2009 Tertiary Education Enrolments Publications
Publication Details
- New Zealanders up-skill as more students take on higher study.
- Strong upward movement in international student numbers.
Author(s): Mieke Wensvoort, Tertiary Sector Performance Analysis, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: May 2010
Summary
Highlights
- In 2009, there were 467,000 students enrolled in formal tertiary study1 with tertiary education providers.
- Formal enrolments (including inter-national students) rose by 1.4 percent from 2008 to 2009. In terms of equivalent full-time student units the increase was larger – up by 6.3 percent to 280,000.
- Formal enrolments (including inter-national students) in higher-level qualifications increased by 19,100 in 2009, while level 1 to 4 certificate enrolments decreased by 10,300.
- The decrease in New Zealand's economic activity in 2008, coupled with decreases in the employment rate for young people was partly responsible for driving up the number of domestic students aged 18 to 24 years (up by 6.3 percent from 2008 to 2009). The number of international students also increased from 2008 to 2009 by 9.2 percent.
- The number of domestic students (excluding international students) rose by 0.7 percent from 2008 to 2009 to 424,000. There were 15,500 more domestic enrolments in higher-level qualifications and 10,900 fewer enrolments in level 1 to 4 certificates.
- The balance in domestic enrolments continued to shift from the lowest level qualifications (certificates 1 to 3) to higher-level qualifications (levels 4 to 10). In 2009, levels 1 to 3 certificates accounted for 23 percent of enrolments in terms of equivalent full-time student units, compared to 27 percent in 2005.
- While the number of domestic students rose by less than one percent, the students undertook more study. Domestic equivalent full-time student units increased from 2008 to 2009 by 6.0 percent or 14,100 to 250,000.
- The number of learners in industry training increased from 2008 to 2009 by 3.6 percent to 202,000.
- Enrolments in courses of less than one week's duration fell by 3.8 percent from 2008 to 2009 to 21,200 enrolments. Provision of non-formal courses in tertiary education institutions remained at a similar level in 2009 as in 2008 at 83,100 enrolments.
Enrolments Overview
The number of enrolments in formal study increased from 2008 to 2009 by 1.4 percent to 467,000.2 In the three years before the latest increase formal enrolments had been declining. Both domestic and international students contributed to the latest increase in the number of formal enrolments. Figure 1 below shows total and bachelors-degree enrolments for international students (left-hand side) and domestic students (right-hand side) as well enrolments in levels 1 to 4 certificates.
Figure 1: Domestic and international students in formal study by qualification level
The number of domestic students in formal study increased from 2008 to 2009 by 0.7 percent (or 2,970 students to 424,000). Over the previous three years, the number of domestic students had been decreasing due mainly to falls in certificate enrolments at levels 1 to 4. The decrease in lower-level certificate qualifications reflects a government priority which is aimed at having more young students complete higher-level qualifications. From 2005 to 2008, the number of domestic students fell, on average, by 2.9 percent per year.
Domestic enrolments increased from 2008 to 2009 for diploma-level and higher qualifications (up by 15,500 enrolments). The increase in the number of students in bachelors degrees continued as the 'baby blip' (the population bulge of 18 to 19 year-olds) approaches the completion of its move from school into tertiary education (up by 5.5 percent). Additionally, the drop in New Zealand's economic activity in 2008 has reduced the employment options for young people, lifting their participation in tertiary education. There was also a 6.4 percent increase in the number enrolments by 20 to 24 year-olds in bachelors degrees. In 2009, there were 136,000 domestic enrolments at bachelors level and 39,000 enrolments in postgraduate study.
The number of domestic level 1 to 3 certificate enrolments continued to decrease from 2008 to 2009, down by 5.8 percent to 151,000 enrolments. This compares to 202,000 domestic certificate enrolments at levels 1 to 3 in 2005. Level 4 certificate enrolments by domestic students also decreased from 2008 to 2009 by 2.4 percent. In 2009, there were 66,300 enrolments in level 4 certificates, compared to 75,700 in 2005. Overall, there were 10,900 fewer domestic level 1 to 4 certificate enrolments in 2009 than in 2008.
The number of international students increased from 2008 to 2009 by 9.2 percent to 43,400. Before the latest increase, international enrolments had declined from 2004 to 2007, while they remained stable from 2007 to 2008. The latest increase in international enrolments took place at every qualification level except bachelors degrees (down 1.3 percent). The decrease at bachelors level is primarily due to smaller cohorts working through in multi-year qualifications as a result of declines in international enrolments in the four years to 2007.
One of the government's priorities for tertiary education is to have more young New Zealanders (those aged under 25 years) achieving qualifications at levels 4 and above, particularly degrees. Enrolment changes consistent with this priority can be seen in Figure 2. Comparing 2005 with 2009, enrolments at bachelors level (including graduate certificates and diplomas) have increased as a proportion of all formal enrolments, from 30 percent to 33 percent, while level 1 to 3 certificates decreased proportionately, from 41 percent to 34 percent. The proportion in level 5 to 7 diplomas increased from 16 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2009 and the proportion in postgraduate study increased from 7.5 percent to 9.8 percent. The proportion studying level 4 certificates decreased from 2005 to 2009 by 1 percentage point to 15 percent.
Figure 2: Percentage of all formal enrolments by qualification level
Note:
- *Includes graduate certificates and diplomas.
Notes:
| |||||||||
Qualification Level | Domestic Formal Enrolments | International Formal Enrolments | Total Formal Enrolments | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 2009 | % | 2008 | 2009 | % | 2008 | 2009 | % | |
Certificates 1-3 | 160,653 | 151,344 | -5.8 | 4,594 | 4,942 | 7.6 | 165,247 | 156,286 | -5.4 |
Certificates 4 | 67,977 | 66,339 | -2.4 | 4,931 | 5,200 | 5.5 | 72,908 | 71,539 | -1.9 |
Diplomas 5-7 | 64,787 | 68,306 | 5.4 | 9,746 | 12,374 | 27.0 | 74,533 | 80,680 | 8.2 |
Bachelors Degree | 116,956 | 124,166 | 6.2 | 15,280 | 15,088 | -1.3 | 132,236 | 139,254 | 5.3 |
Grad Certs/Dips* | 11,796 | 12,803 | 8.5 | 1,741 | 1,991 | 14.4 | 13,537 | 14,794 | 9.3 |
Honors Postgrad Dips/Certs* | 20,734 | 23,600 | 13.8 | 2,175 | 2,467 | 13.4 | 22,909 | 26,067 | 13.8 |
Masters | 10,458 | 11,112 | 6.3 | 1,989 | 2,179 | 9.6 | 12,447 | 13,291 | 6.8 |
Doctorates | 4,761 | 5,004 | 5.1 | 1,960 | 2,405 | 22.7 | 6,721 | 7,409 | 10.2 |
Totals | 420,727 | 423,692 | 0.7 | 39,778 | 43,418 | 9.2 | 460,505 | 467,110 | 1.4 |
Enrolments in workplace-based learning increased by 3.6 percent from 2008 to 2009 to 202,000 industry trainees. This follows increases of 5.5 percent in 2008 and 8.1 percent in 2007. The decrease in economic activity in 2008 led to a slowing down in the number of employees trained through some industry training organisations in 2009. On the other hand, the creation of a new industry training organisation for the real estate industry contributed to the overall increase in the number of trainees in 2009.
Enrolments by Qualification Level
The proportion of younger domestic students – people under 25 years of age – enrolled at bachelors level3 has increased in recent years. In 2009, the proportion was 46 percent, compared to 43 percent in 2004 (Figure 3).
The recent increases in the proportion of young people in bachelors degrees coincide with the 'baby blip' generation (18 to 19 year-olds) continuing its move from school to tertiary education. Another factor that is likely to have contributed to the increased participation of younger people in tertiary education is the increase in the number of school students who have gained credits in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and who have stayed on at school.
The weakening of the labour market throughout 2008 and 2009 has reduced access to employment especially for younger people with no or low-level qualifications and this has contributed to the increase in their recent participation in tertiary education. While the New Zealand economy slowly expanded throughout most of 2009, the unemployment rate continued to rise and it reached 7.3 percent in the December 2009 quarter. In comparison, two years earlier the unemployment rate was 3.5 percent. Overall, for people aged 15 to 24 years, the unemployment rate was 10 percent in 2008 and 2009. However, for young people with no or a low-level qualification, the unemployment rate was higher with about one in every five unemployed in 2008 and 2009.
Postgraduate study by under-25-year-olds increased by 19 percent from 2008 to 2009 and the proportion of younger domestic students at this level was 7.3 percent in 2009.
Figure 3: Percentage of domestic students under 25 years of age enrolled in formal study by qualification level
Note:
- *Includes graduate certificates and diplomas.
The proportion of domestic students aged 25 years or over in lower-level certificates peaked in 2005 at 50 percent. From 2005 to 2009 it decreased to 42 percent, although it remains 14 percentage points higher than that for younger students. Certificate study grew rapidly between 1998 and 2005 and the growing number of New Zealanders aged 40 to 65 years in the population was the main contributor to this upward movement in lower-level certificate study.
Compared with younger students, a much smaller proportion of domestic students aged 25 years or over participate in bachelors-level study.4 While the proportion of students aged 25 years and over studying at bachelors level increased by 1.8 percentage points from 2008 to 2009, this level of study represented only 21 percent of total formal study by this group. Ten years earlier, the proportion was much higher at 32 percent. The decreases in the proportion of people aged 25 years and over studying at bachelors level from 1998 to 2007, coincided with a period of strong economic growth and falling unemployment. During this time, the number of bachelors-level enrolments for this group averaged an increase of less than half a percent per year, while enrolments in level 1 to 3 certificates averaged an increase of 12 percent per year and those in level 4 certificates increased by 23 percent per year.
Proportionately, students aged 25 years or over studying level 4 certificates have trebled over the last 10 years to 17 percent in 2009. For younger people the increase in the proportion was smaller with the proportion doubling to 14 percent. In terms of the actual numbers, level 4 certificate enrolments flattened off in the last few years for both age groups.
The proportion of domestic students aged 25 years or over in level 5 to 7 diplomas increased from 2008 to 2009 by 1.4 percentage points to 19 percent, while it remained unchanged at 13 percent for younger domestic students.
The proportion of domestic students aged 25 years or over in postgraduate study increased by 0.8 percentage points from 2008 to 2009 to 11 percent.
Figure 4: Percentage of domestic students aged 25 years or over enrolled in formal study by qualification level
Note:
- *Includes graduate certificates and diplomas.
Equivalent Full-time Student Units
When the formal enrolments are converted into equivalent full-time student units, there is an increase of 6.3 percent from 263,000 in 2008 to 280,000 in 2009. The 6.3 percent increase in equivalent full-time student units contrasts with a rise of just over one percent in the number of students. Before the latest increase, the number of equivalent full-time student units decreased over the previous four years by 2.0 percent on average (Figure 5).
Eighty-five percent of the 2009 upward movement in equivalent full-time students was due to an increase in domestic study. The drive to have more young New Zealanders achieving qualifications at higher levels has increased the average study load of students as higher-level qualifications take longer to complete. Domestic equivalent full-time student units increased from 2008 to 2009 by 6.0 percent to 250,000 (see Table 4). Study of bachelors degrees by domestic students increased from 2008 to 2009 by 6.1 percent to 98,700 equivalent full-time student units. Over the same period, study increased for honours degrees and postgraduate certificates and diplomas by 18 percent to 14,800 equivalent full-time student units and for level 5 to 7 diplomas by 7.0 percent to 33,400 equivalent full-time student units. Study by domestic students at postgraduate level increased from 2008 to 2009 by 13 percent to 24,800 equivalent full-time student units. Reduced employment options for people who recently completed a bachelors degree, is one reason for the rise in postgraduate equivalent full-time student units.
Study of level 4 certificates by domestic students also increased from 2008 to 2009 – up by 7.1 percent to 29,700 equivalent full-time student units. In contrast, the number of students in level 4 certificates fell by 2.4 percent. Study of level 1 to 3 certificate study by domestic students also increased from 2008 to 2009 by 1.0 percent to 57,900 equivalent full-time student units, while the number of students in lower-level certificates decreased by 5.8 percent.
Study by international students increased from 2008 to 2009 by 9.1 percent to 29,700 equivalent full-time student units (see Table 5). About 60 percent of the increase in study by international students from 2008 to 2009 was in level 5 to 7 diplomas (up 24 percent). Study by international students increased by 23 percent at doctoral level and by 15 percent each at the graduate and honours levels. Bachelors-level study by international students decreased slightly in 2009 (down 280 to 11,100 equivalent full-time student units).
Figure 5: All formal student enrolments and equivalent full-time student units
Enrolments by Provider Type
The number of formal student enrolments increased from 2008 to 2009 at the universities, wānanga and private training establishments, while at the institutes of technology and polytechnics they decreased. At universities the number of enrolments increased by 5.1 percent to 177,000. At wānanga the number of enrolments increased by 5.6 percent to 42,600. At private training establishments the number of enrolments increased by 1.8 percent from 2008 to 2009 to 75,500.
At polytechnics the number of enrolments decreased from 2008 and 2009 by 2.9 percent to 191,000. However, in terms of equivalent full-time student units, enrolments at polytechnics increased by 6.9 percent to 78,200. The combination of rising equivalent full-time student units but reducing enrolments reflects a shift in the type of study being undertaken at polytechnics – more students in full-time study and fewer in short qualifications at levels 1 to 3. The level of enrolments at polytechnics, early in 2009, indicated that the total increase in the number of equivalent full-time student units for 2009 might be even higher. However, polytechnics are expected to manage their enrolments to within 3 percent of their enrolment caps. Thus, the level of increase at polytechnics abated as the year went on.
Enrolments in level 1 to 4 certificates fell by 11,000 in 2009 at the polytechnics with less than half of this offset by increased enrolments in higher-level qualifications. In contrast, enrolments increased at polytechnics in terms of equivalent full-time student units at every qualification level including lower level certificates. The largest increases in the amount of study in terms of equivalent full-time student units occurred for level 5 to 7 diplomas, followed by bachelors degrees and graduate certificates and diplomas.
In terms of equivalent full-time student units, the enrolments also increased more strongly in 2009 than in previous years at wānanga (up 11 percent) and in private training establishments (up 3.4 percent). In the universities the increase in 2009 in the number of students and equivalent full-time students was fairly similar (equivalent full-time students increased by 6.0 percent and student numbers increased by 5.1 percent).
Figure 6: Equivalent full-time students in formal study by provider type and qualification level*
Note:
- *Non-degree comprises level 1 to 4 certificates and level 5 to 7 diplomas.
Gender
In 2009, there were 237,000 women in domestic formal study and 187,000 men. Over the last 10 years, the number of domestic students has increased for both men and women, on average, by 3.8 percent per year.5
From 2008 to 2009, the number of female students increased by 1.6 percent, while the number of male students decreased by 0.4 percent. The main drivers of the increase for women were more enrolments in bachelors degrees (up 5.9 percent), honours degrees and postgraduate certificates and diplomas (up 17 percent), level 5 to 7 diplomas (up 4.1 percent), and to a lesser extent level 4 certificates (up 2.9 percent).
The only decrease in enrolments by women from 2008 to 2009 was a 5.9 percent decline in level 1 to 3 certificate enrolments. The proportion of enrolments by female students in lower-level certificates was 33 percent in 2009, compared to 39 percent for males.
Significant decreases in level 1 to 4 certificate enrolments outweighed the increases in the number of enrolments by men in higher-level qualifications. There were fewer domestic enrolments in 2009 made by male students in level 1 to 3 certificates (down 5.6 percent) and level 4 certificates (down 7.2 percent). These falls were partly offset by more domestic enrolments by men in bachelors degrees (up 6.6 percent), level 5 to 7 diplomas (up 7.5 percent) and honours degrees and postgraduate certificates and diplomas (up 10 percent).
There were smaller, yet significant, increases in the number of enrolments made by both men and women in other higher-level qualifications. For example, the number of domestic enrolments in graduate certificates and diplomas increased from 2008 to 2009 by 12 percent for male students and by 6.9 percent for females.
The number of men and women studying at masters and doctorate level also increased in 2009. The increase in domestic enrolments by women in masters degrees was 401 (6.6 percent) and 140 (5.5 percent) in the case of doctoral degrees. The increase in domestic enrolments by men in masters degrees was 253 enrolments (5.8 percent) and 103 (4.7 percent) in the case of doctoral degrees. Postgraduate enrolments by female students in 2009 accounted for 9.6 percent of the total enrolments by women, compared to 9.1 percent for males.
The average study load increased from 2008 to 2009. For men this increased from 0.55 to 0.58 equivalent full-time student units and for women from 0.59 to 0.61. From 2000 to 2008, the study load for women averaged 0.58 equivalent full-time student units and for men it was 0.56. The period from 2000 to 2008, when the average study load was lower, coincided with a period of strong economic growth and falling unemployment.
Figure 7: Annual change in the number of domestic formally-enrolled students by gender
Figure 8: Domestic enrolments in 2009 by gender and qualification level
Ethnic Groups
More domestic students enrolled in formal study in 2009 reported themselves as Māori, Pasifika, Asian and the Other ethnic group than in 20086. The number of enrolments increased for Pasifika students by 6.2 percent to 31,700, for Asian students by 5.1 percent 53.800, for Māori students by 2.5 percent to 82,700 and for people identifying with the Other ethnic group the number of enrolments increased by 1.7 percent to 19,000. Formal enrolments by European students remained stable from 2008 to 2009 at 280,000.
Proportionately, domestic enrolments by Europeans have comprised 65 percent of total formal enrolments in recent years. In the early 2000s, this proportion was closer to 70 percent of domestic formal enrolments. The participation rates in tertiary education (age-standardised for the various ethnic groups to control for the differences in the age distributions) have been stable in recent years for the Pasifika and European ethnic groups at 12 percent. The Māori and Asian participation rates have been higher than this. In 2005, 20 percent of Māori participated in tertiary education and 16 percent of Asians. Since 2005, the Māori and Asian participation rates have declined and in 2009 they were 17 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
Enrolments by Māori comprised 20 percent of all enrolments in 2009 and, proportionately, it has been at this level for a number of years. Ten years earlier, the proportion of Māori enrolments was only 15 percent. Similarly, Pasifika enrolments have increased over the last 10 years, both in number and as a proportion of all domestic enrolments. In 2009, Pasifika enrolments accounted for 7.5 percent of all domestic enrolments, compared to 4.9 percent in 1999. The Other ethnic group comprised 4.5 percent of formal domestic enrolments in 2009 and 3.4 percent in 1999.
Over the 10 years from 1999 to 2009, the average annual increase in the number of enrolments by Pasifika students was 6.8 percent, followed closely by 6.6 percent for the Other ethnic group. For Asians, the average annual increase in the number of enrolments from 1999 to 2009 was 5.3 percent, for Māori it was 3.6 percent and for Europeans 2.6 percent.
Notes:
| |||||||||
Ethnicity | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | Domestic | All | Domestic | All | Domestic | ||||
European | N/A | 66.0% | 57.6% | 63.5% | 60.0% | 65.0% | |||
Māori | N/A | 15.1% | 18.7% | 20.9% | 17.7% | 19.2% | |||
Pasifika | N/A | 4.9% | 6.0% | 6.4% | 7.2% | 7.5% | |||
Asian | N/A | 8.7% | 18.6% | 12.3% | 17.8% | 12.7% | |||
Other | N/A | 3.4% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 5.1% | 4.5% |
Footnotes
- Students enrolled at any time during the year with a tertiary education provider in formal learning (that is, contributing towards a recognised qualification) of more than one week's duration. Formal learning in the workplace is not included in these figures.
- Data in this report and the statistical tables has been revised back to 2003 as tertiary education organisations are now able to submit updates for previous years as part of the information collections provided to the Ministry.
- Includes graduate certificates and diplomas.
- Includes graduate certificates and diplomas.
- This section covers domestic students only. More detailed gender statistics are available on the Ministry of Education's Education Counts website.
- More detailed statistics on ethnic groups are available on the Ministry of Education's Education Counts website.
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