Podcast: The changing landscape of higher education

The New Zealand Initiative podcast features James Keirstead and Michael Johnston hosting Emeritus Professor John Raine to discuss the changes in academic standards within New Zealand's university system. The conversation covers the impact of NCEA on student preparedness, particularly in maths and sciences, and the broader implications of shifting university funding models and enrollment expectations. They also address concerns about declining literacy and critical thinking skills among students, the politicization of universities through the Treaty of Waitangi focus, and the challenges of integrating Māori traditions into academic disciplines, particularly science, while maintaining international credibility and academic integrity.