Dunedin tertiary institutes have topped the tables again,
their students ranked as having the highest completion rate
of degree-level qualifications in New Zealand.
The Tertiary Education Commission released its 2010
performance information tables yesterday, which placed Otago
first among New Zealand universities for the completion of
courses, qualifications, degrees, and for the retention of
students in study.
Otago Polytechnic ranked alongside its North Dunedin campus
neighbour, the two institutes sharing a 75% rating to top the
country for the completion of degree-level qualifications in
New Zealand, chief executive Phil Ker said.
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said improvements
across the sector in course and qualification completion
rates showed how an increased focus on performance was paying
off.
A marked improvement in student achievement was particularly
evident at institutes of technology and polytechnics and
industry training organisations, he said.
"This lift in educational performance shows the sector is
taking on board the Government's expectation to focus on
educational outcomes and show better value for taxpayer
investment in tertiary education," Mr Joyce said.
Last year, the TEC funded eight universities to the tune of
$1,094,915,039 and 20 institutes of technology and
polytechnics $550,269,565.
The TEC gave the University of Otago $196,864,316 of funding
in 2010 and has provided $207,122,190 this year, second
behind the University of Auckland, which gets $278,428,189.
The two universities were joined on top of the course
completion rankings by the University of Waikato with an 88%
rate, while Otago stood alone with a 74% overall
qualification completion figure.
Otago Polytechnic receives $28,389,172 from the TEC, up from
its 2010 figure of $27,903,611.
Mr Ker criticised the TEC's "flawed methodology", which
lowered overall completion rates at some institutes, such as
the polytech's 62% assessment because they failed to take
into account an overall increase in enrolments.
The polytech had a 6% increase in enrolments for 2010 and a
15% rise in degree level enrolments, he said.
Despite the "skewed" assessment, the "overall" results for
the polytech were a continuation of its positive 2009
outcomes, when completion rates of the institute's 12
bachelor qualifications put it at the top of degree rankings,
Mr Ker said.
A media statement from the University of Otago highlighted
how the release of the TEC's second annual set of performance
indicators coincided with the announcement of the latest
Shanghai Jiao Tong rankings of the world's top 500
universities.
Otago and the University of Auckland were the only New
Zealand universities to feature in the Shanghai list's top
300, with both ranked in the 201 to 300 band.
The results were "further confirmation" of Otago University's
place as a leading research and tertiary institution, Otago's
new Vice-Chancellor, Prof Harlene Hayne, said.
She said the "rankings and indicators" reflected the
university's reputation for excellence at both the national
and international levels.
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