Wintec boosts funding and ranking in PBRF

Wintec boosts funding and ranking in Performance Based Research Fund results

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) has increased its research funding by over 86percent in Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) 2006 Quality evaluation results, and the quality score (FTE weighted) by 28percent since the last PBRF round in 2003.

The Tertiary Education Commission released the 2006 PBRF quality evaluation results on Friday. Of the 46 PBRF-eligible Tertiary Education Organisation (TEOs), 31 participated in the 2006 quality evaluation. These participating TEOs comprised all eight Universities, ten Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), two colleges of education, two Wananga, and nine private training establishments. Wintec ranked 5th among ITPs, and 19th equal rank overall. Wintec’s quality score increased to 0.41 (out of ten) from a quality score of 0.32 in 2003. Unitec New Zealand was top ranking ITP with a quality score of 0.96, compared with 0.71 in 2003 followed by Manukau Institute of technology, Otago Polytechnic, and Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. The overall first ranking went to Otago University with a score of 4.22.

Wintec showed a 55 percent increase in ranked researchers since 2003.

Of the participating ten ITPs, Wintec was ranked first in two subject areas: Maori Knowledge and Development; and Music, Literary Arts and Other Arts. It was ranked second in Management, Human Resources, Industrial Relations and Other Businesses; Sports and Exercise Sciences; and Visual Arts and Crafts.

In terms of the 2007 distribution of PBRF funding, Wintec has been placed 11th out of 31 participating TEOs, behind the 8 universities, Unitec New Zealand and Otago Polytechnic. This is the relative position that was anticipated.

Wintec Research Director Dr Surya Pandey is happy with these results but anticipates a lot of hard work in coming years to become top ranking ITP in New Zealand.

“We could never expect to do as well as the universities in the PBRF. They have a long-standing history of research development and quality outputs, high levels of external research income and many graduates at the postgraduate level,” he said. These 3 factors were the prime inputs of the PBRF funding decision. “ITPs are more focussed towards high levels of learning; teaching by understanding of advanced practice, and applied research.”

Dr Pandey said that we must remember that Wintec’s first degree was approved only about 12 years ago. Wintec’s tradition in the pre-degree area and especially with our trades emphasis prior to the mid-1990s has meant that historically we did not put much emphasis on research. The fact that we have done so well now is a tribute to the work that staff have done in researching and disseminating their results. We must also recognise that the PBRF results reflect our current research output and quality levels. It does not measure anything with regard to our teaching capability; our support for students; our ability to meet the vocational needs of the wider community; employment outcomes for students or the overall performance of the institution.

Dr Pandey said that the new and improved research processes and infrastructural support to researchers introduced early this year will help improve efficiency, accountability, and capability to raising research quality at Wintec even further.

ENDS

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