Government funding for each full-time university student has dropped by a third, while the student-to-staff ratio has increased by a half over the last 20 years, according to a report into university funding.
The report, commissioned by the Association of University Staff and New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee, said New Zealand spent around $6649 less for each full-time student than Australia.
It said that between 1980 and 1999, real Education Ministry funding for each full-time student fell by about $7600 or 36 per cent. At the same time, the student-staff ratio increased from 12:5 in 1980 to 18:4 in 1998.
Report co-author Guy Scott said if present trends continued, New Zealand universities could find it difficult to match academic salaries in other countries, student-staff ratios would continue to rise and the quality of teaching and research could decline.
AUS national president Neville Blampied said the increase in student-to-staff ratios meant staff were finding it difficult to put aside time for research.
He said the Government's offer of a 2.3 per cent increase in student funding to tertiary institutions that agreed not to increase their fees next year would not rescue the system.
Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey agreed funding had dropped through the 1990s.
He said the Government's recent Budget was the first in decades not to reduce funding.
The Government would begin changing the funding model in the next Budget, he said. The intention was to begin reinvesting in the sector.
- NZPA
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