Annual Report Reflects A Busy 2009 At UC

Annual Report Reflects A Busy 2009 At UC

The University of Canterbury's 2009 annual report reflects what was a busy year for the institution with increased enrolments, a record level of income, significant new investment in facilities, an extensive review of course offerings and greater engagement with the local community, businesses and alumni.

International student enrolments were up by 1.5 percent; undergraduate enrolments by 5 percent; and postgraduate enrolments by 11 percent. Research funding was up 13 percent on 2008 and Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) funding was up by 15 percent.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr says all this was achieved with virtually no change in academic staff numbers.

The annual report notes that the University recorded a surplus of 3.2 percent of its total revenue which was less than forecast, marginally ahead of the 3% required by the Tertiary Education Commission and due to matters outside its control such as a rapid fall in interest rates and appreciation of the New Zealand dollar.

Dr Carr says: “We held our overall cost per equivalent full-time student constant in nominal dollars meaning an erosion in resources per student in real terms. We maintained open entry but as a consequence admitted and taught over 500 students in excess of the number funded by the Tertiary Education Commission.”

Dr Carr says the University spent much of 2009 considering its strategy for becoming known internationally as a world-class learning environment by 2023, the year of its 150th anniversary.

"The primary components of our strategy are to challenge ourselves to achieve higher standards, to concentrate more on things we are or can be good at and connect better with our stakeholders. We seek to be known as a University where research, teaching and learning take place in ways that are inspirational and innovative.

"Over the next 10 years, we plan to invest around $500 million in infrastructure developments such as building refurbishments, new buildings, ICT infrastructure and alternative technologies. The scale of investment requires us to operate more efficiently, to borrow conservatively and seek additional sources of resources,” Dr Carr says.

Realisation of the demands for capital works over the coming decade and recognition of the need to seek resources beyond central government saw the University go to the financial market in 2009 with New Zealand’s first philanthropic bond issue.

"Investors showed their willingness to invest in New Zealand for New Zealand and the bond issue was fully subscribed raising $50 million."

Dr Carr says the “war for talent” is real with increasing focus on those students and faculty who can demonstrate their engagement with learning – be it through creating knowledge, critiquing knowledge, disseminating knowledge or protecting it.

"In the coming year we will continue to review the effectiveness and efficiency of how we use the resources entrusted to us. We will seek demonstrable, measurable research outputs and we will seek to better understand how to assess and improve the way we teach and how our students can best be enabled to learn.

“We are again over enrolled. At this point our forecast is that by year’s end we will have enrolled just over 104% of our domestic TEC funded places. This is likely to equate to approximately 600 unfunded domestic students. We continue to use progression standards to ensure that places at university are retained for those who are demonstrating they can take advantage of a Higher Education learning environment. Other students who may require further rather than higher education may be better served in alternative settings. We are certainly not funded by Government and the taxpayers of New Zealand for pre-degree and not-for-credit teaching. The University has much to be proud of and so many ways in which it could enhance its contribution."

ENDS

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