The Otago Mayoral Forum has been actively engaged with the polytechnic and institute of technology sector reforms since they were first announced by Minister Hipkins earlier this year and approaches the announcement made yesterday with cautious optimism.

The Forum has recognised throughout the process that the sector as a whole is in need of reform, but expressed concern to the Minister that these reforms should not come to the detriment of successful southern institutions.

Yesterday’s announcement whereby a two year period is given to determine whether a polytechnic or institute can retain its independence or will be taken in by a national body is a sensible half-way house that the Forum is confident our local institutions will emerge from in as good as, if not a better positions, than they are currently in.

The Forum will continue to remain engaged with and supportive of our local institutions’ management teams over this period and in to the future.

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