17 October 2006 Fees hike 'inevitable'

 

 

The increase, confirmed today (17 August) by the Lincoln University Council, stays just inside the Government-imposed 5 percent tuition fee maximum.

 

Vice-Chancellor Professor Roger Field said that while the Government's student component contribution has risen by 2.5 percent, an inflation rate running at close to 4 percent immediately erodes any benefit from this and a tuition fee increase by institutions becomes inevitable.

 

“As I said last year when we set the 2006 fees, New Zealand’s universities face two significant obligations, both of which have to be paid for by someone.

 

“We must meet the Government’s expectation that through teaching and research we contribute to the ‘national good’ and the ‘knowledge economy’, and we must also meet the expectation of our students, that we give them an internationally competitive standard of education and an internationally credible qualification.

 

“Naturally we regret the need to increase fees, but we have little option if we are to maintain the quality of our teaching, research and service,” said Professor Field.