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A new initiative aimed at raising achievement among Pasifika students has been launched by the Government today in Auckland.

The Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017, which has been developed by the Education and Pacific Island Affairs Ministries sets out how ministries can work together with other agencies, schools and communities to help raise achievement among Pasifika students.

Professor Margaret Brimble has been announced the 2012 Rutherford Medal winner by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

Professor Brimble, from Auckland University’s Department of Chemistry, was awarded the prestigious scientific honour during the New Zealand Research Honours Dinner at Auckland Museum tonight.

A medicinal chemist, who designs new chemicals for the treatment of disease, she is being recognised for her world-leading contributions to the synthesis of bioactive natural products and novel peptides.

Government initiatives underway to get more young people and the unemployed into work have the support of New Zealand employers, new research shows.

A survey of 2000 employers and in-depth interviews with 53 firms by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment found that improving education, training and skills for young people and the unemployed removed barriers and enhanced their chances of getting a job.

A new approach to boosting Māori economic performance will benefit all New Zealanders, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples say.

The Māori Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, He Kai Kei Aku Ringa, released at Parliament today provides a blueprint for a productive, innovative, and export-orientated Māori economy that will support better paying jobs and higher living standards.

Ten of New Zealand’s top up-and-coming researchers have been awarded Rutherford Discovery Fellowships this year, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has announced.

The 2012 Fellowships, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand, will see more than $9 million invested to support the selected scientists over the next five years.

The latest Pure Advantage report, Green Growth Opportunities for New Zealand, underscores the importance of a significant number of existing government initiatives already underway, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“The new report makes a useful contribution to the debate on how we can make the best use of New Zealand’s natural resources and competitive advantages,” Mr Joyce says.

The name of the new institute set up by the Government to help firms in the high-tech manufacturing and services sectors will be Callaghan Innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce will become the first New Zealand Minister to attend the Ministerial Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (SCOTESE) meeting in Melbourne this week.

The purpose of the meeting is to engage with Australian Ministerial counterparts and will be an important precursor to New Zealand hosting the next meeting of Ministers in Auckland in June next year.

A bill to establish the new Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) – a new high-tech HQ for innovative New Zealand businesses – today passed its second reading in Parliament.

“The purpose of the ATI is simple: to help get New Zealand’s best ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace more quickly,” Mr Joyce says.

A television campaign starting this Sunday will ask New Zealanders to help identify the biggest science challenges facing the country, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

The Great NZ Science Project is part of the Government’s new $60 million National Science Challenges initiative announced in October which over time will incorporate much of New Zealand’s contracted public science investment.

The Household Labour Force Survey for the September quarter released today confirms again that New Zealand is not immune to global economic headwinds, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

“The results show the on-going impact of tough economic times globally and their impact on New Zealand. Many of our trading partners continue to struggle with sluggish economies and too much debt.  Meanwhile necessary steps by households and the government in this country to save more are moderating domestic growth, Mr Joyce says. 

Investment in science and innovation will be a key focus of talks between senior representatives from six countries with small advanced economies this week, says Science and Innovation Minster Steven Joyce.

The two-day forum, which is being opened tomorrow morning by Mr Joyce, is being attended by representatives from Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Singapore and New Zealand.

The Government is committing an extra $28 million to maintain the expanded training pipeline for trades people for the Canterbury rebuild, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced today. 

“Over the next few years, Christchurch will need thousands of builders, plumbers, landscapers, electricians and engineers. The Government’s funding of trades training under the Skills for Canterbury programme is helping meet this demand,” Mr Joyce says.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced the appointment of former Auckland Grammar School Headmaster John Morris to the Tertiary Education Commission Board.

“Mr Morris brings invaluable educational experience to this role as the founding Chairman of the Association of Cambridge Schools in New Zealand, a former Chairman of the Education Forum, and a member of the University of Auckland Council for seven years­­.

The Government will provide another year of guaranteed funding to the three Canterbury tertiary education institutions (TEIs), regardless of enrolment levels, as they recover from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“The Government and the Tertiary Education Commission Board appreciate how important it is for these TEIs to maintain their capacity as the Canterbury region rebuilds and recovers over the coming years,” Mr Joyce says.

Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) have lifted their educational performance in 2011, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Overall, the sector credit achievement rate was 71 per cent in 2011. The programme completion rate was 69 per cent,” Mr Joyce says.

“It is pleasing to see the sector continue to improve its performance. These results show that more trainees are progressing well and obtaining skills which will benefit both industry and the economy as a whole.”

New Zealand's top scientific researchers have been awarded $54.6 million in Marsden Fund grants, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The funding will go towards financing 86 new projects that were selected from 1113 applicants, who submitted proposals for consideration.

"The Marsden Fund is one of New Zealand's premier investigator-led research funds. Each project selected this year went through a rigorous selection process and the successful applicants were chosen on the basis of scientific excellence," Mr Joyce says.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the establishment of the New Zealand India Research Institute, heralding the start of a closer research relationship between New Zealand and India.

The New Zealand India Research Institute will be administratively based at Victoria University in Wellington and will involve nearly 40 academics in five New Zealand universities – Victoria, Auckland, Massey, Canterbury and Otago.

Collaboration and trade between New Zealand and India in the aviation sector is set to grow following the signing last night of the India New Zealand Aviation Arrangement in New Delhi, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

The agreement was signed by the New Zealand High Commissioner Jan Henderson and the Indian Secretary of Civil Aviation Shri KN Srivastava and was witnessed by Mr Joyce and India's Minister of Civil Aviation, Sri Ajit Singh.

The meeting today between Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First was nothing more than a political stunt, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Not content to be told by nearly every mainstream economic commentator that there is no jobs crisis, manufacturing crisis, or economic crisis, opposition parties are determined to keep talking the New Zealand economy down by heading off in search of one to serve their own political ends,” Mr Joyce says.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce will lead a delegation to India tomorrow to lift New Zealand’s profile as a destination for international students and to support our tertiary institutions and companies seeking to grow their business in the Indian market.

“India is New Zealand’s third largest source of international students with 12,358 students enrolled in courses in New Zealand in 2011 – an increase of 95 per cent since 2008,” Mr Joyce says.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today released the Building Skilled and Safe Workplaces progress report - highlighting government actions to help materially lift labour productivity, drive sustained economic growth and deliver higher wages and living standards to New Zealanders.

"This report brings together all the changes the Government is making to lift the productivity of our New Zealand workforce so as a country we can sustain higher real wages," Mr Joyce says.

The Government will ensure young people are better informed about the skills needed in our economy and what to train for in a new initiative announced as part of the Skilled and Safe Workplaces progress report released today.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will produce an annual Occupational Outlook that will clearly set out information collected from industries and businesses on the expected demand for key occupations in the years ahead.

New Zealanders are being asked to assist the Government identify the key scientific questions New Zealand needs to answer as part of developing the new $60 million National Science Challenges, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

Announcing the challenges today on board NIWA’s marine research vessel the Tangaroa, Mr Joyce says the National Science Challenges will over time focus much of New Zealand’s contracted public science investment on core science questions that are important to New Zealand.