THE FACTS

• The Tertiary Education Strategy 2025–2030 aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurial skills in universities and polytechnics.
• Concerns arise that performance metrics, like graduate earnings, may discourage entrepreneurial pathways.
• The strategy emphasises commercialisation and adaptability but risks prioritising traditional employment over innovation.

The Government’s recently released Tertiary Education Strategy 2025–2030 signals a shift towards harnessing the sector to address New Zealand’s long-standing productivity issues. But the strategy and its goals aren’t necessarily aligned.

Universities and polytechnics are now expected to promote innovation, accelerate commercialisation and build significantly stronger entrepreneurial capabilities. Measuring those things will be the challenge.

The strategy identifies “particular gaps in market-driven entrepreneurial skills” and instructs universities to expand entrepreneurial education, especially for graduate researchers.