Student pōwhiri outside The Pā at the University of Waikato in Hamilton for orientation, 2024.
Overall student numbers are up more than 6%, with Ministry Funded Equivalent Full-Time Students (EFTS) growing over 3% in Hamilton and more than 6% in Tauranga. International EFTS are 25% higher than the same time last year, albeit remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
Postgraduate numbers are up 16% on last year and school leaver numbers have remained relatively stable despite a smaller cohort of Year 13 students achieving University Entrance.
“Students transferring from elsewhere in the tertiary sector is up by 19% over 2023 and there is a stronger pipeline of returning students with the volume up from last year,” says University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil Quigley.
A Trimester is off to a strong start, largely because of its base of facilities and programmes, and a solid pipeline of enrolments that provide a strong foundation for future growth, says Professor Quigley.
“The demand for healthcare professionals is driving enrolment growth, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, especially with the prospect of a new Waikato Medical School.
“We have had notable enrolment increases for the Bachelor of Nursing and Master of Nursing Practice qualifications.”
Waikato’s law and psychology programmes are also experiencing growth and its total immersion Māori language programme, Te Tohu Paetahi, continues to see strong growth, with an over 20% increase overall in students enrolling for the year ahead.
“The positive enrolment numbers reflect the dedication of our staff and the quality of education we provide. We are excited about the future and the impact our University will continue to have on the lives of students and the community.”
Despite this, the University continues to operate in a highly constrained environment, Professor Quigley says, with many costs escalating far faster than the University’s income, and an ongoing need to improve the efficiency of our operations wherever opportunities are identified.
Qualifications experiencing strong growth among new students in 2024 include:
Bachelor of Business
Bachelor of Computer Science
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Nursing
Diploma in Te Tohu Paetahi
University of Waikato 2023 enrolments:
Total domestic EFTS: 8,474
Tauranga EFTS: 862
Māori EFTS: 2,141
Pacific EFTS: 747
International EFTS (on-shore): 1,311