This week we have a special guest, Lord Jonathan Sumption, in this combined Free Kiwis and The New Zealand Initiative podcast episode. Lord Sumption talks to us about his advocacy on free speech and is in NZ as a guest of the Free Speech Union. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talks to Dr Michael Johnston about NZ's interesting Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system vs First Past the Post (FFP), in the run-up to the 2023 NZ election. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Join Dr. Michael Johnston, Dr. James Kierstead and their guest, Dr. Kendall Clements, for a discussion about the issues currently facing the teaching of science at secondary and tertiary level. The New Zealand Initiative · EPS. Read more

Public webinar: Blessing or Bloat? Non-academic staffing in New Zealand universities in comparative perspective New Zealand universities are in crisis. Read more

A new report finds New Zealand universities have the highest ratio of non-academics to academics amongst English-speaking countries. The report, from the think tank The New Zealand Initiative, finds there are 40 to 50 per cent more managers and administrators than teaching staff. Read more

Wellington (Tuesday, 1 August 2023) – The New Zealand Initiative’s report Blessing or Bloat? Non-Academic Staffing in New Zealand Universities in Comparative Perspective, co-authored by Drs James Kierstead and Michael Johnston shows that a majority of staff at New Zealand universities are non-academics. Read more

New research has uncovered how many university staff are working in non-academic roles. The New Zealand Initiative study found there are up to 50 percent more non-academics than academics. Read more

Join us in this thought-provoking podcast episode as Drs James Kierstead and Michael Johnston engage in a conversation with Emeritus Professor John Raine, an esteemed academic with extensive experience in the New Zealand education system. We explore the evolution of academic standards and university preparedness, discussing the impact of changes in the education system and the importance of foundational knowledge in subjects like mathematics and sciences. Read more