Sharing uni courses, facilities mooted

The plinth which proudly displays the University of Otago’s award-winning rebrand, on the corner...
PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN
Sharing courses and facilities with other tertiary institutions could be the way forward for dealing with ‘‘disruptive’’ change, the University of Otago says.

The comment comes as the government considers a major review of the tertiary sector, led by former chief science adviser to the prime minister Sir Peter Gluckman.

Otago University’s submission said co-operation between universities already took place, but there was scope to go further.

‘‘The challenge, therefore, is how to foster greater co-operation,’’ it said.

Last year, Otago University and Victoria University of Wellington implemented a shared languages programme, where Victoria led the delivery of teaching German for students at both universities, and Otago led teaching of Latin and Greek.

The submission noted this collaboration had been complicated by a government student loans and allowances system that ‘‘was not designed with simultaneous enrolment at more than one institution in mind’’.

The submission also raised concerns about needless
competition.

‘‘Pragmatically, distinctiveness is best enhanced by incentivising institutions to stick to their established strengths, and disincentivising them from encroaching on the distinctive strengths of others.

‘‘The reality is, though, that governments of the past two decades have simultaneously sought greater distinctiveness, while allowing — and in some cases supporting — particular universities to act contrary to these aims.’’

The government settings needed to change, particularly around funding, the submission said.

Climate change and technology changes would also disrupt the university sector, meaning there would be a greater need for collaboration.

‘‘More generally, the university advisory group may wish to give more thought as to how to ensure the sector is able to be adaptive and flexible in the face of globally disruptive change.

‘‘This could involve all New Zealand universities, or a subset of them, and also harness international perspectives.’’

Other means of collaborating could occur in infrastructure and specialist equipment, and ‘‘back-room’’ operations, the submission said.

It noted Otago University already shared services with Otago Polytechnic and ‘‘a two-tier university system, alongside polytechnics, wānanga and private providers would give an even more overlapping tertiary system’’.

Other topics canvassed in the submission included the role of the university as a critic and conscience of society, whether there needs to be changes to funding for research, the university’s role as a Treaty of Waitangi partner, and coping in a post-Covid-19 environment.

Tertiary Education Union co-president Craig Marshall, of Otago, said the ‘‘competitive model’’ had made sharing services ‘‘extremely difficult’’.

‘‘Collaboration has been the exception rather than the rule.’’

He said it made sense for universities to share expertise where resources were limited.

‘‘Sharing can potentially offer more opportunities for our students.’’

Mr Marshall said the review of universities had some ‘‘great suggestions’’, but they needed to be backed up with funding.

‘‘Otherwise we’re just shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.’’

 

Advertisement