Student numbers are up more than 10% at the latest University of Otago Summer School, and distance-taught numbers are up about 50%.
At a similar stage last year, about 1890 enrolments had been made at the annual school, up about 50 on the previous year.
Latest overall enrolments now exceed 2000, but full details were not immediately available yesterday.
About 1650 students enrolled last year and the university yesterday confirmed a more than 10% rise, bringing student numbers to more than 1815.
Summer School acting director James Rodgers said there had been ‘‘strong positive growth’’ but final numbers were not yet available.
About 120 students have opted for forensic biology — usually the most popular Summer School paper — this year, and about 80 students are taking a biological anthropology paper.
Otago distance learning director Sarah Stein said there had been more than 500 distance-learning enrolments this year, up from 334 last year.
Most of these enrolments involved students who lived in or close to Dunedin, but some were from elsewhere in New Zealand and a small number were studying overseas, Dr Stein said.
"The national lockdown has probably also exposed more students to the concept of off-campus learning and this could also be reflected in the increase," she said.
More than 450 students had made distance-learning enrolments this year.
Some distance-taught papers were offered on-campus and some off-campus, but off-campus papers had attracted more enrolments, she said.
Overall enrolments at the school tended to increase gradually each year ‘‘so it is probably not surprising that distance-taught enrolments are increasing also’’, she said.
