Declining PhD student numbers are a warning sign for NZ’s future knowledge economy
- Written by Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury
Louise Corcoran/Getty ImagesThe decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s economic trajectory has long been characterised by its reliance on primary commodities, such as unprocessed forestry exports,...





