Population of New Zealand

The population is growing slowly (annual increase – 1.1%). 3/4 of the population is concentrated on the North Island with its more favorable climate and comfortable landscape, St. 85% – in cities, but mostly in their own homes with small plots. 75% of the population are Euro-New Zealanders (the local name is Shekha, mostly descendants of immigrants from the British Isles), 14% are Maori, 6% are Polynesians (immigrants from Samoa, the Cook Islands, who have special historically determined ties with New Zealand), and also Asians (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians from Fiji). Due to the difference in the birth rate of ethnic groups and migration flows, the share of the European population is gradually falling. There is an outflow of Euro-New Zealanders, mainly to Australia, and an influx of people from Asia and Polynesia. New Zealand and Auckland are the country and city with the largest Polynesian population (expected to double by 2030) in the world. The majority of the population speaks English. After the approval in 1987 of the Maori language (Polynesian, close to the languages ​​of the inhabitants of the Cook Islands, Tahiti and Hawaiian Islands) as the second official language (can be used in various official cases, in particular in legal proceedings), efforts are being made to distribute it as an everyday language (it is free only 10 thousand Maori speak and about 150 thousand more speak it to varying degrees). Competently 99% of the adult population. Life expectancy (for Maori, 6-9 years less): men – 75 years, women – 81 years. Infant mortality 6 pers. per 1000 newborns.

1/3 of the population does not profess any religion. The vast majority of the rest are Christians. Among the large Protestant communities are Anglicans (24% of believers), Presbyterians (18%), Methodists (5%). Many Catholics (15%). The rest of the believers are divided into many small (1-2% of believers) Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other (from Mormons to Ratan-Maori) communities.

History of New Zealand

According to localcollegeexplorer, the settlement of the country by the predecessors of the Maori – immigrants from Eastern Polynesia – began more than 1 thousand years ago in several waves. To the beginning 13th c. they mastered the North and South Islands, creating and developing a rich culture. The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud). The first European to discover New Zealand was the Dutch navigator A. Tasman (1642), who first called it State Land (“Staten Landt”), and later New Zealand (after the name of the largest island in Denmark). In 1769, J. Cook visited it and announced British claims to the possession of this territory. In the beginning. 19th century the first Christian missionaries appeared here. Over the course of several decades, a variety of relationships were established between Europeans and the Maori coastal tribes. In 1835, the Confederation of Chiefs of the United Tribes of New Zealand declared the country’s independence. In turn, in January 1840 the governor of the British colony of New South Wales (Australia) declared British sovereignty over New Zealand. And already on February 6 (now the main public holiday), the Treaty of Waitangi was concluded on the relationship between the British crown, European settlers and the leaders of the Maori tribes. Under the Treaty of Waitangi, territorial rights and ownership of natural resources were assigned to the Maori, but the government of the country passed to the British crown. New Zealand became a British colony. However, the contradictions between the Maori leaders, the Maori and the numerically increasing European settlers continued. From 1843, the first armed skirmishes began between them. In 1856 New Zealand became a self-governing colony. During the “gold rush” (1860s), the resettlement of Europeans to New Zealand became especially massive, clashes between them and the Maori (the “war of independence”) escalated. There were also wars between the Maori tribes. As a result, to the con. 19th century the number of Maori decreased to 40 thousand people. compared to about 90 thousand people. before the mass immigration of Europeans. All R. 1880s under the influence of the king of the Maori people and religious figures, the wars against the Europeans stopped. The revival of the Maori began, their interaction with European culture began to develop, which also developed. So, it was in New Zealand in 1893 for the first time in the world that women received the right to vote. In 1901, New Zealand had the right to join the Australian Union formed by the then British Australian colonies, but did not take advantage of this, and in 1907 received the status of a dominion. During the 1st World War, New Zealand troops participated (previously in the Boer War) in the fighting in the Pacific and especially in Europe (along with Australian troops). In memory of the heroism of the New Zealand troops, ANZAC Day (Australian-New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Europe) was established, which is also celebrated in Australia. In 1931, under the Statute of Westminster (an act of the British Parliament that secured the independence of the dominions), the country received complete independence in internal and external affairs while maintaining formal ties with the British crown (the corresponding law of the New Zealand Parliament appeared only in 1947). New Zealand units took an active part in World War II (in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific). In 1945 New Zealand became one of the founding states of the United Nations. The problems of relations between the “tkeha” and the Maori, especially regarding the “traditional Maori lands”, remain a serious domestic political problem. In 1975, the Waitangi Tribunal was established, which considers Maori claims on issues regulated by this treaty.

There are eight universities in New Zealand. The University of Otago was founded in 1869 as New Zealand’s first university. However, because the government preferred one university for the entire colony rather than individual provinces, it founded the University of New Zealand in 1870 and incorporated Otago as a college. In the following decades, other colleges were established that are now independent universities, for example the University of Auckland or the University of Canterbury . In 1961, the University of New Zealand was dissolved in order to better cope structurally with the increasing number of students. In this way, the colleges were given university status.

New Zealand universities put an emphasis on vocational courses early on. So-called special schools made it possible to focus on medicine or engineering . Today’s Lincoln University and Massey University grew out of special schools for agricultural sciences .

In the course of the educational reform of 1990 in the tertiary sector , all New Zealand educational institutions became more independent and competitive by being able to offer mostly equivalent qualifications. The number of students increased continuously and as a result many universities merged with the Colleges of Education and some Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics . In order to secure the financing of the universities in addition to the state funding, the tuition fees increased . Now only international students pay the full fees for a degree. It is for this reason that New Zealand universities continuously advertise this group of students. However, the university landscape is also lively and innovative. This is precisely what ensures the quality of teaching at New Zealand universities.

University status

New Zealand educational institutions have had to meet certain criteria in order to receive university status since the Education Act of 1989. First and foremost, universities offer an advanced level learning environment . The intellectual independence and innovation of students are to be promoted and not only subject-related knowledge but also practical life skills are imparted. This includes, for example, communication and analysis skills or flexible thinking. Research and teaching are intertwined at New Zealand universities and are driven by the teachers. Ultimately, the universities serve to provide knowledge and expertise and the role ofTo capture critics of New Zealand society .

In addition to the university, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics and Private Training Establishments as well as Wānanga can award academic titles in undergraduate and postgraduate areas in New Zealand . However, students only receive the doctorate at universities.

Competition and alliances between New Zealand universities

In New Zealand there are no university associations like the Group of Eight in Australia or the Ivy League in the USA.

At the end of the 19th century there was strong rivalry between the individual provinces. The establishment of the University of New Zealand led to stiff competition between the subordinate colleges and special schools, especially on a financial level. The particular proximity to Great Britain as a colony was considered a prestige factor, so that the university had all written work corrected and graded there until the Second World War. In order to finally make the funding of the colleges fairer, the University Grants Committee was established in 1948. The committee distributed the funds from the state to the institutions as needed. Today the Tertiary Education Commission is responsible for the distribution of state funding to the tertiary educational institutions and advises the government on educational strategies.

In 2008, the eight New Zealand universities developed a program that aims to deepen partnerships between the business sector and universities . The universities organized events to highlight relevant areas of cooperation and to receive feedback.