University Of Waikato Accepts Fees Proposal

Waikato University's governing Council has today voted to accept the Government's fee stabilisation package for next year.

The move comes after the Government yesterday announced the establishment of a Tertiary Education Strategic Change fund, which sees public institutions offered a one-off $35 million grant, available from July next year.

The new funding package is seen as a positive move forward from the deal originally outlined by the Government in its May budget.

In light of the Government's change of heart, the University Council has voted to accept the new funding package, reversing its June decision to conditionally reject the budget-funding proposal.

Waikato lead the way in condemning the Government's previous 'take it or leave it' funding offer which would have seen a shortfall across New Zealand's eight Universities of $65M based on 2000 funding levels.

Waikato University's Council was the first governing body to officially reject the May funding proposal, signalling to Government the strong opposition it would face from the tertiary sector.

ENDS

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