8/10/2024
George Morrison
[FYI request #28287 email]
Tēnā koe George
OIA: 1336228 – University Advisory Group overall costs
Thank you for your email of 3 September 2024 to the Minister for Tertiary Education. The Minister
transferred the following part of your request to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) on
17 September 2024 as the information is more closely connected with functions of the Ministry:
Overall cost of the University Advisory Group (UAG), breaking out fees, administration, and
hosting costs
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) have jointly budgeted $400,000 for the
direct costs of the University Advisory Group (UAG). This includes panel member fees, travel
costs, and any additional support or analysis required by the UAG but does not include the cost of
Ministry and TEC secretariat support. As of 26 September 2024, the Ministry and the Tertiary
Education Commission have spent $177,691.25 on the UAG, consisting of:
• $127,800 in panel member fees – information on panel member fee levels has
previously been released and can be found on page 5 at
https://assets.education.govt.nz/public/Documents/our-work/information-
releases/responses-to-Official-Information-Act-requests/1333318-Appendix-A.pdf,
• $25,911 on travel costs, including flights, other transport, and accommodation,
• $22,727.25 coordination and communications support from Koi Tū, an independent
think tank at the University of Auckland,
• $660 on probity checks,
• $593 on catering.
These figures exclude the cost of Ministry and Tertiary Education Commission staff time in
supporting the UAG.
Please note, we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and
contact details wil be removed.
Thank you again for your email.
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
Nāku noa, nā
James Campbell
Senior Policy Manager, Tertiary Education
Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy
OIA: 1336228
