University roll set to increase again in 2020

The University of Otago is expected to increase its roll in 2020 for the third year in a row, this time by nearly 200 students.

The university is also about to reach a record number of international students, once the figure of 3000 for this year is finalised.

The figures were contained in a report to the University Council last week.

The latest forecast from the university shows an increase from a predicted total of 18,704 equivalent full-time students in 2019, to 18,890 in 2020, a rise of 1% - excluding the university's Foundation Studies courses.

Pipeline growth in the fields of science, computer science, and medical laboratory science were partly responsible for predicted increase of about 40 equivalent full-time domestic students.

The forecast showed percentage changes for all areas of the university - however, the humanities only saw a 0.4% increase compared with commerce, health sciences and science, which were all predicted to increase by more than 1%.

The report said the forecast was for ''modest'' growth in domestic equivalent full-time students, a 77 EFT-increase in domestic postgraduate students, and another ''modest'' increase of 24 domestic EFTS at postgraduate research level.

However international undergraduate numbers would not change significantly from 2019.

Postgraduate taught enrolments were expected to increase by 37 EFTS or 14.6%, largely due to growth in the Otago Business School's DBA and MBA programmes, while postgraduate research enrolments were due to increase marginally by 2 EFTS or 1.3%.

The report showed information from a Tertiary Education Commission report in 2019 - revealing the University of Otago was the top university for student success in three of four key educational performance indicators - first year retention rate of 84%, course completion rate of 89% and qualification completion rate of 73%.

elena.mcphee@odt.co.nz

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