TEAC Might End Duplication Duplication

The Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) is welcoming some of the key recommendations contained in the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission’s (TEAC’s) first report.

“Holding institutions to profiles that define the areas they will specialise in may end the wasteful duplication that is rife in the tertiary education sector,” said OUSA President Ayesha Verrall.

“There is hope that the government can now afford to fund a few institutions reasonably for a particular course, rather than fund several institutions poorly,” said Ms Verrall.

“Universities should also be given the message that inventing a qualification or degree to attract students away from other institutions will no longer be rewarded by government funding,” said Ms Verrall.

However, Ms Verrall said that there are still many questions to be answered about the first TEAC report relating to the depth and breadth of teaching and research at universities.

“While universities should not offer endless courses, they should offer a reasonable breadth of disciplines in order to foster different ideas and methodologies. It will be important that the profiles the Commission sets are not too narrow,” argued Ms Verrall.

“The report recommends the development of networks of research excellence but its still unclear what happens to departments outside of these networks. Quality research that informs how academics teach students is an important mark of a high quality university education and needs to be protected,” said Ms Verrall.

ENDS

Contact

Ayesha Verrall, OUSA President

Ph: 03 479 5332

Cell: 021 345 368

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