Annual-Report-2007.Pdf

2 CHANCELLOR’S INTRODUCTION SECTION 01. OVERVIEW Contents 01 Overview Chancellor’s introduction 02 Vice-Chancellor’s review 04 Key facts and fi gures 08 University governance 12 02 Teaching and research - Faculty of Arts 16 - Faculty of Business and Economics 18 - National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries 20 - Faculty of Education 22 - Faculty of Engineering 24 - Faculty of Law 26 - Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences 28 - Faculty of Science 30 - School of Theology 32 - Liggins Institute 33 - Auckland UniServices Ltd 34 Engagement with the community 35 03 Statements of service performance 42 Statement of resources 56 04 Financial statements 57 Glossary 95 3 Chancellor’s introduction By almost any measure, The University goals in our Strategic Plan 2005-2012, through Commission, a degree of control over of Auckland is New Zealand’s premier which we aim to further increase the quality teaching and research activities incompatible research university, and probably the of our student intake, the size of our graduate with the safeguards for university autonomy most signifi cant research institution school, and our research performance, while and academic freedom enshrined in the in the country. seeking to ensure that the University remains Education Act. accessible to students of ability, irrespective As the 2006 Performance Based Research of their personal circumstances. Other aspects of this engagement were Fund evaluation, released in early 2007, less encouraging. It seems clear that the demonstrates, Auckland has the largest During 2007, Council was very actively current tertiary reforms are being enacted graduate school, the highest level of research engaged with the Government’s tertiary primarily to assist Government in avoiding income from external public and private reforms, in the hope that these reforms would the wasteful expenditure – of many hundreds agencies (a measure of the confi dence those assist the University in meeting its strategic of millions of dollars – on low value courses agencies have in the research capability goals. This engagement included a largely that characterized post-secondary education of our staff), and one third of all A rated successful challenge, through the Select in the early part of this decade. To some researchers in the entire country. We Committee process and in collaboration extent the Government has already been also have, in Auckland UniServices Ltd, with the other universities, to some of the successful in reversing that trend, which the largest and most successful research more draconian provisions of the Education is to be applauded. However, we are yet commercialization company in Australasia. (Tertiary Reform) Amendment Bill. Those to see signifi cant new investment in the The company’s patenting activity, based on provisions, if enacted, would have given the university sector. Most disconcerting from research conducted in the University, exceeds government, through the Tertiary Education Council’s point of view is the continuation that of any other research provider in New Zealand and accounts for about one-third of all such activity in the country. And, of the sixteen drugs developed in New Zealand that have gone to clinical trials under the auspices of the US Food and Drug Administration, a remarkable twelve were developed at The University of Auckland. There is no doubt that The University of Auckland has a key infl uence on the direction and quality of New Zealand’s research, and on its economic development, but much more remains to be done. The University Council and management have set very ambitious 2 CHANCELLOR’S INTRODUCTION SECTION 01. OVERVIEW of a policy which restricts increases in both The fi nal issue which has particularly the government tuition subsidy and student concerned Council is that of access. Our fees to the level of the Consumer Price Index own Strategic Plan, adopted in 2005 after (or less), when it is clearly understood by all wide consultation and confi rmed in 2006, parties that the University’s cost structure makes it clear that we seek only limited – driven primarily by staff salaries – increases growth in student numbers, and that at the rate of about 1.6 times CPI. Research primarily in postgraduate students. The conducted by this University, and published tertiary reforms, which have at their core in Commentary last year, shows that over a move from funding based on student the period 1991-2006 the application of numbers to controlled and targeted this policy by successive governments has investment by government, likewise mean effectively cut university funding by $359 that places in the University must be million per annum. Of that, $137 million rationed, so that we admit only as many per annum has been passed on to students students as the Government will fund. It in the form of higher fees, leaving an annual was thus disappointing to see, in the debate shortfall in the university sector of just under on this issue towards the end of 2007, the a quarter of a billion dollars. argument that having an “elite” university is somehow a bad thing. To the contrary, The challenge of building an international every one of the world’s leading universities quality research university in the face of restricts entry to its programmes, and from such policies is very real. The University of 2009 The University of Auckland will be Auckland remains the only New Zealand no exception. However, as a university that university ranked in the world’s top 50 seeks to serve New Zealand by taking its (indeed, in the world’s top 100) by the Times place among the best in the world, Auckland Higher Education Supplement’s World will be highly motivated to attract able Ranking of Universities and it does so despite students wherever they are, and whatever having much lower levels of income per their personal circumstances. In those student or per staff member than its peers. programmes that already have restricted While other sources of revenue – such as access, we operate successful schemes philanthropic support, in which this University to assist students from underrepresented is having some welcome success – are very groups to enter the University and succeed important, they cannot compensate for in it. I am confi dent that we will be able prolonged underinvestment by government to replicate that success as we move to and, as a result of its policies, by students. limited entry for all programmes, and that A further consequence of these policies is that excellence and equity need not be in confl ict. The University of Auckland has a considerable backlog of deferred maintenance and capital works and faces constant challenges in recruiting and retaining high quality “During 2007, Council was very actively engaged with the academic staff. If we are to create a truly Government’s tertiary reforms, in the hope that these reforms world class university – and few would argue that New Zealand does not need such an would assist the University in meeting its strategic goals.” institution – then we must also invest heavily to create research and teaching spaces comparable with the best in the world and address the internationally uncompetitive levels of academic remuneration that result from inadequate funding. The development of a plan which will see a complete upgrading of the University’s facilities over the next Hugh Fletcher decade has been a key focus for Council Chancellor during 2007, as has been continual advocacy The University of Auckland of more realistic funding policies. We have seen limited success through the Tripartite process, but need to make much more progress on establishing appropriate funding arrangements, addressing both base funding levels and annual indexation refl ecting our cost base. THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2007 3 Vice-Chancellor’s review In the fi rst issue of Commentary, a new At the national level, there were also and students received national awards, publication of The University of Auckland numerous achievements, of which only a few fellowships and New Zealand honours as in 2007, we listed what are generally can be highlighted here: Professor Richard described elsewhere in this Report. regarded as the six characteristics of world- Faull was awarded the Rutherford Medal, the second year in a row that a University The release in early 2007 of the 2006 class research universities: top quality Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) staff; a highly selected student population; of Auckland Professor has been named New Zealand’s top scientist; Associate Professor evaluation also demonstrated the quality a strong research culture; a high level of and productivity of our staff. With only 18 private support through philanthropy; Michelle Leggott became the inaugural New Zealand Poet Laureate; Dr Christine Rubie- percent of the eligible staff nationwide, this thinking and acting as international University won 27 percent of the funding institutions; and a high degree of Davies received a National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award, the fi fth year in a row that associated with staff research quality, 33 autonomy and academic freedom. a staff member of this University has won percent of the component associated with research degree completions, and 38 percent In many of these respects The University such an award; Professor Innes Asher won of Auckland made considerable progress during 2007. “The very high quality of our staff was evidenced in many ways, The very high quality of our staff was evidenced in many ways, most notably most

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