Unis plan to fast-track enrolment restrictions

David Do. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Universities are looking to bring forward plans to restrict enrolments in response to tighter government funding and increased demand for tertiary education.

Government funding criteria changed in 2008 to cover only an agreed number of students at each tertiary institution, prompting universities to cap student numbers.

Auckland University was the first to restrict enrolments from 2009, and other universities followed suit.

Victoria University was to introduce admissions changes from next year, but now looks set to cap numbers as early as next trimester.

The enrolment page on the university's website was recently updated to state that students "are not guaranteed a place in an undergraduate programme or course of study" in the second or third trimesters of this year.

Victoria University deputy vice-chancellor academic Penny Boumelha said prospective students would be advised if places were available, but would not comment if the move was an early adoption of next year's admissions policy.

"Any decisions regarding managed enrolments for trimester two would need to be made by the university council," she told the Victoria University student magazine Salient.

Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association president Max Hardy said a special meeting of the council would be held today, but a confidentiality agreement prevented him commenting on the matters to be discussed.

"The university may well be in a very difficult position given the Government's policy of reduced funding and capped enrolments," he said.

Otago University is also looking to change its admissions policy from next semester, with the university council due to vote on reduced enrolment caps in some programmes yesterday.

New Zealand Union of Students' Associations co-president David Do said it was "quite concerning" that universities were bringing forward their deadlines for admissions changes.

"Students are not being given proper notice that the entry requirements are changing, and that's going to affect their planning for moving into education.

"These decisions effectively shut the door in their face, and that's not fair for those who were looking forward to going into higher education to help themselves.

"This is yet another symptom of the Government failing to properly support increased demand for higher education and failing to support access to those who need education and upskilling at this time."

- NZPA