Govt agrees in principle to support Canterbury TEIs
Hon Steven Joyce
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills
& Employment
29 November 2012
Media Statement
Govt agrees in principle to support Canterbury TEIs in quake rebuild
Cabinet has made an agreement in principle to provide capital support to Canterbury’s three Tertiary Education Institutions for their earthquake rebuilding programme, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.
“The University of Canterbury, Lincoln University and Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology have all recently completed initial business cases for capital investment from the Crown as part of their earthquake rebuilding programme,” Mr Joyce says.
“Following advice from Treasury and the Tertiary Education Commission, Cabinet has considered all proposals outlined in the business cases, and has identified some projects where Crown investment appears most appropriate.
“The Government’s expectation is that TEIs across the country fund capital developments themselves, from their own balance sheets. However, the extraordinary circumstances in Canterbury warrant some additional support due to the severe challenges they face and the importance of the Canterbury TEIs to the region’s recovery.
“The Government will help meet the cost of rebuilding some key facilities alongside their insurance proceeds plus contributions from the TEIs’ own balance sheets.”
Cabinet has
agreed to provide capital support in principle
towards:
• science and engineering facilities
at the University of Canterbury
• science
facilities at Lincoln University
• expansion of
trades training facilities at Christchurch Polytechnic
Institute of Technology.
Final Cabinet decisions regarding the amount of Crown investment will be made following each of the institutions submitting a more detailed project business case for consideration in 2013.
“The Government has also maintained
operational funding for these institutions at pre-quake
levels, regardless of enrolment levels, for the third year
in a row. This means they can maintain capacity while they
work through the business cases and their long-term recovery
strategy,” Mr Joyce says.
ENDS