The six - Unitec New Zealand (Auckland), Manukau Institute of Technology (Auckland), Waikato Institute of Technology (Hamilton), Wellington Institute of Technology, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology and Otago Polytechnic announced this week they have formed a metropolitan grouping to channel their collective interests.
They have given six months' notice of their intention to withdraw from the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics New Zealand (ITPNZ), the voluntary organisation which until now has represented all 20 polytechnics.
It was felt Otago Polytechnic's interests could more readily be dealt with through the metropolitan grouping, chief executive Phil Ker said yesterday.
"It is a prioritisation issue. These are busy times and this seems the most appropriate way of prioritising our resources of time and money."
Otago Polytechnic paid between $50,000 and $60,000 a year to belong to ITPNZ.
In contrast, the metropolitan grouping would be "virtual", with no subscriptions or constitution.
However, the move was not about saving money, as the subscription money would be spent on alternative work within the new grouping.
In a statement, ITPNZ chairman James Buwalda said he "regretted but respected" the institutions' decisions to withdraw, saying their withdrawals represented a "major shift" for the sector.
Mr Ker said the sector was diverse and there was nothing to stop two groups both speaking on its behalf, or working together "to thrash out a single sector view".
