Steen is a Research Fellow specialising in education. Before joining the New Zealand Initiative, he taught at an International Baccalaureate school in Denmark.
Previously, he was a Senior Advisor to the Parliamentary Undersecretary (Education), Senior Advisor at the New Zealand Productivity Commission, and Senior Economist at the Commerce Commission.
He holds a Master of Science in applied economics from Cornell University, a Master of Arts (with Distinction) in economics from Victoria University of Wellington, and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary).
Reading with the light switched on (2021)
Phone: +64 4 499 0790
New Zealand’s reading light has been dimming for some time. International assessments show New Zealand’s reading performance has fallen, and that Māori and Pasifika students are particularly underserved. Read more
School can be a difficult place for the approximately one-in-ten children affected by dyslexia. The inability to read the teacher's instructions or questions on tests. Read more
The Euro 2020 football tournament will be remembered for the trophy not coming home. But before England fell agonisingly at the last hurdle, the headlines were focused on the actions of Portuguese football superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo. Read more
Two cars pull up to a traffic light. One is a farmer in his trusty ute. Read more
The Initiative’s Steen Videbeck reflects on his career as an economist and a teacher – and he explains how he combines both perspectives in his new research project on literacy in New Zealand. If you would like to listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
There are many ways a Minister can communicate with their Ministry. From an email from an advisor to a quiet word with officials (or sometimes a not so quiet word). Read more
“Soz, I meen spelng dozent mattr!” For those who haven’t heard, a British university has instructed its lecturers to overlook incorrect spelling, punctuation and grammar. Why? Read more
I was very disappointed with the recent housing announcements. Partly because they will increase my rent. Read more
I previously wrote about the gateway to property speculation, the Monopoly board game. In response, readers said that they wanted to play Monopoly with their kids but were worried that the original rules aren’t realistic enough. Read more
After much finger-pointing, the Government has finally found the real culprits behind high house prices. Yes, it was the evil ‘speculators’ all along. Read more
Did you hear that LEGO released a minifigure of our PM. It’s big news. Read more
It is 2035, and the Government’s new BBQ buyback scheme has begun. It is now illegal to cook with gas, and the police are cracking down on underground Weber parties. Read more
It was both distressing and inspiring. In 2015, while I was a part of a small delegation to a small rural school in Northland, I met a student with an intriguing story. Read more