Vaughan Elder

The University of Otago is in the "early stages" of a $50 million to $100 million project to replace Dunedin's dental school.

A Fulton Hogan truck hauling a house salvaged from Christchurch's red zone halts traffic on Pine Hill Rd on Thursday. Fulton Hogan Dunedin regional manager Richard Fulton said the house was being taken to the company's yard in Fairfield. Salvaging the houses so they could be used again was "much better" than demolishing them, he said. Moving houses throughout the lower South Island was an important part of the company's business.

The University of Otago spent more on advertising than any other university in New Zealand last year, figures compiled by global marketing research firm AC Nielsen show.

Otago Heritage Bus Society volunteer Jamie Hellyer surveys the latest addition to the group's fleet, a 1976 Dunedin Corporation Transport bus, built in Dunedin by Emslie Bros. After almost 10 years of collecting lichen in a paddock near Ashburton, the Leyland Leopard has returned south, bringing the society's fleet to three.

Ravensdown has begun replacing clouded windows in Ravensbourne with self-cleaning glass as emissions from its plant continue to contribute to glass clouding in the suburb.

Union members at Aoraki Polytechnic believe a merger or sharing services with Otago Polytechnic are the best options to reverse falling student numbers and a "grim" financial situation at the institution.

The range of a rare carnivorous worm within Dunedin city limits has been described as "miraculous" by a University of Otago masters student who is studying the elusive creatures.

Sport Otago is very satisfied with its new location in the "heart of the sporting precinct" after moving into the refurbished former art gallery at Logan Park last week, chief executive John Brimble says.

The development of a "smart gel" for healing wounds is one of six high-tech manufacturing projects at the University of Otago to pick up a total of more than $14 million in Government grants yesterday.

Fashion designers keen to show off their wares at the iD Dunedin Fashion Week next year are being called to register their interest in participating in the event.

Otago Polytechnic is "disappointed" after a lack of Government funding meant it had to raise domestic fees by the maximum 4%, despite excellent enrolment figures and financial results, acting chief executive Mike Collins says.

The head of the commission which governs Knox College says the historic Dunedin residential hall might have to close unless $10.8 million of funding for earthquake-strengthening and extension work planned over the summer break is raised.

The University of Otago needs to do more to increase international student numbers, Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says.

A second year of declining student numbers at the University of Otago shows Dunedin can no longer rely on the tertiary sector for economic growth, Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie says.

Academic departments and service divisions at the University of Otago are taking steps to reduce costs in anticipation of what is being called a "grim" budget situation next year.