Your experience as an MIT student: What’s staying the same
Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec are now united in purpose. With 100 years of combined educational leadership in Tāmaki Makaurau, our two institutions have come together to form the largest independent training provider in Aotearoa.
While this is big news for vocational training in the region, we don’t expect students will notice much change to begin with.
What we’re building together
MIT and Unitec coming together will bring real benefits for learners across Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland.
More Opportunities. Together overtime our aim is to offer:
- More pathways for students
- Deeper connections to industry
- Stronger support for our communities
A City-Wide Learning Network. Serving 20,000 students each year, we now have:
- Five purpose-built campuses across Tāmaki Makaurau
- A wide range of programmes across multiple disciplines (with more opportunities continuing to grow)
Ready for the Future. Together we will:
- Play a stronger role in providing a skilled workforce for the region
- Help address shortages in vital industries
- Maintain close industry partnerships
- Ensure learners graduate ready to make a difference
We’re committed to keeping your journey clear, consistent, and focused on your success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will MIT and Unitec becoming a single combined provider mean for learners?
We don’t expect you’ll notice a lot of change to begin with.
However, we are looking forward to exploring the full benefits for our learners, iwi, communities and businesses of joining together to form a nationally and internationally significant provider of on campus vocational education and training, with capability to also deliver in the workplace and online.
We think this will allow us to offer a wider range of high-quality training to learners across Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland, while also making this training more accessible.
Being independent will allow us to develop our own qualifications which are specifically designed to respond to the needs of our communities and industries.
It will also allow us to engage more closely with the service sectors, organisations and businesses in our region to understand and meet their training needs.
These important conversations will create more opportunities for our learners and their career development.
Will Unitec / MIT be getting a new name?
The legal name of the new organisation is Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec.
Though we know our learners mostly choose to study with either MIT or Unitec – so we will be continuing to refer to ourselves, in some situations, such as when we market to prospective students, separately for the time being.
If I enrol with you, will I be able to finish my qualification given the changes going on?
Yes.
The combined provider has taken on all the responsibilities held by MIT and Unitec.
That includes enrolments.
When you enrol with us, you are buying a service. We take responsibility for delivering the training for and assessing the certificate, block course, diploma, degree or post graduate qualification you have opted to study.
Like many other services, tertiary enrolments are covered under Consumer Guarantees Act, which is the legislation protecting the rights of consumers in this country.
Will the qualifications you issue as a combined provider have the same credibility as those currently issued by MIT and Unitec?
Yes.
The important thing for those studying with us to know is we will continue to deliver NZQA approved and accredited qualifications taught by the same expert and passionate lecturers.
Our qualifications have been developed in partnership with industry and professional bodies to ensure graduates gain the valuable skills they need to access rewarding employment opportunities both here and overseas.
If I start my qualification this year, who will I get it from MIT, Unitec or something else?
From this year on, all qualifications will be legally issued by MIT and Unitec as a combined provider.
However, we understand the importance of the MIT and Unitec brands, along with the fifty-plus years of history and credibility they have for our learners, iwi, communities and industry partners.
As a result, it is likely our qualifications will continue to feature reference to the individual brands for some time to come.
Will the place I am studying at change while I’m completing my qualification?
We don’t anticipate there will be much change to this in the short-to-medium term.
As with any tertiary education organisation, we want our training to be as accessible to our learners as possible.
Over time, this may lead to changes to the locations where we are offering training, including the potential to expand delivery through partnership arrangements and technology.
If changes are proposed, we will take into consideration the needs of learners and potential disruption any decisions may cause them. We will also notify you – our learners -of any changes in advance of making any changes.
Will there be changes to fees or student loan eligibility as a result of this change?
No.
Domestic and international fees have been set for 2026.
There will be no change to student loans available to our learners due to this decision.
What does the decision mean for the partnerships and agreements currently held by MIT and Unitec?
We look forward to honouring and advancing the current relationships held by our provider.
Currently, we are looking for opportunities to engage with these important stakeholders to affirm our commitment to mahi work we are doing together.
There are also many opportunities to expand our relationships with industry, iwi and other interested parties.
How will students be represented under the single entity? Will there be one council or two?
Good student representation reflects the interests of the diverse learner groups we serve, the communities they come from, as well as the range of disciplines we offer.
A decision on this will be made by the MIT and Unitec Council, eg. governance board.
How will Māori leadership for the combined organisation be ensured?
Transitional leadership for MIT and Unitec is offered by Tāmaki Transition Group. The group is made up of senior leaders from across our combined organisation.
The group includes – MIT kaumatua Vince Hapi (Waikato Tainui), Unitec Taharangi Vivienne Merito (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko) and MIT Director of Māori Education Dr Wiremu Manaia (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Awa).
MIT and Unitec remains committed to the relationships, partnerships, values and purpose which underpinned our institutions as standalone providers.
These include the Kawenata between MIT and Waikato-Tainui and Te Noho Kotahitanga, the partnership between Māori and non-Māori on which Unitec’s principles and values are based.
In MIT and Unitec’s interim Strategic Direction states that:
“Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec will be guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It shapes our values, priorities, and practices as we work to achieve equity for Māori and Tangata Tiriti. We will build upon our enduring and respectful relationships with iwi, hapū, and hapori across Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland, strengthening meaningful and long-term partnerships with shared aspirations.”
Who do I speak to if I have any further questions?
If you have a question around enrolments, teaching and learning, please contact the relevant service or school.
If you’d like to know more about what MIT and Unitec becoming a combined provider will mean for you, please email commsteam@manukau.ac.nz or communications@unitec.ac.nz
