20 March 2024 Strong growth in student enrolments in 2024 for fifth year running

Enrolments for Semester 1 2024 are 20% higher than Semester 1 2023, and the University is on track to exceed 5,000 students by the end of the year.

The growth in Equivalent Full-time Students (EFTS) has been 21% for domestic EFTS and 13% for international EFTS, with a 58% increase in postgraduate EFTS.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Edwards said the strong growth signals Lincoln University’s increasing influence in shaping the future of the land-based sectors in Aotearoa and globally.

Lincoln University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Grant Edwards

Our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute direct to industry, and our employment outcomes remain high, at 84%.

“Increasingly Lincoln’s education and research programmes are leading positive and impactful change in the land-based sectors in an era where all sectors of society are demanding the application of more efficient and sustainable production practices that safeguard the environment and intergenerational wellbeing.”

In a continuing trend for Lincoln University, the number of postgraduate students in Semester 1 2024 has reached 43% of the total student population, a significant shift from the pre-Covid era.

This statistic is a feature of specialist universities and signals Lincoln’s status as a research-intensive land-based university.

Professor Edwards explained that the shifting ratio of Lincoln’s student population toward postgraduate study underscored the leading role the University is playing in moving New Zealand’s land-based sectors towards a more resilient and sustainable future.

“The strong surge in our postgraduate numbers demonstrates our strategic approach to addressing and anticipating industry demand for skilled graduates, while also meeting the needs of a cohort of students who are qualified and motivated to contribute to society by applying their skills and knowledge.

“Many of our postgraduates have been drawn to Lincoln University through our specialist land-based education programmes and research projects which enable them to pursue a new direction, realise a career change or develop a new pathway to work satisfaction. We are proud to play our part in enriching the lives of these students and preparing them to bring significant and lasting benefits to their communities.”

Lincoln University’s financial outlook remains positive, with a modest surplus realised in 2023 and budgeted for 2024. The University remains debt-free and retains a healthy cash position to enable continued advancement of its extensive capital development programme to support its student experience and research environment.

Professor Edwards also cited Lincoln’s much-vaunted campus life as a factor in the University’s popularity with incoming students: “Underpinning everything we do at Lincoln University is our outstanding student experience, where our students begin their journey to lifelong success within a thriving and inclusive student community and a vibrant, diverse and enriching campus environment.”

The top programmes for students attending Lincoln University in 2024 are: Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture), Bachelor of Land and Property Management, and Master of Applied Computing. In close collaboration with land-based sectors, Lincoln University launched the Bachelor of Sustainable Tourism and Master of Parks Management in 2024.

For further information, contact media@lincoln.ac.nz