Dunedin tertiary institutes have topped the tables again, their students ranked as having the highest completion rate of degree-level qualifications in New Zealand.
The Tertiary Education Commission released its 2010 performance information tables yesterday, which placed Otago first among New Zealand universities for the completion of courses, qualifications, degrees, and for the retention of students in study.
Otago Polytechnic ranked alongside its North Dunedin campus neighbour, the two institutes sharing a 75% rating to top the country for the completion of degree-level qualifications in New Zealand, chief executive Phil Ker said.
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said improvements across the sector in course and qualification completion rates showed how an increased focus on performance was paying off.
A marked improvement in student achievement was particularly evident at institutes of technology and polytechnics and industry training organisations, he said.
"This lift in educational performance shows the sector is taking on board the Government's expectation to focus on educational outcomes and show better value for taxpayer investment in tertiary education," Mr Joyce said.
Last year, the TEC funded eight universities to the tune of $1,094,915,039 and 20 institutes of technology and polytechnics $550,269,565.
The TEC gave the University of Otago $196,864,316 of funding in 2010 and has provided $207,122,190 this year, second behind the University of Auckland, which gets $278,428,189.
The two universities were joined on top of the course completion rankings by the University of Waikato with an 88% rate, while Otago stood alone with a 74% overall qualification completion figure.
Otago Polytechnic receives $28,389,172 from the TEC, up from its 2010 figure of $27,903,611.
Mr Ker criticised the TEC's "flawed methodology", which lowered overall completion rates at some institutes, such as the polytech's 62% assessment because they failed to take into account an overall increase in enrolments.
The polytech had a 6% increase in enrolments for 2010 and a 15% rise in degree level enrolments, he said.
Despite the "skewed" assessment, the "overall" results for the polytech were a continuation of its positive 2009 outcomes, when completion rates of the institute's 12 bachelor qualifications put it at the top of degree rankings, Mr Ker said.
A media statement from the University of Otago highlighted how the release of the TEC's second annual set of performance indicators coincided with the announcement of the latest Shanghai Jiao Tong rankings of the world's top 500 universities.
Otago and the University of Auckland were the only New Zealand universities to feature in the Shanghai list's top 300, with both ranked in the 201 to 300 band.
The results were "further confirmation" of Otago University's place as a leading research and tertiary institution, Otago's new Vice-Chancellor, Prof Harlene Hayne, said.
She said the "rankings and indicators" reflected the university's reputation for excellence at both the national and international levels.
