Stenz/Meetings/Meeting 14 July 2009

9.30am: Welcome

Samuel Mann - Keen for meeting to be a working day.

9.45am: SANZ update

Wayne Cartwright

Think Tank document finalised and outcome shared including principals and scenarios. More work into writing, editing and subsequently reviewing paper. Over 800 hours of volunteer hours was donated. Paper was called for by the Strategic Plan developed under the partnership work for the NZ National Commission for UNESCO.

SANZ is keen to make various groups of New Zealand aware of the principals of strong sustainability and to advance those principals into various fields of application. The strategic plan also encouraged the tertiary sector to become more engaged and now refocus that goal to be centred on ‘strong sustainability’.

From an educational point of view – SANZ also been developing other material that is getting closer to what the STENZ group may need. One is a set of PowerPoint called an ‘overview’. The other resource is ‘Strong Sustainability for Tertiary Education’ PPT which incorporate quite radical recommendations.

There are 2 themes that are being discussed on the education:

1. Adjusting to the global drivers of change as part of a pathway to strong sustainability.

2. Building a pathway for strong sustainability

The paper (Sustainability for New Zealand: Principles and Scenarios)can be downloaded from www.phase2.org. PPT available upon request.

Q&A Discussions followed around the recent cuts in environmental education.

10.30am: - TEC Update

Hilary Branthwaite

Under section 159AA of the Education Act 1989, the Minister forTertiary Education must, “from time to time, issue a tertiary education strategy” that sets out:

• The Government’s long-term strategic direction for tertiary education. This part must address the following:

- economic, social, environmental goals;

- and the development aspirations of Māori and other population groups.

• The Government’s current and medium-term priorities for tertiary education.

Before the Minister issues a new TES, he or she is required to consult with those stakeholders in the tertiary education sector that the Minister considers ought to be consulted.

The next tertiary education strategy:

Government signals:

• Will provide high level direction

• Briefer and simpler document

• Needs of students and the economy should have a bigger say in driving tertiary education provision

• Less central planning

Timeline

• Obtain Cabinet approval to a draft TES in August 2009;

• Undertake consultation in September/October 2009;

• Obtain Cabinet approval of final TES in December 2009;

• Publish the new TES in December 2009

Government priorities outlined in manifesto:

• Simplifying the funding system

• Reduce central bureaucracy

• Strengthen quality and require accountability

- Enhancing sector outcomes

- Enhancing public accountability

• To support and encourage students,

• To improve the interface between schools and tertiary education

• Tight financial context – prioritising spending where it can most benefit students and the economy

• Government focused on improving performance and achieving better value from current investment

• Strong emphasis on accountability of all government agencies and public tertiary institutions

Government Policy is underpinned by five principals

1. Resource use must be based on sustainability.

2. Economic growth and improving the environment can and must go hand in hand.

3. Good science is essential to quality environmental decision making.

4. People respond best to change when engaged and given incentives.

5. New Zealanders have a unique birthright to access and enjoy our special places

11.00am: STENZ Terms of Reference

Group signed off on final wording relating to Terms of Reference and key working groups.