Police are investigating the theft of a brief case containing private information on almost 500 research staff from tertiary institutions, including more than 140 staff from the University of Otago.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) confirmed the briefcase, which contained evidence portfolios submitted by academic staff as part of the Performance-based Research Fund (PBRF) health round, was taken from a coffee shop on the AUT University campus in Auckland on Wednesday.
The briefcase also contained information about 24 Otago Polytechnic staff.
"TEC is treating this matter very seriously and every effort is being made to recover the briefcase and its contents.
"We understand the sensitivity of this information for the academic staff concerned and regret that this has happened," TEC deputy chief executive Dr Colin Webb said.