Victoria congratulates staff on PBRF success

MEDIA RELEASE 23 April 2004

Victoria congratulates staff on PBRF success

The release of the Performance-Based Research Fund results highlights the strong research culture at Victoria University, says Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

"Victoria had the third highest average quality score of the 22 tertiary education organisations that participated in the PBRF. This is a credit to the excellent work of our researchers and the support they receive from other staff.

"Our third place is not surprising and confirms what was we already knew, that Victoria has a very strong research culture and that our staff rank with the best scholars in New Zealand and in many cases, internationally. It is particularly pleasing that so many of Victoria's schools and disciplines rated so highly.

"While the additional income to be allocated in this first year of the PBRF was relatively small, the $1.57 million that Victoria is likely to receive is about $200,000 more than we would have received under the EFTS funding system. This will help us to develop further our research strategies.

"The total number of A, B and C staff at Victoria is above the national average while we also have considerably fewer R graded staff than the university average. At Victoria, we are committed to having our top researchers teach at undergraduate level, allowing students to benefit from their experience and world-class knowledge and research. All of this reinforces our position as a research-led institution.

"The experience overseas where research performance exercises have been implemented is that rankings provide a stimulus to aspire to greater heights and Victoria will be doing just that. We have no intention of resting on our laurels. We have a number of initiatives in place to assist both our top researchers to do even better and those who aspire to improve their own performance.

"Our initial assessment of the income from the PBRF indicates that in the first year, our income will benefit by about an additional $200,000. But with the subsequent growth in our external research income and postgraduate degree completions – both of which are key determinants of PBRF funding – we will do even better in future years.

"I also welcome the Government's commitment last night, as expressed by the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education), the Hon Steve Maharey, that it plans to inject greater funding into research through the PBRF. "

ENDS

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