Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs)

Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs)

Last updated 4 March 2024
Last updated 4 March 2024

A CAPE is a university-led centre of excellence for languages, culture, politics and economics of the Asia-Pacific region.

A CAPE develops strong links with a particular Asia-Pacific region, facilitating collaboration between tertiary institutions and other stakeholders to support language development, research and knowledge of that region, and to strengthen networks and relationships. The CAPE acts as a first port of call for people – students, academics and businesses both in New Zealand and in the target countries – looking for information, research or education related to the region.

Preparing New Zealand to ‘do business’ 

Our economic future success is increasingly connected to the Asia-Pacific region, which includes 11 of our top 20 trading partners. CAPEs help to ensure that New Zealand is better prepared to ‘do business’ with the region, including both goods and services trade.

New Zealand is a progressively more diverse society, so a greater understanding of the Asia-Pacific region also has positive impacts domestically.

CAPEs facilitate the provision of, and access to, education and training relevant to the Asia-Pacific region for a range of learners:

  • current full- or part-time students
  • those already in the workforce
  • people looking for additional training.

This includes language qualifications to support New Zealand exporters and government agencies operating overseas.

Supporting key government strategies 

The CAPEs were designed to support the following government strategies:

  • the Building Export Markets stream of the Business Growth Agenda
  • Goal 3 of the Leadership Statement for International Education
  • the Tertiary Education Strategy
  • NZ Inc strategies for China led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the numerous trade agreements with Asia-Pacific countries. 

Three CAPEs currently operate

Three CAPEs began operating on 1 July 2017:

  • North Asia CAPE hosted by the University of Auckland
  • South-East Asia CAPE hosted by Victoria University of Wellington
  • Latin America CAPE hosted by Victoria University of Wellington.

A consortium was established to deliver on the purpose and policy objectives of all three CAPEs. The consortium includes the host universities (University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington) as well as the University of Otago and the University of Waikato. 

Outcome Statements

A CAPE’s Outcome Statement sets out its mission statement, objectives and outcomes to achieve. See below for a copy of each CAPE’s current Outcome Statement.

North Asia CAPE Outcome Statement (PDF 173 KB)

South East Asia CAPE Outcome Statement (PDF 174 KB)

Latin America CAPE Outcome Statement (PDF 173 KB)

More information

If you have any questions please email CAPEs@tec.govt.nz or the TEC Customer Contact Group, customerservice@tec.govt.nz.

TEO eligibility

Each CAPE is led by a university (that is quality assured by the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee), and must include at least one other tertiary education organisation (TEO) or other organisation (such as employers and industry bodies).

CAPEs focus on countries, or groups of countries, in North Asia, South-East Asia and Latin America – the specific countries (or areas) depends on the strategic role, benefits and contribution they can make to New Zealand.