Asian students push up varsity numbers

By REBECCA WALSH education reporter

Asian students are boosting enrolments at the University of Auckland while the number of European and Maori students is falling.

The number of Asians at the university has more than doubled in the past five years, from 3621 to 8116.

At the same time, European enrolments dropped 1752 to 14,099 and there were 124 fewer Maori than the 1916 enrolled in 1995.

A study says the changes in the student body are the result of fees, which have risen more than 300 per cent in the past decade, hurting poorer and middle-class students.

The report by Dr Sholeh Maani, an associate professor in economics, and masters graduate Adam Werner says the rise in Asian enrolment reflects the high rates of immigration during the 1990s.

But the report also finds that fee increases impacted most on middle-class Pakeha students and those from lower socio-economic groups.

"We are getting a shift in the affluence in our student body," said Professor Dame Anne Salmond, pro vice-chancellor (equal opportunity).

"The ethnic shift is a bit misleading in the sense that there is a strong socio-economic aspect to that."

The report calls for more scholarships for students from lower-income families to ensure that they have access to higher education.

It says access scholarships have traditionally been lacking in New Zealand, or tacked on as after-thoughts.

Universities, the Government and businesses must get together to offer more scholarships.

The report says overall student numbers at the university rose from 15,881 in 1989 to 26,985 last year.

Asian enrolments contributed 61.8 per cent to the increase, European enrolments 13.8 per cent, Maori 9.4 per cent, Pacific 7.5 per cent and other 7.6 per cent.

Between 1994 and last year, Asian student numbers grew 151 per cent to 8116.

Last year, Asians made up about 30 per cent of the total student population.

Professor Maani said she was not surprised by the increase in Asian numbers as the population in Auckland was becoming more culturally diverse.

"The most significant point is it's important to have a look at the funding structure again and to have a look at the effect on student participation and student welfare."

The report says Pacific Island students borrow the most in student loans, followed by Maori, Pakeha and then Asian students.

Large student debts mean students' ability to borrow for homes or businesses is limited, creating "potentially greater brain-drain" and future loan eligibility problems.

Part-time work is no longer a viable method for funding university study and the student allowance scheme does not reflect the higher cost of living in larger cities such as Auckland, the report says.

It also notes that there has been an increase in the number of students seeking counselling and attending motivation and time-management courses.

Dame Anne said the outcome of the student loan scheme was predictable, based on international literature, but New Zealand continued to plan tertiary education without looking overseas.

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