Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith and Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced $3.9 million for 32 projects from the 2017 Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.

“The Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund focuses on the development of skilled people and organisations conducting research aligned with the four themes of the Vision Mātauranga policy; indigenous innovation, environmental sustainability, health and social well-being, and exploring indigenous knowledge,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced an investment of $31.7 million to upgrade New Zealand’s supercomputing capabilities.

“The existing supercomputers are at the end of their operating lives and energy intensive by today’s standards. The new supercomputers will deliver up to 10 times the computing capability and more than four times the storage capacity of their predecessors,” says Mr Goldsmith.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has welcomed the news that five of New Zealand’s eight universities have improved their ranking in the annual Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.

First published in 2005, the QS ranking examines universities across areas such as reputation, teaching, research and internationalisation to determine an overall ranking for over 900 universities.

Communications Minister Simon Bridges and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith have welcomed the launch of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Forum to help understand the opportunities and challenges relating to AI in New Zealand.

Supported by NZTech, the Forum brings together users of technology, tech firms, academia and government to help connect, promote and advance the AI ecosystem and drive positive social and economic outcomes for New Zealand.

The Engineering e2e programme achieving its goal of 500+ engineering graduates per year by 2017 a year early will be welcome news for industry, says Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith.

“It’s very pleasing to see all the hard work by Engineering e2e, Futureintech, tertiary institutions, engineering professional organisations and others has really paid off,” Mr Goldsmith says.

New Zealand’s international education industry grew six per cent to 131,609 student enrolments in 2016, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith announced today.

The International Education Dashboard for 2016 shows an overall increase of 7,245 international student enrolments from a broader range of countries, and that a majority of regions in New Zealand experienced growth.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the official launch of the Auckland Airport Jobs and Skills Hub - Ara.

“Ara is an industry-led skills and employment initiative that connects employers based at the Airport with local jobseekers in South Auckland,” says Mrs Tolley.

“This skills hub is part of the Government’s approach to partner with businesses to deliver wider economic and social benefits.

Today’s announcement that more American students will have the opportunity to experience New Zealand’s world-class education system, has been welcomed by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith.

Education New Zealand has committed to providing US $50,000 over the next two years, to support Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Programme recipients to study and/or intern for academic credit in New Zealand. This funding will be matched by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State (ECA).

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has today announced two appointments to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Nigel Gould will become Board Chair from 1 August 2017. Mr Gould has been on the TEC Board since 2013 and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He is also Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ, the Young Enterprise Trust and Destination Marlborough.

Regulatory Reform Minister Paul Goldsmith has welcomed the Statutes Repeal Bill passing its third reading in Parliament tonight.

The Statutes Repeal Bill will repeal or partially repeal 137 pieces of legislation, and will reduce the total number of laws on the Statute Books by 128.

“With this Bill we are reducing the number of public Acts on the New Zealand law books by more than 10 per cent,” says Mr Goldsmith.

A new partnership agreement providing the University of Auckland access to a share of more than $215 million in funding will support further commercialisation of innovative Kiwi research, says Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith.

Budget 2017 will invest an additional $81.9 million of new operating funding over four years to support high-impact, mission-led programmes of science through the Endeavour Fund, Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“The Endeavour Fund supports excellent, higher-risk research with the potential for long-term, transformative impact in areas of future value, growth or critical need for New Zealand,” Mr Goldsmith says.

$40.5 million of new operating funding in Budget 2017 will help to reduce the risk to life from natural disasters and hazards, and explore the unique environment of Antarctica, Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

The new funding is made up of $19.5 million over four years for natural hazards research, and $21 million over three years from 2018/19 dedicated to Antarctic research. It will be administered through the Government’s Strategic Science Investment Fund.

Budget 2017 invests $132.1 million of new operating funding to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a stronger and more internationally connected New Zealand economy, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“To help Kiwis succeed we need a world-class tertiary education system that delivers modern skills, rewards research excellence, and helps drive innovation,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The investments funded as part of Budget 2017, over four years, are:

Budget 2017 will invest $372.8 million of new operating funding in the second round of the Government’s Innovative New Zealand programme, Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith say.

“Every initiative in the Budget flows from having a strong economic plan that delivers sustainable growth and jobs,” Mr Bridges says. “The Government’s Innovative New Zealand programme invests in the skills and innovation that will keep our economy growing in the years ahead.”

The funding includes:

Education Minister Nikki Kaye unveiled a commemorative photograph at Auckland Grammar School this morning, dedicated to New Zealand’s first ever female university graduate, Kate Edger.

“It was a privilege to acknowledge Kate, who was a real trailblazer and a passionate advocate for women at a time when opportunities for women were much more limited than they are today,” says Ms Kaye.

Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today opened New Zealand’s first innovation institute in Hangzhou, China, a key step towards developing stronger research links with Chinese researchers.

“China is a key science and innovation partner for New Zealand and the University of Auckland Innovation Institute in Hangzhou presents a great opportunity to help New Zealand research organisations commercialise their intellectual property into the Chinese market,” Mr Goldsmith says

Ten schools across New Zealand will receive assistance to deepen their China sister school relationships, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith announced in Beijing today.

The New Zealand – China Sister Schools Fund operates on a co-funding basis to enable schools to further deepen their existing links with Chinese partners. Each school will receive up to $5000 from a fund administered by Education New Zealand.

Science and Innovation and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith will travel to China tonight to represent New Zealand at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

“Attending the first Belt and Road Forum will allow us to add a distinctly New Zealand voice and perspective. New Zealand’s best interests lie in participating in international initiatives that have the potential to benefit our economy and society,” says Mr Goldsmith.

The Education (Tertiary Education and Other Matters) Amendment Bill has today passed its first reading in Parliament, says Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith.

“This Bill will help the tertiary education system run more efficiently, ensure quality, and provide additional student protection,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Regulatory Reform Minister Paul Goldsmith has welcomed the Statutes Repeal Bill passing its Second Reading in Parliament today.

“Repealing redundant laws is just one part of the wider work we are doing to improve the quality of the law that governs New Zealanders’ lives,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“124 laws were slated for removal when the Bill was introduced, and as a result of public submissions that number has now increased to 128.”

The latest employment forecasts released today show that the New Zealand economy will continue to grow total employment over the next three years, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s report, Short-term Employment Forecasts: 2017-20, shows that employment will grow an average of two per cent over the next three years.

Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced $1.2 million of additional funding for the Natural Hazards Research Platform to conduct vital research and work to support the Kaikoura earthquake recovery.

“Science helps us to understand what happened during this earthquake, how we rebuild and how we respond to future events,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“New Zealand is leading the world in earthquake science and our unique seismic events provide opportunities to make major contributions to international understanding in this field.”