Dr James Kierstead talked to Damien Grant on Different Matters about The New Zealand Initiative's research showing substantial grade inflation at New Zealand universities, with A grades rising from roughly 15% to over 30% of all grades awarded, peaking at nearly 50% during COVID at some institutions. Dr Kierstead explained how this grade inflation undermines the signalling value of university qualifications for employers and represents a "tragedy of the commons" where individual academics inflate grades to boost student numbers, ultimately damaging the credibility of the entire tertiary education system. Read more

In this episode, James talks to Craig Mellare and Abdul Razeed, senior lecturers at the University of Sydney Business School, about their empirical study on grade inflation in Australian higher education. They discuss findings showing that grades have risen significantly over the past decade despite no improvement in student ability, and explore the institutional pressures driving this phenomenon including student evaluation systems, time constraints on academic staff, and the need to manage student appeals and expectations. Read more

In this episode, James Kierstead talks with Sarah McLaughlin, Senior Scholar, Global Expression at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), about her forthcoming book Authoritarians in the Academy. They explore how authoritarian governments, particularly China, pressure universities abroad through funding ties, partnerships, and intimidation of students and scholars. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Emile Donovan on RNZ about his research showing grade inflation at New Zealand universities, with A grades rising from 22% to 35% between 2006 and 2024. Dr Kierstead explained that this trend isn't driven by improved student performance but rather by institutional incentives that pressure academics to award higher grades to attract more students and receive better evaluations. Read more

In this episode, Oliver talks to James Keirstead about his latest research report "Amazing Grades" which provides the first systematic analysis of grade inflation across all New Zealand universities. They discuss how A-grades have increased by 13 percentage points over two decades, reaching 35% of all grades awarded, and explore potential solutions including statistical moderation systems and national examinations to restore meaningful academic standards. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio about his report "Amazing Grades", which exposes how New Zealand universities have become increasingly generous with their grading over recent years. Dr Kierstead explained that the surge in high grades stems from academics adopting more lenient assessment practices rather than any genuine improvement in student ability, a pattern that became starkly evident during the pandemic. Read more

Wellington (Tuesday, 26 August 2025) - Nearly half of all grades at the University of Auckland were As during COVID-19, part of a dramatic rise in top marks that cannot be explained by academic improvement, according to a new report released today. Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities, published by The New Zealand Initiative, is the first analysis of grading patterns across all eight New Zealand universities. Read more

In this webinar, we launch our new report Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities. Author Dr James Kierstead presents key findings on rising grades across NZ’s universities, joined by commentary from Professor Douglas Elliffe. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Ryan Bridge on Herald Now about grade inflation at New Zealand universities, revealing that A grades have increased by 13 percentage points since 2006, with pass rates now above 90% at most institutions. Dr Kierstead argued this isn't due to students getting smarter but rather an "ethic of kindness" where academics give more accommodations, particularly highlighted during COVID when 49% of University of Auckland grades were A-range. Read more