Universities are nervous about changes that will boost research funding for Māori and Pasifika academics ahead of their Pakeha colleagues.
The $315 million a year Performance Based Research Fund will invest in work by Māori researchers at 2.5 times the rate of non-Māori academics, while Pasifika academics' work will be funded at two times the non-Pasifika rate.
It will also give research into Māori knowledge a funding weighting of three - higher than the current rate of 2.5 which applies to the most expensive sciences.
Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan told RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen the aim of the changes is admirable but there are better ways of doing it.
