Ten polytechs get green light to stand alone

Monday, 14 July 2025

Ten of the country’s polytechnics will regain regional governance from January, in a major shake-up of the vocational education system.

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds announced the change on Monday as part of the Government’s plan to reverse Labour’s polytechnic reforms, which merged institutions into the centralised entity Te Pūkenga.

“This is a major milestone in building a vocational education system that’s locally led, regionally responsive, and future focused,” Simmonds said.

“We’ve listened to extensive industry feedback and I’m confident our plan will set the sector up for long-term economic and learning success.”

Under the changes four polytechnics — NorthTec, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT), Whitireia and WelTec, and Tai Poutini Polytechnic — will remain within Te Pūkenga for now as they work toward financial viability. A decision on their future is due in the first half of 2026.

Simmonds said the reforms under Labour created an “unwieldy and uneconomic central institution”, Te Pūkenga, taking away the ability of regions to respond to local training and employer needs.

“Labour dismantled regionally-led vocational education – and we are restoring it.”

The 10 polytechnics returning to regional control are:

• Ara Institute of Canterbury

• Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT)

• Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT)

• Southern Institute of Technology (SIT)

• Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology

• Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)

• Unitec Institute of Technology and Manukau Institute of Technology (to operate as a single entity)

• Otago Polytechnic

• Universal College of Learning (UCOL)

• The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

The Open Polytechnic will anchor a federation with UCOL and Otago Polytechnic, coordinating programmes and services like academic boards. Simmonds said this shared model would allow polytechnics to build more efficient business operations and better utilise online learning.

The Tertiary Education Union (TEU) national secretary Sandra Grey said the announcement was a “disaster for regional Aotearoa”.

“Taking a number of financially unstable institutions and putting them all together is not a recipe for stability and the only way the others have achieved standalone status is by slashing courses and jobs.”

Legislation enabling the restructure is currently before Parliament and expected to pass in October.

Te Pūkenga will act as a transitional body for up to a year to oversee unallocated programmes and support a smooth handover. The legislation also provides for mergers or closures if any polytechnic cannot remain financially viable.

“With more than 250,000 students in the vocational education system each year, these changes offer greater flexibility, financial sustainability, and ensure training remains relevant to employment needs,” Simmonds said.

Grey said the four polytechs that will remain in Te Pūkenga with their future based on financial viability were in rural regions where vocational education was needed “more than anywhere else”.

“These are places that don’t have universities to go to, where unemployment is high, and yet where lots of industries are crying out for well-trained workers.”

The digital divide will be exacerbated by the change, Grey said.

“Online learning doesn’t work for everyone, even if you have the most up-to-date hardware and stable internet – which many people in the regions don’t have – and it’s particularly problematic for second-chance learners.”

Polytechs that have been given the green light responded positively.

Ara Institute of Technology executive director Darren Mitchell said the “milestone” was a “powerful endorsement of the value Ara brings to our communities and industries”.

“It means we can be even more responsive to local needs, more agile in our decision-making and more focused on delivering the skills and innovation that power Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy.

Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) executive director Olivia Hall said the confirmation the institute would stand alone was “a strong vote of confidence in the institute’s ability to meet the needs of learners and our region”.

She said NMIT was now forecasting a surplus of more than $1m, the first surplus in five years.

“A 12% increase in enrolments compared to this time last year, including a 36% increase in international learners, has contributed to this positive outcome.”