Warning issued by student union over polytech mergers

Warning issued by studen union over mergers being pursued by four regional polytechnics, including Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the Waiariki Institute of Technology. Photo/file

The national student union has issued a warning over mergers being pursued by four regional polytechnics, including Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the Waiariki Institute of Technology.

NZUSA President Rory McCourt, who has met with some of the affected students, said students are feeling anxious about the prospects for local provision as a result of the mergers.

Mergers are being proposed between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology, and Aoraki Polytechnic in South Canterbury with Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Mr McCourt said the institutions need to set out some guarantees to reassure students and their local communities.

"These institutions need to promise their students and communities that a sufficient range of essential courses will continue to be provided locally." Mr McCourt said.

"No student should have to drive for hours just to complete a basic course like automotive, administration or nursing. Local employers should be able to expect that in a country like New Zealand their workers can get essential skills locally."

NZUSA Executive Director Alistair Shaw said: "The reality is that the New Zealand polytechnics that are merging have an uneven mix of student voice systems and overall those systems fall well short of best practice. Investing to get their student voice systems right at a very early stage of the merger process is going to be good for learners and crucial for the success of the new institutions."

"We strongly believe that a strong student voice is beneficial for the community and for regional provision, since students represent the aspirations of that community."

Dr Shaw said the union will be writing to the Councils of each polytechnic to invite them to work on improving their student voice systems through any mergers.