Hundreds of Unitec jobs could go

Hundreds of staff could lose their jobs in a $250 million overhaul of the country's largest polytechnic.

Auckland's Unitec has announced plans to cut 124 jobs and create 50 in a first round of cuts this year, with up to 300 more to go over the next three years, depending on student numbers.

The institute's chief executive, Rick Ede, said the job cuts were due to Unitec changing the way it teaches its courses, but financial stability was also a factor.

"First and foremost, this is actually about getting a better result for our students. But, to do that, we need to be financially sustainable and so we do need to make changes in our staffing numbers."

Mr Ede said Unitec also planned to reduce its campus from 55 hectares to 10 hectares.