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The University of Otago will again approach the Government to express concern over cuts to postgraduate allowances, after this week revealing a drop in postgraduate numbers.
Figures released at Tuesday's university council meeting showed that overall student numbers fell by 2.3%, compared to the same time last year, and postgraduate research student numbers dropped by just over 100 equivalent-full-time students (Efts).
Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said at the meeting the drop in postgraduates could be linked to the Government's decision to cut allowance entitlement.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times yesterday, she said the university had raised the issue with Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce and ''we will do so again''.
''The first step is to determine the source of the decline in postgraduate student numbers. We would like to work in conjunction with all the New Zealand universities to determine whether the change in the policy has been the major factor involved,'' she said.
This comes after the university last year met the minister over its concerns about the changes. After that meeting, deputy vice-chancellor, research and enterprise, Prof Richard Blaikie said it was given some ''some reassurance'' the changes would not hit postgraduate numbers.
Otago University Students' Association president Francisco Hernandez said it supported the university raising the issue with the minister.
He believed the allowance cuts caused the drop in postgraduate numbers this year.
''The figures we have from the university indicate that the postgraduate numbers were on a steady and sustained upwards trend [before the changes]. The only major changes that have occurred are the changes to the postgraduate student allowance scheme,'' he said.
A spokesman for Mr Joyce said on Tuesday the minister had requested more information on Otago's 2013 enrolments during a ''short meeting'' with Prof Hayne and university chancellor John Ward during a visit to Dunedin in March.
The request came after Prof Hayne said Otago's postgraduate enrolments were not tracking ''as strongly'' as in 2012, but the information was yet to be received, the spokesman said.