Ara confirms restructuring decisions to strengthen future readiness

The changes span its academic structure, ākonga (student) support services and marketing, engagement and international functions.

“These changes are part of our work to improve learner outcomes, enhance equity and inclusion and ensure long-term sustainability,” says Darren Mitchell, Executive Director – Ara Institute of Canterbury. “We’re ensuring our financial viability and responding to government expectations and the evolving needs of our learners and communities, all while staying true to our purpose of transforming lives and strengthening communities through the power of education.”

Ara is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest provider of campus-based and work-integrated vocational education and training. It has around 7000 equivalent full-time students (EFTS) enrolled each year, including around 450 international students, across Waitaha Canterbury, online and offshore. The institute consistently achieves some of the best course completion rates in the country, underpinned by strong teaching, cultural support and close industry partnerships.

The restructuring establishes:

• Three new academic faculties with strengthened academic leadership
• An Equity and Ākonga Success division, combining support teams to streamline student services
• A unified Marketing and Recruitment department focused on growing enrolments and strengthening learner pathways.

More than 250 submissions were received during formal consultation, reflecting the high level of engagement from kaimahi (staff) across the institute. The feedback helped shape final decisions, which will be implemented from July 2025.

Across the changes, the net reduction is 23.4 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles – 9.9 from academic faculties, 7 from the integration of the Ākonga Success, Māori Success and Pacific Achievement teams, and 6.5 from the integration of the Marketing, Engagement and International teams. Ara currently employs around 920 FTE staff.

"These changes impact our people, and I want to acknowledge the skill, passion and commitment of those affected,” says Mitchell. “These decisions are not a reflection of the calibre of their mahi, but rather a reflection of where we must focus our limited resources. It’s integral that we do everything we can to meet the evolving needs of our communities and support our learners to succeed. Equally as important, we’re committed to supporting impacted kaimahi through these changes and will be seeking to redeploy as many impacted colleagues as possible. In addition to the new roles created, we’ve held back on recruitment for existing vacancies to give impacted colleagues the greatest opportunity to secure ongoing employment,” Mitchell emphasises.

“We’re sharpening our focus, aligning with community and industry needs and doing the work now to ensure Ara remains regionally responsive, internationally recognised, and a sustainable and high-performing institution well into the future,” says Mitchell.

The restructuring also positions Ara well in anticipation of the Government’s upcoming decisions on which former institutes of technology and polytechnics will be re-established as autonomous institutions from 1 January 2026.

“I want our communities to know that Ara is ready to stand alone,” says Mitchell. “We’re focused, future-fit and fiercely committed to delivering outstanding vocational education and training and turning out work-ready, confident graduates. We’ve done this for over 120 years, and we’re determined to keep doing it for the next 120 too.”