Kia ora koutou

It’s my pleasure to write this introduction today.

On behalf of Te Pūkenga Council, I wish to express our gratitude for the remarkable work you do every day to support and empower our ākonga.

We have all been inspired by the recent photos of graduations shared on social media and the many ākonga success stories highlighted in the media. These poignant moments capture the transformative power of vocational education and training and are a testament to your dedication and hard work.

I also wanted to acknowledge the growth in campus-based domestic and international enrolments and the work that goes behind the scenes to drive these results. Although enrolments and sign-ups for work-based learning are down, the teams are managing costs accordingly.

Achieving such success in a time of uncertainty is no small feat, with decisions on the future structure of vocational education and training yet to be made. This makes your commitment and resilience even more commendable. Thank you for your unwavering mahi.

Our 2023 annual report will soon be tabled in Parliament, and I have been pleased to see that the results show many positive achievements. While we await audit clearance, I want to acknowledge your daily contributions to this result. Despite it being a challenging year, we have seen improvements not only in our financial results but also in our educational performance indicators.

Recently, Gus and I met with the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Hon. Penny Simmonds. We provided her with an update on enrolments and sign-ups, which she was pleased with. She expressed her confidence in Te Pūkenga leadership and emphasised the need for continued cost reductions. We have now received a formal letter from the Minister, which you can read on the website, reiterating her expectations for financial sustainability across our network. Leadership teams across the motu will share their strategies in the coming weeks.

This message from the Minister aligns with the proactive steps we have already been taking. The Council, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the Regional Executive Directors, and the Executive Directors of each business division have been diligently working to achieve cost savings and increase revenue. We have revisited and refined our plans to ensure we are on a clear path towards financial stability, and we are encouraged by the Minister’s endorsement to advance these initiatives.

These ongoing efforts will help secure the financial health and sustainability of our future entities, regardless of their eventual structure.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our ākonga, iwi partners and employers. Your hard work and commitment are the driving force behind our shared success.

Kia manawa nui, kia manawa ora, kia manawa roa.

Sue McCormack

Heamana ō-naianei | Acting Chair

Ngā kōrero hou
Our updates

Celebrate the rich languages of the Pacific

Pacific languages are a key cornerstone for the health and wellbeing of Pacific people. History and research show us that a loss of language leads to a loss of culture and identity.

Pacific Language Week celebrations originated in Samoa in 2007 with Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa, Samoa Language Week, founded by Fa’alapotopotoga mo le A’oa’oina o le Gagana Samoa i Aotearoa (FAGASA). In 2009, the Human Rights Commission came on board to support communities, and Pacific Language Weeks were born.

This year, two new languages have been included for the first time –Solomon Islands Pidgin, and Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin. These join Rotuma, Samoa, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue and Tokelau to make 11 Pacific Language Weeks.

Last week, 12 – 18 May, was Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta (Rotuman Language Week); next week, 26 May – 1 June, we’ll celebrate Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa (Samoa Language Week). Check out the language pages on the Ministry for Pacific Peoples website for some great language and educational resources.

Pacific Language Weeks are a great time to get involved in your local festivities, whether it's attending workshops, participating in cultural performances, or simply trying the language with your work colleagues.

Let's celebrate the richness of Pacific languages and ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come. Mark your calendars, spread the word, and make every Pacific Language Week a celebration.

Largest ever Chinese vocational education delegation meets with Te Pūkenga to explore potential partnerships 

A group of delegates representing twelve Chinese polytechnics has met with senior executives from Te Pūkenga and its business divisions to explore potential partnership and collaboration opportunities.

Co-ordinated by Education New Zealand, the visiting group included more than 20 polytechnic delegates from a range of provinces and key cities in China, as well as international agents.

They met with representatives from Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), Unitec, NorthTec, Toi-Ohomai, Wintec and Eastern Institute of Technology.

The visiting group was welcomed to MIT’s Manukau campus with a mihi whakatau and was addressed by Te Pūkenga chief executive, Gus Gilmore.

In his address, Gus said that nearly a quarter of international enrolments at Te Pūkenga were from China so far this year

Mr Gilmore said across the network, Te Pūkenga business divisions held 66 active partnerships with vocational education providers in China, building degree pathways, teacher training programmes, foundation courses and joint delivery programmes.

"Our business divisions have already had success stories in these programmes, and we are starting to see an increased level of interest from Chinese colleges and universities,” he said.

"Collectively, there is a lot of experience and understanding in the network of what it takes to care for and deliver successfully to Chinese students, both as international learners and in their home country."

One of the speakers for the delegation, Lixia Wang, Deputy Director-General of the Jiangxi Provincial Education Department, said that China was looking for high-quality international collaborations.

Mr Wang said whilee the vocational institutes were keen to continue with degree pathways and joint delivery programmes, they were also interested in exploring industries such as software and IT, nursing, manufacturing, electrical and mechanical engineering for future areas of collaboration.

Celebrating our Te Pae Ora wellbeing competition winners

Last month, our Te Pae Ora wellbeing competition aimed to promote mental health and wellbeing practices among ākonga. We asked ākonga, "What's one thing you do for your wellbeing?" We're excited to share the three winners and how their lives have been positively impacted.

Āwhina is one happy wahine grateful to win one of the Te Pae Ora wellbeing competition prizes: an IT pack valued at $3,000.

“I am just so grateful for the gift. My laptop had stopped working properly, and that same day, I got a phone call to say I had won, so it couldn’t have been better timing. I don’t need the laptop bag, so I am going to gift that to one of my classmates who does.”

Āwhina boosts her wellbeing by walking in taiao, anywhere Tāne and Papatūānuku are. These are the atua she connects with the most; “they uplift my spirit,” she explains.

Awhina Hokianga (Ngāti Kahungunu), 2nd-year Bachelor of Nursing ākonga at Te Aho A Māui (EIT)

Another of our winners, Breana, was over the moon when she received the news. She had never won anything before and expressed her heartfelt thanks. The win brought great news and a positive start to her day on her way to class.

Breana Chapman, 1st-year, Whitireia and WelTec

Our ākonga studying social work, Lynda Kirkman, also stood out in our competition. Her dedication to wellbeing and inspiring practices have earned her a well-deserved recognition.

Lynda Kirkman, social work student, Ara

We extend our congratulations to Āwhina, Breana, and Lynda. Their stories inspire us all to prioritise our mental health and wellbeing.

Research peer reviewers needed!

Are you interested in peer-reviewing research articles? Otago Polytechnic Press needs you!

Peer reviewing is a great opportunity to use your expertise, learn about new research, build your networks and contribute to the research culture of Te Pūkenga.

Reviewing is voluntary and requires you to provide feedback on work submitted for publication within a timely manner.

Otago Polytechnic Press is looking for peer reviewers for the following journals:

• Junctures: The Journal for Thematic Dialogue
• Scope: Contemporary Research Topics (Learning and Teaching)
• Scope: Contemporary Research Topics (Work-based Learning)

If you haven’t peer-reviewed before, or if you’d like a refresher, come along to a lunchtime session about peer reviewing on 31 May from 12 to 1 PM. WelTec & Whitireia will host this session, presented by Dr Amanda Cossham, Research Development Leader, Open Polytechnic.

Join using the Zoom link: https://w2sharedservices.zoom.us/j/9342865072

To learn more or register interest, please contact the editors at the links above or email Junctures@OP.ac.nz or Scope.Editorial@OP.ac.nz.

The Delegations Register has been updated to reflect changes as we move into a transition structure

The Executive Leadership Team has made changes to the Delegations Register to reflect changes as we move into a transition structure. These changes took effect on 20 May 2024.

Updates include:

• Reflecting changes in the Executive Leadership team and associated delegations
• Changes to the capital limit available to Executive Directors
• Further clarity on Regional Digital Leads CapEx limits.

The updated Delegations Register can be viewed on the website and on Te Whare.

We will continue to review the delegation settings throughout the year and keep you informed of any further changes.

If you have any questions, please speak with your manager. For further support, please email: fsp@tepukenga.ac.nz.

Seize the moment! Join us for a high-performance insights webinar with Dr. Bex

Join us on June 27 from 12:30pm-1:30pm for a conversation with Dr. Bex Bell, a high-performance coach and author of Inner Critic to Inner Coach. Discover how to live a high-performance life, manage stress, and achieve epic goals.

Meet Dr. Bex Bell: a Morticia Adams aficionado fixated on life's brevity! She is passionate about optimising our existence and believes in living a high-performance life filled with engagement and energy. She has a deep-rooted love for the human brain and thrives on understanding its complexities to enhance our experience. From managing stress to achieving epic goals, Bex guides others toward resilience and clarity.

Outside of her high-performance coaching work with Remix, she admires the athleticism and mental toughness of UFC fighters and sees the pursuit of excellence in the gym as training for excellence in life. Previously aspiring to be a criminal profiler, she holds a PhD in Forensic Psychology from Victoria University of Wellington, which she earned through immersive experiences in New Zealand's prison system.

Join her on a journey to seize every moment and live boldly—because life is short, so let's do the things!

Register here.