The councils of universities and wānanga must have between eight and 12 members (see section 276 of the Act)

Section 276 of the Education and Training Act 2020

If the council has 10, 11 or 12 members, the Minister responsible for tertiary education (the Minister) appoints four of those members.

If the council has eight or nine members, the Minister appoints three members (as set out in section 276 of the Act). 

In selecting council members, the candidate’s skills and experience are the most important factors. 

To be appointed, candidates must:

• have the relevant knowledge, skills and experience
• be able to fulfil their individual duties 
• together, with other members of the council, be capable of undertaking the council’s responsibilities.

The Act also specifies that the make-up of the council should reflect, so far as is reasonably practicable, the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the communities the university or wānanga serves, and the country’s gender balance. The Act specifies that at least one member of the council must be Māori.

Te Pūkenga—New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology’s council must have at least 8, but not more than 12, members (see Section 320 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act)): 

• 1 member who is a member of, and elected by, its staff committee; and
• 1 member who is a member of, and elected by, its students’ committee; and
• 1 member who is a member of, and elected by, its Māori advisory committee; and
• the rest of the members must be appointed by the Minister.

The Minister is also responsible for appointing the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Te Pūkenga council (see section 322 of the Act).

To be appointed for Council, candidates must (see section 321 of the Act):

• reflect the ethnic, gender, and socio-economic diversity, and the diversity of abilities, of New Zealand’s population; and
• have the relevant knowledge, skills or experience
• have relevant knowledge, skills, and experience in relation to governance, cultural competency, and the importance of diversity; and
• are likely to be able to fulfil their individual duties to the council; and
• together with the other members of the council, are capable of undertaking its responsibilities, duties, and functions.

The Act provides that council members may be appointed for a term of up to four years (see Schedule 11, clause 6 of the Education and Training Act 2020). Members may be appointed for a shorter term to help councils in succession planning. Terms of office may also be staggered so they don’t end at the same time.

Members may be reappointed for a further term. Generally, the maximum time a Ministerial appointee serves is eight years (two terms of four years each), which reflects good governance practice. The Minister may ask an appointee to serve longer, but only in exceptional circumstances.

Council members can stay in office until reappointed or replaced, so they may end up serving longer than their appointed term.