International reference group welcomed

The Association of University Staff (AUS) has welcomed the formation of an international reference group to assist the work of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission (TEAC).

AUS National President, Neville Blampied, said in Christchurch today that the Association had urged the government to appoint such a group from the day that TEAC was announced.

"Universities are, by their very nature, inherently international in focus. They have always been outward looking and committed to meeting international standards of excellence" he said.

"It is essential that any review of our tertiary education system should be deeply and extensively informed by the best advice possible in an international context.

“The membership of the Advisory Group announced today clearly covers a wide spectrum of countries and tertiary education systems, and will be further strengthened when advisors from the USA and Canada are added."

Neville Blampied added that while AUS welcomes this development, it continues to be concerned that TEAC is overworked and under-resourced for the vital tasks it faces.

"If initiatives such as the International Advisory Group are to yield maximum benefit to the
Commission's work, then Government needs to ensure that Commission members and Secretariat have the time and resources required to fully consider issues and to prepare reports which will give New Zealand the tertiary education system it needs for the 21st century."

Neville Blampied
National President

Contact for Neville Blampied (021) 680 475

© Scoop Media