The New Zealand Universities’ Academic Workforce Planning Project
23 January 2012, by Kevin Seales
For a number of years, the eight New Zealand universities have shared concerns about the future viability of the sector’s academic workforce. Like other countries, as New Zealand moves towards 2020 there will be significant pressures on universities in maintaining an effective and efficient academic workforce. The international competition for top academics is on the rise and New Zealand staff are being attracted both out of the sector and out of New Zealand. During this same period members of the existing academic workforce will be retiring at a higher rate than ever before experienced. In addition, due to the changing ethnic mix in New Zealand, it is expected that this workforce will need to include a significantly greater proportion of Māori and Pacific peoples than at present.
