Massey’s student success strategy featured in new international research handbook

The chapter titled Pūrehuroatanga: an Aotearoa New Zealand case study in whole-of-institution student engagement and success explores the university’s ground-breaking learner strategy Pūrehuroatanga. 

The chapter highlights Massey’s national leadership and innovation in student success, and its target of halving equity and parity gaps by 2026 and removing them completely by 2030. Success indicators are aligned to government policy and include participation, first-year retention, successful course completion rate and cohort-based qualification completion.

Co-author and co-chair of the Pūrehuroatanga steering group, Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes, says, “To ensure we meet these goals, we’re implementing a significant shift in the practice of both professional and academic staff. It’s an all-of-institution approach to addressing challenges for first-year students.”

Professor Byrnes notes that this has engaged initiatives both inside and outside the curriculum. “We have developed, in partnership with teaching staff, a new approach for holistic teaching design that’s reflected in curriculum content, approach and assessment, in addition to extra-curricular support.”

Fellow co-author and co-chair of the steering group, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students and Global Engagement Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly, says, “We have been focussing on better understanding who our students are, why they study and what they bring with them before formal learning. Using data insights to help learn what prevents them from completing qualifications, we can better meet our students’ needs so they can succeed in their study ambitions.”

“We also prioritise learner success plans for Māori and Pacific students, our disability and inclusion plan and initiatives for the whole student journey. We’re thrilled to share our approach with others, in the hope it can inform better learning journeys around the world.”

Since the chapter was written, Massey University has seen further improvements in student success outcomes, especially for Māori and Pacific learners in closing parity gaps with all other learners. You can read more here.

The Research Handbook on Student Engagement in Higher Education is available for purchase here.