29 November 2012 Government's in-principle support for modern scientific facilities welcomed by Lincoln University

Lincoln University welcomes the announcement made today by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, the Hon Steven Joyce, that Cabinet will in principle provide capital that contributes to a rebuild of the University’s earthquake-damaged scientific facilities.

“Lincoln University is pleased to learn that Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to provide some capital support to Canterbury’s three Tertiary Education Institutions (TEIs) for their earthquake rebuilding programme. This improves our confidence that scientific education and research will endure at New Zealand's specialist land-based university" says Vice-Chancellor Dr Andrew West .

The Minister’s announcement states that the Government will help meet the cost of rebuilding some key facilities alongside the TEIs’ insurance proceeds plus contributions from the TEIs’ own balance sheets. Specifically Cabinet has agreed to provide capital support in principle towards:

• science and engineering facilities at the University of Canterbury
• science facilities at Lincoln University
• expansion of trades training facilities at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Final Cabinet decisions regarding the amount of Crown investment will be made following each of the institutions submitting a more detailed project business case for consideration in 2013.

“The Minister’s announcement today is valuable to Lincoln University and I would like to express the University’s appreciation for the understanding shown by the Minister of the contribution Lincoln continues to make in productivity growth and ecological management.

"Of course the earthquakes damaged far more than our scientific laboratories alone. As we continue to negotiate a complex situation with our insurers, the University will be mobilising its balance sheet to help repair the extensive areas of damage that the Government has clarified it will not contribute to, such as certain lecture and examination facilities" says Dr West.