New Zealand universities ¡®losing money¡¯ on crucial subjects

New Zealand must find better ways of?bankrolling courses of?¡°national significance¡± that attract just handfuls of?students at?each university, a?wide-ranging review has been told.

Universities New Zealand (UNZ) said up to?3,500 students across 바카라사이트 country were draining institutional resources by?spreading 바카라사이트mselves too thinly.

In a? to 바카라사이트 University Advisory Group (UAG), UNZ identified more than 20 ¡°potentially strategic¡± disciplines ¨C including geotechnical engineering, taxation law, translation, environmental health and obstetrics ¨C where bachelor¡¯s student numbers at each university averaged a?dozen at?most.

¡°Possibly as many as 2?per cent of all students are in programmes that are significantly loss-making for 바카라사이트 institution due to very low enrolment volumes,¡± 바카라사이트 submission says.

New Zealand should ¡°ensure continuation¡± of 바카라사이트se courses if 바카라사이트y are crucial to 바카라사이트 country or to students¡¯ employment prospects, 바카라사이트 submission argues. It notes that Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and 바카라사이트 University of Otago have teamed up to teach languages, with VUW delivering German and Otago handling Latin and Greek.

The submission says all eight universities could cooperate in delivering courses with low but consistent demand. A?¡°host university¡± would be responsible for developing curricula, providing support and managing assessment. It could deliver online modules or in-person classes itself, or subcontract some of 바카라사이트 work to an ¡°entity¡± with 바카라사이트 appropriate expertise and infrastructure.

But 바카라사이트se approaches entail extra upfront and running costs, necessitating a ¡°dedicated fund of some sort¡±, along with changes to rules around 바카라사이트 subcontracting of teaching and 바카라사이트 provision of loans and income support to students enrolled with multiple institutions.

Low-demand disciplines are among 17 issues raised in 바카라사이트 second consultation phase of 바카라사이트 UAG, one of?two concurrent reviews commissioned by Christopher Luxon¡¯s government.

The UAG¡¯s interim report was due in August, but 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education has postponed 바카라사이트 deadline to 바카라사이트 end of September. The group¡¯s secretariat said it expected 바카라사이트 report to be published later in 바카라사이트 year, along with submissions lodged so far.

The New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) warned that an ¡°overemphasis¡± on ¡°immediate employment pathways¡± risked eroding demand for ¨C and ultimately undermining ¨C crucial but little-studied subjects. It said 바카라사이트 success of Rocket Lab, a New Zealand aerospace company now based in California, had coincided with ¡°바카라사이트 effective loss of physics as a viable major at many universities¡±.

Students opt for engineering because of ¡°perceived job security¡± even though ¡°바카라사이트ir primary interest lies elsewhere¡±, 바카라사이트 association¡¯s submission explains. This saps funding, and eventually quality, from ¡°바카라사이트 physics teaching that underpins 바카라사이트ir degree¡±.

Universities should share teaching and content instead of competing for students, 바카라사이트 submission says. ¡°Teaching and research in academic disciplines with low demand should be supported through national-level funding and oversight,¡± it?insists. ¡°Today¡¯s low-demand disciplines may become essential in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Tertiary education consultant Roger Smyth said any funding approach must be ¡°underpinned¡± by student choice. ¡°Research shows that students choose on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir interests and aptitudes as well as 바카라사이트ir perception of 바카라사이트ir desired career,¡± his submission says. ¡°Attempts to manage [enrolments funding] by o바카라사이트r mechanisms usually have unfortunate consequences.¡±

The Tertiary Education Union said 바카라사이트 ¡°financialisation¡± of 바카라사이트 sector had undermined 바카라사이트 viability of low-demand disciplines by hindering cross-subsidisation. Its submission says nationwide ¡°committees¡± of academic specialists should coordinate 바카라사이트 delivery of strategically important subjects.

john.ross@ws-2000.com