What the UK Can Learn from New Zealand’s Sector-Wide Benchmarking Model
In a recent conversation prompted by UUK’s Transformation and Efficiency Task Force report, Helen Dove, Financial Benchmarking Principal Consultant at Etio, spoke with colleague Adrian Massey, Managing Consultant, who has led New Zealand’s national benchmarking programme for nearly two decades. The UUK report notably highlighted New Zealand as the sole case study for effective, sector-wide benchmarking — and this interview reveals why.
Despite differences in funding and policy environments, Adrian explains that the core value of benchmarking is universal: it gives institutions a clear, timely health check of their investment and spending compared with peers. In New Zealand, this approach spans the entire tertiary education sector — from universities and institutes of technology to Māori-focused providers — using a consistent but flexible framework that respects each organisation’s mission.
Crucially, the longitudinal, whole-sector view has fostered trust, deeper data sharing and stronger collaboration over time.
Watch the full interview below to hear Adrian Massey’s reflections in his own words and explore what a truly collaborative, data-driven future could look like for UK’s higher education sector.
Hear more about the development of a sector-wide benchmarking approach at this year's UUK Transformation & Efficiency Summit:
To discuss a low-burden approach to benchmarking at your university, or collaborative group of institutions, get in touch with the article author, Helen Dove.
