The document discusses the state of higher education in New Zealand. It notes that higher education improves lives and contributes to a more efficient and equitable society, but that access and participation are unequal. It also discusses how the government has a bias against part-time and distance education due to a focus on completion rates, despite evidence that these alternatives improve access and outcomes for many students, especially older learners. Massey University is highlighted as committed to expanding access through different pathways and lifelong learning.

1. The State of Higher Education
in New Zealand
Professor Mark Brown
Director, National Centre for Teaching and Learning
Director, Distance Education and Learning Futures Alliance

2. About Mark…
• Director, National Centre for Teaching and Learning
• Director, Distance Education and Learning Futures Alliance
• Major leadership role in digitalisation at Massey University
• On several executive committees (ACiLiTE, DEANZ, DEHub)
• Convener of the 2012 ascilite conference in Wellington
• Recipient of National Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary
Teaching
m.e.brown@massey.ac.nz
• First New Zealand Apple Distinguished Educator
Twitter @mbrownz

3. Economic return…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10837419

4. Personal earning benefits…
New Zealand

5. Personal earning benefits…
New Zealand

6. Tertiary graduates are more likely to be in work than non-graduates…
New Zealand

7. Societal return…
But what are the wider social,
culturaland economic benefits
ofhighereducation to the nation?

8. A third of GPD growth is related to labour income growth at the tertiary level…
New Zealand

9. Societal return on investment for men…
New Zealand

10. Societal return on investment for women…
New Zealand

11. Scott, 2010…
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/78889

12. Education level positively associated with…
• Higher income (strongly) and rates of employment (moderately)
• Higher economic standard of living (moderately)
• How healthy you think you are, and not being a smoker (both strongly)
• Higher tolerance of immigrants, different values, ways of living, and ethnic
diversity (moderately to strongly)
• Volunteering (moderately)
• Whether you voted (moderately for NZ-born only)
• Whether you lived in a household that recycles (moderately)
• Overall satisfaction with life (weakly to moderately)

13. In sum…
“The evidence is overwhelming that higher education
improves people‟s lives, makes our economy more efficient, and
contributes to a more equitable society. The existing gaps in
participation and success are detrimental not only to individual
lives, but also to society as a whole.

14. In sum…
“The evidence is overwhelming that higher education
improves people‟s lives, makes our economy more efficient, and
contributes to a more equitable society. The existing gaps in
participation and success are detrimental not only to individual
lives, but also to society as a whole.
Different pathsare appropriate for different individuals, and our
challenge is to make the most promising paths readily available to
students from all backgrounds. We will all be better off if we
continue to make progress in this direction”
(Education Pays, 2010, p.9).

15. Under attack…
But higher education in New Zealand is
is seen by the Government as a cost to
the taxpayer with a strong bias against
part-time study and distance education
due to a focus on retention and
completion rates.

16. Just above the US…

17. Comparison of completion rates…

18. Performance league table for polytechnics…

19. 36% of Open Polytechnic students over 40

20. Performance league table for universities…

21. 46% of Massey students over 25

22. Strong focus in Government policy on under 25s

23. What older students have to say…

24. “Distance Education…
…it has made me the person I am today, a productive working
woman in her late forties contributing to society. I was in my early to
middle thirties when I found distance education and… it was a godsend
to enable me to make my life and my son‟s life a much better one in
the long term. I wanted to better myself by studying while on a benefit
and not being able to afford childcare, distance education was the best
way of making my life better.

25. “Distance Education…
…it has made me the person I am today, a productive working
woman in her late forties contributing to society. I was in my early to
middle thirties when I found distance education and… it was a godsend
to enable me to make my life and my son‟s life a much better one in
the long term. I wanted to better myself by studying while on a benefit
and not being able to afford childcare, distance education was the best
way of making my life better.
I am now employed by a government department in a role helping
victims in the community. I am now in a position that I am not reliant
on a benefit and not likely to need one in the future. Where would I be
if distance education was not available to me? Still in the same place
as I was 12 years ago, stuck on a benefit with no future to speak of.
Now I am… proof that it‟s possible to change your life for the better by
utilizing distance education”
Sharon (18th Jan, 2011)
http://exmss.org/presidentsblog/2011/01/18/treat-distance-students-with-respect

26. At Massey…
Expanding access to tertiary education through different
pathways has always been central to our mission.

27. At Massey…
Expanding access to tertiary education through different
pathways has always been central to our mission.
More than any modern-era New Zealand university we are
committed to promoting development and life-long
learning.

28. At Massey…
Expanding access to tertiary education through different
pathways has always been central to our mission.
More than any modern-era New Zealand university we are
committed to promoting development and life-long
learning.
Massey understands the transformative potential
oftertiaryeducation for inspiring people to better themselves,for
building capacityfor change withincommunities and for
promoting wider societal benefits.

29. Massey‟s mission of access and development now
extends beyond New Zealand…
Previously international students had to
come to us
Now we can go to them…

30. Conclusion
In many respects New Zealand is out of
step with the rest of the world as there is
very little recognition of the „new
normal‟ of online, blended and distance
education.

31. What happened in the past is no longer a reliable guide
to the future
• Learning for the future
• Teachers as future makers
• Leading in a climate of change
http://www.ascilite.org