with Wintec in Hamilton. A targeted and consistent marketing strategy has paid off.

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec): SODA Inc.
– Finalist, Innovative Support Services
Fizzing with new ideas, Wintec’s aptly named creative business incubator, SODA Inc., opened in October last year. It was established to attract and retain young creative talent in Hamilton, and to help create a destination for the city’s entrepreneurial graduates.

Western Institute of Technology (WITT): Rugby League Education Academy
– Finalist, Widening Access
Headed up by Rob Hewitt, the diver who survived a remarkable 75 hours lost at sea off the Kapiti Coast, this Taranaki academy is in a league of its own. It empowers students to become valued members of society through education and sport. In its first year (2009), its team won the rugby league section of the NZ University Games.

ENDS

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