SEVEN UNIVERSITIES TOP PBRF

The Association of University Staff (AUS) President Bill Rosenberg said today that it will not be a surprise to anyone that the seven traditional New Zealand Universities are at the top of the tertiary sector in terms of research quality.

Commenting on the release today of the Performance Based Research Fund results (PBRF), Dr Rosenberg said “The results show that if the Government wants to increase research output in New Zealand, then the best place to invest resources is in the seven top institutions – which are all Universities.”

“The results show that even the lowest scoring of these 7 universities scored almost double its closest rival and no other institution even reached a “C” grade average. In a country where tertiary money is short, the Government needs to put money into institutions that are capable of quality research, “ he said.

Dr Rosenberg said that AUS members have had enough now of all the measuring, strategising and talk, and now expected the Government to invest. He noted that in the introduction to the report the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) said that it was vital to retain good researchers in the New Zealand system. “The only way he can do that is to put more money into Universities,” said Dr Rosenberg.

“An immediate measure would be to speed up the move to PBRF funding and to increase the overall pot of money in the fund,” Dr Rosenberg said.

Ends
For further information please contact
Dr Bill Rosenberg
National President, AUS
(03) 332 8525 (home)
021 680 475 (mobile)
Email bill.rosenberg@canterbury.ac.nz

Or
Helen Kelly,
General Secretary,
Association of University Staff (AUS)
Ph (04) 915 6691 (work)
(04) 385 3153 (home)
027 436 6308 (mobile)
Email: helen.kelly@aus.ac.nz

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