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Students congratulate world-ranked universities
Students congratulate world-ranked universities, hit out at ‘unnecessary’ council changes
30 April 2015
The
New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA), which
speaks on behalf of the interests of New Zealand’s 400,000
tertiary students, congratulates New Zealand’s eight
universities for their stellar performance in the QS World
University rankings.
National student president Rory McCourt says the result shows that New Zealand’s universities are performing well despite their limited funding compared with international competitors.
“New Zealand’s open, egalitarian, state-funded university system is world-class. With some of the best academics in the world, we enable the brightest and hardest-working students to succeed. This result shows New Zealand can do battle with the best.”
“These rankings are important in many respects: they account for class sizes, the academic reputation of a university and the citation of research internationally. What they don’t show is the transformative effect tertiary education has for hundreds of thousands of Kiwis.”
“We invest in universities not to ascend abstract rankings, but to build a society rich in opportunity, discovery and debate. We invest so that everyone has a shot at changing their lives and the lives of others for the better.”
McCourt says the performance shows the Government’s unnecessary restructuring of university councils is a problem in search of a solution.
“If it ain't broke, don’t fix it. According to the QS Rankings, our universities certainly aren’t broken. Steven Joyce must be red-faced today.”
The restructuring removes the legislative requirement to have democratically elected staff and students, and lifts the Minister’s appointments to between a third and three-eighths of the new councils. Joyce has said the changes are need to improve the performance of universities.
“Our universities are already succeeding, even if Steven Joyce isn’t backing them. And they’re succeeding precisely because they have educators and learners driving their improvement. Why would we risk that?”
“Results like this show the value staff and students bring to the council table. We build great universities through our insights and experience. I encourage all New Zealanders to submit to their local or alma mater university and speak up for keeping staff and students on Steven Joyce’s new, politically-dominated councils. ” says McCourt.
NZUSA and the Tertiary Education Union are running a campaign to keep staff and students on the new university councils, a decision taken by each council individually. You can submit here http://www.actionstation.org.nz/councils
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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