News

This year has seen an overall increase in enrolment at the University, largely due to strong first year domestic growth over the past three years. It also marks the highest ever proportion of commencing students from outside of Dunedin. Over 85 per cent of students commencing at Otago are from other parts of the country.

First year growth has increased by 3.2 per cent, with an increase of 119 EFTS to 3,806 EFTS, and significant increases in the number of Maori and Pacific students commencing their studies at Otago. The demand for first year places at residential colleges continues to be an indicator of the growth, further highlighted by the University’s additional investment in colleges. Along with the opening of Te Rangi Hiroa, which houses 127 students, a number of additional places have been incrementally added at other colleges such as Toroa, Selwyn, Salmond and Knox.

Vice Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne remarked that the increases in Maori and Pacific enrolments are “particularly pleasing” because of the substantial volume and “because a high proportion of these students are choosing to study in areas such as the sciences and health sciences where Maori and Pacific students have been particularly under-represented.”

Professor Hayne also said the growth has made it “clear that Otago made the correct call for the future in 2011 by significantly restricting first year numbers to reset the academic calibre of its student cohort at a higher level.” While the decision initially reduced enrolment numbers, the effect was short term and had “largely worked their way through the system.” She added, “thanks in part to these changes, the academic performance of Otago’s student cohort is now – according to the Tertiary Education Commission’s figures – the highest of any New Zealand university.”

The University has also noticed a drop in full-fee international enrolments, which is partly due to the conclusion of a number of contracts with Malaysia to provide health professional training, as well as fewer international students being in the New Zealand secondary school system. Important markets, such as China, continue to provide growth in enrolments, and single semester study abroad is also on the up.

Overall enrolments for 2014 went up 13 EFTS to 17,707 EFTS, with total domestic enrolments up 58 EFTS to 16,516 EFTS. Typically, the University will gain a further 900 to 950 EFTS between now and the end of the year, the majority of which will occur at the start of semester two.