Statement on cuts to Marsden Funds for Humanities and Social Sciences

Today's announcement from Government disbanding the humanities and social sciences panels from the Marsden Fund is very concerning. Whilst investment in STEM disciplines is important for shorter-term economic benefit, longer-term transformation of innovation and the lifting of productivity requires social and cultural change also. Humanities and Social Sciences are the disciplines that underpin our society and research in these areas is crucial for understanding society transformation. In a time of societal upheaval, not only in Aotearoa New Zealand but worldwide, government disinvestment in these disciplines is astonishing.

Just over a fifth of researchers in our universities work in the humanities and social sciences. Their research covers a huge range of disciplines including housing, law, education, religion, sociology, and human relationships. We have publicly and repeatedly indicated our support for all disciplines of research as well as highlighting the importance of social sciences and humanities to transdisciplinary research.

There are two government consultation processes underway to which we are providing, in good faith, thoughtful and constructive suggestions to improve universities’ operating context. We know that government funding is tight, and we know that government has to be able to defend where taxpayer money is going. But the answer is not to cut out the humanities and social sciences from the Marsden Fund.