Ministerial Appointees to Tertiary Education Institutions – Governance Skills
Framework – January 2024
This framework is primarily to help potential candidates understand what is involved in being a Ministerial appointee at a tertiary education institution (TEI), and what skills, knowledge and experience we look for. The framework
should also be useful to TEIs as a tool to support skills mapping, in the appointment and development of other Council-appointed (or co-opted) members, and in succession planning.
Most TEIs – eight universities, two wānanga and Te Pūkenga – are Crown entities, and the Minister of Education appoints around a third of members1 to their governing councils or mana whakahaere. The third wānanga, Te
Wānanga o Raukawa, is a non-Crown entity TEI and does not have Ministerial appointments. The statutory functions, duties and powers of governing councils are set out in the Education and Training Act 2020.2 The statutory
functions and duties of Te Pūkenga are slightly different to those for universities and wānanga, but the governance roles are similar.
This framework sets out the main statutory functions and duties of TEI councils/mana whakahaere, and how the governance role relates to each of these.
Currently, these ministerial appointments are not suitable roles for emerging governors. There is, however, no expectation that members who are elected to, or nominated for the Council by their peers (including students,
academic staff, and general staff) will have significant governance or management experience at first.
Statutory functions and duties under the
Governance role
Experience and knowledge
Professional or specific skills
Attributes
Education and Training Act 2020
The overall aim of the institution, and its characteristics, are defined in law.
One or more of:
s281 (1) (a) to strive to ensure that the institution
› Significant strategic leadership as a
› A commitment to
attains the highest standards of excellence in
Council members need to understand the environment (including the full
chief or deputy (Vice-Chancellor, Chief
› Strategic planning
tertiary education,
education, training, and research.
legal framework) within which they perform their functions and duties. They
Financial Officer, Chief Executive,
research, and teaching
› Strategic financial planning
also need to ensure meaningful and regular engagement with the sectors
Kaiwhakatere, Chief of Operations,
excellence
that the institution serves.
Chief/Head of Legal, HR,
› Business transformation
› A connection to the
Schedule 11 clause 18(2) The Council must also
Pouwhakahaere, Chief Investment
Councils need to give regard to the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) and
› Risk and assurance
institution or its
establish an academic board to advise the Council on
Officer, etc.), and/or
other strategies and policies.
community
academic matters and exercise the powers that the
›
› Investment planning
Owner, partner, or director level
academic board has been delegated.
Using that knowledge, the council/mana whakahaere provides strategic
› Behaviour that
consultant/lawyer/accountant or
› Leadership and
leadership to:
enhances inclusive
similar in a mid-tier or above firm,
organisational
decision-making and
› define the institution’s purpose and vision, and
and/or
development
kotahitanga.
› turn that purpose and vision into executable strategy and policy for the
› Other comparable experience and
› Commercialisation
Chief Executive/Vice-Chancellor/Kaiwhakatere and their staff to
knowledge.
› Governance
deliver.
› Education
s281 (1) (c) to encourage the greatest possible
Council members should understand what enrolled learners need to succeed
› Have (or develop) an understanding of,
› A background in education
› A commitment to
participation by the communities served by the
and identify any barriers to potential learners applying to the institution. The
and commitment to, Ōritetanga
or tertiary education is
approaches that grow
institution so as to maximise the educational
Council should lead strategy and policy development that:
(learner success) and learner well-
useful but not required for
participation and
potential of all members of those communities, with
› has an all-of-system equity focus
being, and
all members.
potential.
particular emphasis on groups in those communities
that are under-represented among the students of
› recognises the needs and aspirations of Māori, Pacific, disabled and
› Have (or develop) an understanding of
the institution.
low-income learners, and
the national priorities for learning.
› aims to close the attainment gap between those groups and all
learners.
1 More than this for Te Pūkenga – can be up to nine of the twelve possible council members.
2 Councils also have other responsibilities and duties under the Crown Entities Act 2004 which are not set out in this framework.
TEC Governance Skills Framework, January 2024
1
Statutory functions and duties under the
Governance role
Experience and knowledge
Professional or specific skills
Attributes
Education and Training Act 2020
Well-led TEIs are intergenerational taonga. Council members have a duty, as
One or more of:
s280 (e) to undertake planning relating to the
› Experience of long-term strategic
› A commitment to social
the current guardians/kaitiaki, to plan for long-term sustainability. In doing
institution’s long-term strategic direction.
planning, including long-term financial
› People and capability
and environmental
so, they should be mindful of the requirement for institutions to be
planning and sustainability.
sustainability.
s281 (1) (e) to ensure that the institution operates in
accountable and make proper use of resources allocated to them as
› Academic quality
a financially responsible manner that ensures the
required by
s267 (2) (b) of the Act.
› A well-tuned understanding of risk.
improvement
All members, irrespective
efficient use of resources and maintains the
of the appointment
This might mean that periodically, an institution may need to change aspects
› Maintaining high-standards, and a focus
› Diversity and inclusion
institution’s long-term viability.
pathway, should be:
of its operating model to remain both relevant and sustainable. Gradual
on current and future learners, and
› Financial management
changes will be part of normal business, but occasional shocks and
staff, while managing large-scale
› able to understand
disruptions can and do happen (Canterbury and Kaikōura Earthquakes, GFC,
change.
› Audit and assurance
council finances and
Covid, etc.).
›
performance reporting,
Experience in a TEI would be useful.
› Insurance and/or risk
bearing in mind the
The council should ensure that effective risk identification and mitigation is
› Information management
relative complexity of
in place, and that changes are managed while remaining focused on the
and technology, including
funding, and
council’s overall long-term plan.
digital transformation and
› confident in contributing
cyber security
effectively on financial
› Capital asset management.
matters.
In preparing and submitting investment plans, the role of the council is to
s280 (b) to prepare and submit a proposed plan if
› Have or develop an understanding of
› Setting challenging but
› Recognising the
ensure that:
the institution is seeking funding under a funding
the TES and its priorities.
realistic delivery targets,
importance of
mechanism that provides for funding via plans, and
› investment plans support the TES and the institution’s long-term
›
standards, and outcomes.
contributing to a strong
Have or develop and understanding of
strategy
and diverse national
the relevant funding mechanisms.
› Effectively monitoring
s280 (c) (ii) determine policies to implement that
network of provision.
› there is a robust analysis supporting delivery projections, and
organisational performance
plan.
as a governor or senior
› the institution has the policies and capability to deliver.
manager.
Universities and wānanga have academic freedom and institutional
One or more of:
s280 (d) to determine, subject to the Public Service
› Understanding of, and commitment to,
› High standards of
autonomy under
s267 (2) (a). Te Pūkenga has academic freedom under
Act 2020, the policies of the institution in relation to
Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and,
› People and capability
personal integrity and
s318.
the management of its affairs, and
ideally, experience of active
conduct, and concern
› Audit, assurance, and risk
All TEIs must act in a manner that is consistent with the need for institutions
participation or practical application.
for the public interest
s281 (1) (f) to ensure that proper standards of
to maintain the highest ethical standards, and the need to permit public
› Financial management
and learners
integrity, conduct, and concern for the public interest
› Experience of implementing or
scrutiny to ensure the maintenance of those standards
.
and the well-being of students attending the
improving policy frameworks, and in
› Academic quality
› Willing to develop and
institution are maintained.
Councils oversee a significant programme of policy work covering the
leading ethical behaviours (tone from
improvement
grow cultural capability
institution’s activities, including employment policies, internal financial
the top).
as required.
› Information management
s281 (1) (b) to acknowledge the principles of Te Tiriti
controls, an ethical framework (including conflicts of interest, sensitive
› Understanding of the employment
and technology, digital
o Waitangi:
expenditure, social media use, etc.) and many more.
environment, including anti-
transformation, and cyber
s281 (1) (d) to ensure that the institution does not
Much of this oversight will occur in committees, so the council should
discriminatory legislation.
security
discriminate unfairly against any person
ensure it has sufficient and capable subject matter experience to provide the
› Capital asset management.
right level of leadership and scrutiny in those committees.
Specialist HR knowledge and
experience can be useful.
The Chief Executive/Vice-Chancellor is the council’s only employee. The
Education and Training Act 2020
› Experience of effectively monitoring
› Performance management
› Ability and willingness
council is responsible for selecting and mentoring an appropriately skilled
individual and organisational
to ask questions
s280 (a) to appoint a chief executive in accordance
chief and holding them to account for the institution’s performance.
› Performance
performance in a governance or senior
with the Public Service Act 2020, and to monitor and
measurement.
› Able to articulate
Council members need to ensure they are receiving appropriate
management role.
evaluate the chief executive’s performance.
information needs.
information, in a format that is timely and digestible, to provide effective
oversight, scrutiny and direction.
s280 (c) (i) if the institution has a (funding) plan to
ensure that the institution is managed in accordance
with that plan.
TEC Governance Skills Framework, January 2024
2
