Yesterday the Otago Daily Times launched a two-part investigation into the institution’s money woes.
It faces a substantial deficit and is investigating several cost-cutting measures, including voluntary redundancies.
"There are structural issues that the university needs to deal with — I can’t comment in detail on those — but obviously we need a thriving tertiary sector in Dunedin," Mr Robertson said.
He earlier told a large crowd of business and city leaders at a Business South post-Budget lunch that news of the university’s predicament was worrying, and he wanted more details.
Mr Robertson was particularly concerned at the possible loss of skilled people from the city.
Government funding for tertiary education was enough for institutions to be ahead of the effects of inflation, and he expected several universities would also benefit from increased funding for science and research, he said.
"International enrolments will come back and we are doing a lot of work through Education New Zealand on that."
On Wednesday evening Mr Robertson met Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich to discuss climate change and also the future of the new Dunedin hospital project.
He knew how important the hospital project was to the city and province, and local Labour MPs regularly lobbied him on the subject, Mr Robertson said.
"I think it will be a hospital that Dunedin, Otago and Southland people can be proud of, and we will provide a modern, fit-for-purpose facility.
"Will it have every single thing that every single clinician wanted? No, of course not, but it will be a massive step forward for the city and the regions.
"Don’t worry, Dunedin hospital is top of the agenda of the meeting I have every month with [Health Minister] Dr [Ayesha] Verrall about health capital expenditure."
The 2023 Budget was one of the hardest he had produced in his six years as finance minister, he had earlier said.
Its main objectives had been to balance financial stewardship with spending enough to maintain public services, while also leaving enough money to rebuild after Cyclone Gabrielle, which had been one of the most expensive natural disasters in New Zealand history.
Mr Robertson’s visit included a tour of KiwiRail’s Hillside workshops and meeting the Pakistan Association of Otago.
However, to the Sport and Recreation Minister’s regret, it was not a long enough visit to Dunedin for him to take in tonight’s Highlanders match and farewell to Aaron Smith.
"Aaron has been an amazing servant of the Highlanders and he is a great guy.
"As a player and a person he has grown tremendously over his time here and I know that the people of Otago and Southland will miss him enormously."
