Tertiary institutions deliver strong education performance

The tertiary education sector continued to produce strong educational performance in 2013, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, Steven Joyce says.

The Tertiary Education Commission today released the 2013 Education Performance Indicators (EPIs) for providers receiving Student Achievement Component (SAC) funding which shows performance against the four EPIs of course completion rates; qualification completion rates; student progression at levels 1-4; and student retention.

“The Government’s focus on educational performance rather than just enrolments has led to some significant gains over the last five years and I am pleased to see that in 2013 tertiary providers are maintaining high course and qualification completion rates while retaining students,” Mr Joyce says.

“Since 2009 the Government has introduced a range of initiatives to incentivise tertiary providers to improve results for their students, including publishing educational performance and linking some funding to outcomes. 

“It is pleasing to see that for the first time since EPIs have been published, course completion rates across the sector have exceeded 80 per cent. Course completion rates are the simplest building block of performance and results, and it is great to see providers working alongside their students to help them succeed.”

Key results include:

• Course completion rates have shown increases since 2009 of around 10 percentage points at Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), Wānanga and Private Training Establishments (PTEs). University completion rates are highest, at 86 per cent in 2013.
• Qualification completion rates have shown significant increases across the sector from 2009 of between 13 and 23 points. ITPs have increased their qualification completion rate from 50 per cent in 2009 to 73 per cent in 2013 while Wānanga have increased their qualification completion rate from 61 per cent in 2009 to 78 per cent in 2013.
• Student Retention rates also continue to show improved rates of retention of students with significant increases at ITPs and Wānaga since 2009. All providers have increased their retention rates in 2013 compared with 2012.  
• Educational performance for priority learner groups such as Māori and Pasifika has also increased since 2009. The Māori qualification completion rate has increased from 53 per cent in 2009 to 70 per cent in 2013 while the Pasifika qualification completion rate has increased 11 percentage points from 53 per cent to 64 per cent.

“Our tertiary providers have responded well to the Government’s increased performance expectations. We will continue to seek further educational performance increases for priority learners as outlined in the Tertiary Education Strategy 2014-19,” Mr Joyce says.

The educational performance information is available on the TEC website: http://www.tec.govt.nz/Learners-Organisations/Learners/performance-in-tertiary-education/Educational-performance-at-individual-tertiary-providers/