Spike in varsity student numbers
Christchurch will be buzzing with students this autumn after the number of new enrolments at the University of Canterbury (UC) increased for a fourth year in a row.
Almost 1000 more students have enrolled for 2018 than in 2017, marking a 15 per cent jump in those who are new to the university.
Vice-chancellor Rod Carr said the increase in enrolments appeared to reflect a rise in school-leavers choosing to remain in the city, as well as more students flocking to Christchurch. It was too early to know the impact of the Labour Government’s fees-free policy, he said.
The university would have 12,217 equivalent full-time students across its five colleges for the coming academic year – an 8 per cent rise on 11,343 last year.
It reflected a steady rise in student
"It's too early to know whether it's the feesfree policy that is encouraging schoolleavers to stay in Christchurch." Vice-chancellor Rod Carr
numbers after youngsters deserted the city in droves after the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes. Numbers dropped from 18,783 students in 2010 to 14,725 in 2014, before climbing again in 2015 and each year since.
Carr said he was ‘‘delighted’’ to see more students back at the university.
‘‘A variety of factors drive student choice, including a range of attractive programmes, affordable accommodation, student experience on campus and a reemerging CBD.
‘‘It’s too early to know whether it’s the fees-free policy that is encouraging school-leavers to stay in Christchurch and study at UC, or inspiring out-oftowners to come to Canterbury.
‘‘It’s also important to remember that the new-to-UC category is not just made up of school-leavers in their first year of study who may be eligible for free fees.
‘‘It includes transferring students and adult students, as well postgraduates and PhD students coming to UC for the first time.’’
The university’s new product design school had proven popular, with higher numbers than expected enrolling for an undergraduate degree, while arts students were also on the rise.
New data science postgraduate degrees had also attracted a growing number of students, while the College of Business and Law had an increase in international students.
Carr said renting in some cities was increasingly difficult on a student budget.