University and Tertiary Sport NZ launches new Strategic Plan to 2025

University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) has published its new strategic plan that will guide the organisation’s growth and development over the next four years. The plan sets out both the organisation’s strategic focus areas and goals to the end of 2025, with the six focus areas as follows: 

• Leadership – UTSNZ will lead, advocate and influence tertiary sport delivery through knowledge, evidence and insight.
• Events – More tertiary students participating in UTSNZ events.
• Partnerships – Collaborative and purposeful partnerships will support the profile and growth of tertiary sport in New Zealand.
• Pathways – Participation and performance pathways will contribute to the tertiary student engagement and experience.
• Profile – UTSNZ’s visibility, purpose and credibility will drive increased tertiary participation, promote effective partnerships and enhance tertiary institution profiles.
• Student Well-being – The well-being of New Zealand tertiary students will be enhanced through UTSNZ events and opportunities.     

Within each focus area the organisation has set a series of targeted goals.

Among these, UTSNZ is looking to ensure that existing and future students understand the benefits associated with participation in sport, that there are innovative and modified sport opportunities allowing tertiary students to continue, re-enter or commence sport participation, and that the profile and reputation of tertiary institutions is positively enhanced through the sporting opportunities offered.

Established in 2015, UTSNZ Executive Director Sarah Anderson hopes the four-year plan will help the organisation continue to grow.

“UTSNZ now stands in a place of great foundation and potential. There is a credible and reputable inter-tertiary events programme in place, as well as support for UTSNZ to continue to take a stronger leadership and advocacy role to ensure the full potential of tertiary sport in New Zealand is realised”.

“Our goals are ambitious and will only be achieved if students receive value from the sporting opportunities offered to them. This will require UTSNZ and the tertiary and sport sectors to continue to work collaboratively to ensure quality opportunities are provided. It is the strategic coming together of the tertiary and sports sectors that will maximise the value for New Zealand tertiary students on campus, in competition and in our communities”, says Anderson.

UTSNZ, its staff and Board are committed to the task in the knowledge that the organisation is creating a strong sense of whanaungatanga and community across the tertiary sport network and look forward to implementing the new plan.

A summary and full copy of the UTSNZ Strategic Plan 2022 can be found here.

ENDS