From the Chair: Who can call themselves a university and does it really matter?

 Mitt Romney recently described Donald Trump’s promises being “as worthless as a degree from Trump University”. The potential to have a Trump University scenario here in New Zealand has increased. A government bill currently before Parliament would permit a Minister to allow a greater range of tertiary organisations to call themselves a university even though they do not meet the legal definition of a university. What would such a move mean for New Zealand’s economy and reputation and our children’s education?

According to the New York Times, Trump University was the subject of legal action by the New York Attorney-General for illegally using the title “university” and running an unlicensed university. In addition, the university faced class actions by disgruntled students who had been promised riches and instant success, but were instead left jobless. President-elect Trump eventually settled the claims, paying out nearly NZD$35 million.

But changes proposed under the Education (Tertiary Education) Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, mean New Zealand could have non-university providers operating here and calling themselves a university.

Like all students and parents, we want to avoid scenarios where students complete their qualification only to find it is not valued by employers, and they do not reap the benefits of their study, to the extent that they might have expected.

My fellow Vice-Chancellors and I therefore strongly oppose the proposed change to Section 253C of the Education Act. Our submission to the Select Committee will focus on its potential to jeopardise the international reputation of New Zealand’s universities by allowing a Minister to consent to institutions using the term ‘university’ in their names, when they do not meet the statutory definition of a university.

We want to see this clause deleted from the bill. Failing that, it should be amended to say the Minister must ensure the provider has all the characteristics of a university.

So, what are the distinctive characteristics of a university? Under the Education Act (S162(4) a), universities must have all the following characteristics:

- they are primarily concerned with more advanced learning, the principal aim being to develop intellectual independence:

- their research and teaching are closely interdependent and most of their teaching is done by people who are active in advancing knowledge:

- they meet international standards of research and teaching:

- they are a repository of knowledge and expertise:

- they accept a role as critic and conscience of society; and

- they are characterised by a wide diversity of teaching and research, especially at a higher level, that maintains, advances, disseminates, and assists the application of, knowledge, develops intellectual independence, and promotes community learning.

The Act also describes the characteristics of a polytechnic, and wānanga, and they are different roles for different purposes. These distinctions provide clear signals to students and employers, both in New Zealand and overseas, as to the sort of education provided.

By maintaining this distinction, New Zealand has protected the value of the term “university”. It is an unambiguous, unqualified and powerful message that is well understood in the international market place.

And it is precisely this reputation for high quality education that sees all our universities ranked among the top 500 in the world. Top academics from around the world deliver high quality teaching, learning and research. Students achieve high course completion rates compared with polytechnics and wānanga. And our graduates are well regarded by employers from around the world, with 97% of graduates in jobs.

Our universities attract over 27,000 international students each year and contribute over $1 billion annually to New Zealand’s economy, as well as providing high quality education and research to New Zealanders.

The risks to our reputation are real. After all, we have repeatedly seen the damage to New Zealand’s reputation, and harm to domestic and international students, from scurrilous providers offering dodgy qualifications marked by low completion rates and “rampant” plagiarism.

We have no problem with institutions that meet the statutory definition of a “university” being allowed to adopt that title, but provision already exists for them to do so on application to the Minister. On the other hand, allowing institutions that are clearly not universities to brand themselves as such would make no sense at all and be very damaging to the real universities.

We would value your support on this issue.

Submissions on the Bill close on 23 June: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_72305/education-tertiary-education-and-other-matters-amendment