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Wellington institutions look to enhance digital economy


Wellington institutions look to enhance the region’s digital economy


Three Wellington tertiary providers are working with industry to develop a joint Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Graduate School that addresses the specific needs of the region.

Earlier this year the Government announced it was investing $28.6 million over four years in ICT graduate schools in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Victoria University of Wellington, WelTec and Whitireia have joined forces with a number of Wellington businesses to develop a bid to establish the school.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Wellington based tertiary institutions to establish a school that will maximise the economic opportunities for our city and New Zealand,” says Professor Mike Wilson, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Science, Architecture and Design and Engineering at Victoria University.

“The Wellington region has the highest concentration of web and digital-based companies per capita in New Zealand and we want to ensure there are enough graduates with the skills and research capacity to help those companies thrive. Collectively we see great value in being able to leverage our existing networks, resources and education capabilities in the region to develop a school that will lead to a larger pool of ICT talent and collaborative research partnerships.”
WelTec Chief Executive Linda Sissons says the three tertiary institutions already have extensive collaborative relationships with each other, and the businesses and stakeholders that are necessary to make the School a success.

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“We have been talking to a number of companies who are partnering with us to get a clear view of what the School needs to offer. We will be focused not only on skill development and innovative research initiatives, but also on blurring the traditional teaching boundaries by offering more educational delivery in real settings. This is an exciting direction for all of us.”

Whitireia Chief Executive Don Campbell agreed, noting the exciting possibilities that working together on this graduate school would bring. “The strength created by combining the longstanding vocational and applied research focus of polytechnic ICT programmes, including at Master’s level, to the postgraduate and research strengths of Victoria provides a compelling story.”

The consortium submitted its expression of interest on developing the Wellington Region ICT Graduate School to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today.

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