07 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 The Annual Report 2007 is web published on www.victoria.ac.nz/annualreports Published by: Victoria University of Wellington Te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui 21 Kelburn Parade PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 NEW ZEALAND Telephone +64-4-472 1000 Fax +64-4-499 4601 Web www.victoria.ac.nz ISSN 1171-2740 March 2008 CONTENTS Introduction . 2. The Year in Review . 4. About Victoria University . 1. 6 2007 Financial Overview . 20 Financials (including Audit Report) . 2. 2 Statement of Service Performance . 72. Special Supplementary Grants . .86 Statement of Resources . 90 The University Council . 96 The University Management . .100 Annual Report 2007 1 INTRODUCTION The governance role of Victoria University of Wellington’s Council is an important one . The Council is responsible for the strategic direction of the University and is ultimately accountable for the programmes of study, degrees and other qualifications that our students graduate with . Amongst our planning and governance responsibilities, our overarching goal is clear: graduates of Victoria possess three key attributes – they are leaders, they are good communicators and they use creative and critical thinking in their Emeritus Professor chosen field . The Council has spent considerable Tim Beaglehole time this year developing the strategic direction Chancellor of the University to ensure that Victoria continues to produce quality graduates who display these attributes . There were a number of highlights in 2007 that the University can be justly proud of . During the year the Council received and approved the Campus Development Framework and considered development project plans for the Teaching, Learning and Research Building and the Campus Hub and Library project . These two projects have an estimated expenditure of $112 6. million . These are exciting developments for Victoria and a significant financial commitment . After careful examination of the associated risks and benefits of this project the Teaching, Learning and Research Building was approved, subject to borrowing approval by Government . Council also monitored progress towards completion of the new student accommodation building which is scheduled to be opened in 2009 . A particularly significant achievement for management and the Council was the development of our Investment Plan, which sets out for the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) how the University intends to use Government funding in 2008 . The development of the plan by Victoria and other universities is an outcome of the Government’s Tertiary Education Strategy 2007-2012, which aims to ensure the sector delivers the education and training New Zealand needs to underpin its economic transformation, and social and cultural development . The development of the Investment 2 Victoria University of Wellington Plan was a challenging, yet ultimately rewarding The response by the University’s management, experience, and it will inform our governance and academic and general staff in dealing with these management decisions about the development of changes in funding and emphasis, as well as keeping the University in 2008 and beyond . the University operating very successfully during 2007, has been particularly noteworthy . Management After widespread consultation across the University also made good progress with the objectives in community and consideration of a range of factors, the University’s Strategic Plan . However, as the a set of 10 interdisciplinary areas has been identified objectives were set in 2004, many of them are no as distinctive strengths for Victoria . The selection longer relevant or able to be measured in a way of these was guided by many factors, including our that adds meaningful value to Victoria’s strategic commitment to internationalisation, our existing and direction . We are now operating in a different potential capability in research and teaching and the strategic environment and Council will reconsider need for a more intensive research focus . the University’s Strategic Plan during the first part of Another significant highlight for the University 2008 . A new plan will build on the interdisciplinary in 2007 was the development and approval of a strengths articulated in the Investment Plan, Research Strategy . The strategy underlines our respond to opportunities that the current emphasis on being a research-intensive university . environment brings, address capability development This strategy will enable Victoria to continue to needs and integrate strategic planning with resource develop its research capability by focusing on allocation . increasing the number of postgraduate students, Many of the University’s students have continued particularly those doing research-based study, to perform with distinction, and this is to be raising the individual research performance of commended . I presided over seven graduation academic staff and focusing more on the commercial ceremonies where over 2800 students graduated . potential of the intellectual property created by I had the pleasure of conferring seven honorary the University’s researchers . The University will also doctorates throughout the year . ensure that the research programmes conducted by its centres and institutes are better aligned with the I also hosted the annual Chancellor’s Dinner where University’s distinctive strengths . we acknowledged our key stakeholders and thanked them for their contribution to the University . The focus on interdisciplinary strengths will also provide the University with better ways to prioritise Finally, I would like to acknowledge the commitment capability investment needs; to empower staff; to of the Officers of Council who met regularly identify the infrastructure and resources needed to throughout the year, and thank all Council members support Victoria’s strategic direction; and to respond for their ongoing commitment to the good to the Government’s national goals . However, governance of the University in 2007 . despite the optimism created by the release of the Tertiary Education Strategy, the University sector will need to consider how to operate in an environment where funding will be capped . With funding constraints applying in 2008 and beyond, it is possible Victoria may enrol some students who will not be eligible for Government funding, a cost Emeritus Professor Tim Beaglehole the University will have to bear . Victoria will need Chancellor, 2007 to carefully manage the provision of undergraduate education from 2009 . Therefore, when the Council approved the Investment Plan it decided only to approve funding for 2008 rather than the three-year period sought by the TEC . Annual Report 2007 3 THE YEAR IN REVIEW The past year has been one of considerable achievement for Victoria University’s students and staff, and for the University as a whole . In this year’s review I will touch on some of the many achievements of our large and complex organisation . In 2007, Victoria achieved growth in full-time student numbers of 2 6%,. taking our total number of full time students to 17,085 . Growth occurred primarily in science, architecture, engineering and teacher education . Whilst this growth presented some challenges from a financial planning perspective, it is heartening to see another year in which the numbers Professor Pat Walsh of students who are choosing Victoria University as their place of study have increased . Vice-Chancellor I believe this growth reflects a winning combination – a quality university offering an outstanding student learning experience with a central location in New Zealand’s beautiful, vibrant capital city . Our relationship with the capital is an important one . We hosted 14 inaugural lectures on a range of issues from representation in contemporary democratic societies to cell biology and biotechnology . Inaugural lectures provide an opportunity for the public to share in the academic knowledge that resides within the University, as well as showcasing our new professors . We have now begun construction of a new hall of residence for nearly 400 students at the southern edge of the campus, due for completion by the end of 2008 . We are well advanced in planning a new building for research and teaching on our Kelburn campus as well as our “Campus Hub”, a facility integrating library, information access and social learning functions based in the Quad at the Kelburn Campus . Victoria strives to produce graduates who have the critical thinking, communications and leadership skills to be successful in today’s global marketplace . To achieve this, we continue to recruit and retain high-quality academic staff who excelled in both teaching and research in 2007 . The development of a more robust and strategically- focused research culture at Victoria University remains foremost in our priorities . We have laid some strong foundations over the last few years in appointing a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Assistant 4 Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor for Research, forming the Office of was also established to provide long-term storage Research and Postgraduate Studies, and establishing and access to university research outputs such as the Victoria Research Trust . In 2007, the Academic theses and academic papers, thereby increasing the Board approved a new Research Strategy which accessibility and impact of research outputs . will play an important role as Victoria continues to cement its position as a research-intensive Teaching and learning were also underpinned by the