Programme redevelopments and unification

Currently, Te Pūkenga delivers over 2,000 programmes across the country to more than 200,000 ākonga. Our goal is to develop a unified, sustainable, public network of regionally accessible vocational education programmes that have our ākonga at the centre. 

Unifying programmes

Within Te Pūkenga network partners (institutes of technology and polytechnics, and transitional industry training organisations), there are many qualifications that currently have multiple programmes structured and delivered in various ways.

Te Pūkenga is working collaboratively to develop one ‘unified’ programme for each qualification that will support integrated delivery. The goal is that ākonga will be able to seamlessly transition through learning and employment in a multitude of contexts. 

We are developing a portfolio of integrated programmes and delivery approaches, moving away from the previous environment of duplication of programme development, non-integrated models of campus based, work based, and distance mode of delivery models, and excessive competition for enrolment of the same ākonga.   

We will work collaboratively with input from across Te Pūkenga network and the sector to make this a success. 

Te Pūkenga are taking two approaches to unification of programmes of study (which excludes programmes of industry training at this time). The first approach is where most programmes of study will transition to a current existing programme of study with some minor updates. The second approach is a full transformational programme of study re-design and development. 

Progress to date

Transition programme unification

We want to ensure we enhance consistency and provide improved graduate outcomes to meet industry needs. For unification via a transition approach, a current, existing programme of study will be selected from those currently in use across our institutes of technology and polytechnics and updated with the intention that all new ākonga will enrol in the unified programme of study, from the agreed unified delivery date. 

This includes, but is not limited to, qualifications from these areas: 

• Level 3 and 4 Business 
• Hairdressing, Beauty, Barbering and Massage 
• Hospitality and Tourism 
• Primary Industries 
• Trades
• Education 
• Sport, Recreation and Exercise

Transformational programme unification

Some discipline teams have started to transform their programmes of study in collaboration across our institutes of technology and polytechnics to improve the experience of new ākonga enrolling in the following: 

• Animal Healthcare and Veterinary Nursing suite of programmes  
• Bachelor of Nursing – Māori (Level 7) 
• Bachelor of Nursing – Pacific (Level 7) 
• Bachelor of Nursing (Level 7) 
• Bachelor of Social Work 

Reference groups of ākonga, kaimahi, industry/workforce and services users have worked on co-designing a unified programme of study that will help shape how we will deliver vocational education in the future.