Option M - Employers often like to employ people who have overseas experience. For example, universities are more likely to employ people to lecturer and higher positions if they have experience studying and working overseas. To offer a university degree, the course of study leading to the degree must be taught by people actively engaged in research. This allows other TEIs to focus on teaching in a way different from universities. For postgraduate provider TEIs to both fulfill the demands of teaching and carry out good research, they need the support of Ph.D. students, which in turn must be funded.
Graduate programs are an integral part of the university research environment.
These receive too little attention in the Green paper overall. The university administered option is cheaper to run because university staff are co-opted to review proposals and make funding decisions. The university is free to use research funds to develop areas in a manner as they see fit, for example to finance new investigators or pilot studies, and encourage innovation. The Government would be taking a substantial risk by imposing their views on all university research done in New Zealand. The goal of promoting excellence is laudable.