Thought Leadership Papers

New Zealand has a world-class education system. One that values equal opportunity to gain the skills Kiwis need to thrive in the modern economy. The impacts of AI and automation will see an elimination of 85 million jobs and the creation of 97 million jobs – challenging education providers and government bodies to shift the dial on post-secondary education and future-focused skills to ensure underserved learners are not left behind.  

Research shows Māori, Pacific, and people with disabilities are disproportionately represented in lower rates of educational achievement, and adverse health and social outcomes. 

In an eye-opening series of submissions, education leaders, community leaders and tertiary learners share why we should be investing in systemic changes and innovative approaches for Māori, Pacific, and people with disabilities to thrive.

The research and modelling of this paper investigates the social and economic benefits of improving education outcomes for underserved learners in New Zealand. Evidence shows education is one of the most influential policy levers for improving the welfare of New Zealanders.

By lifting underserved learners to a level 4 to 6 accreditation, long-term socio-economic benefits for the country are profound – adding $11 billion to the New Zealand economy over 30 years and immensely improving health outcomes, social cohesion, and civic participation. 

This report shows a clear opportunity and rationale for social investment in New Zealand’s future, challenging the sector and government bodies to address the needs of underserved learners – a group that accounts for over 66,000 learners nationwide aged 25 to 49-years-old.

Kiwis like to think of themselves as creative, innovative people with a distinctive global brand. And this is increasingly true. New Zealand’s creative industries are flourishing, enabling large-scale transformation of industries and the economy – but we’re only just scratching the surface.

Delving into this, UP Education and Yoobee Colleges have commissioned a research White Paper titled ‘Unleashing New Zealand’s Creative Economy’.

The paper provides a current snapshot of the health of our creative industries and the training and educational drivers behind them before making recommendations to enable these industries to maximise their potential in a post COVID-19 world.

To realise the huge advantages that the creative industries can deliver for New Zealand, this paper discusses a range of initiatives that are needed in order to build a well-resourced, cohesive creative sector, driven by a clear and overarching strategic direction.