Universities look at degree fast-tracking

Students will be able to fast-track their masters degrees if New Zealand universities agree to change the rigid structure of the system.

The New Zealand standard has always been that to achieve a masters degree, a student must have completed five years of study, and universities have rigidly stuck to that system.

But overseas, and particularly in Australia, flexible masters programmes, which take one year and can sometimes be entered after just three-years undergraduate study or professional experience, are attracting large numbers of students.

International students often find the shorter, more intensive programmes better fit their career-plan and budget.

Last year the committee on university academic programmes, which comes under the New Zealand Vice Chancellor's Committee, started to look at whether New Zealand should introduce more flexibility to its masters degrees in order to increase New Zealand's into lucrative international markets.

A consultation period ends on April 30.

Professor Raewyn Dalziel, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Auckland, said traditional research-focused masters degrees from New Zealand universities had always been very highly regarded, but it was important New Zealand remained competitive with other leading international universities - especially when faced with a global economic recession.

Professor Dalziel said the university would support offering flexibility in masters programmes but would not like to compromise their long-standing reputation.

"We have to preserve the core of the prestige masters degree and create some flexibility around it so that the students who want to have a masters degree for other purposes can have one," she said.

Professor Doug Sutton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Waikato University, said a shorter masters programme would not mean less work it would just vary the pace.

"There is no compromising on standards, there is no reduction in entry requirements."

But it would make it easier for students with undergraduate degrees from universities around the world to come to New Zealand and study as post-graduate students, and also for New Zealand students to undertake masters degrees.

"Some students don't want to come to university to linger, they want to get to work as soon as they can," he said.

Education New Zealand chief executive Robert Stevens confirmed international students were making a beeline for Australia, and other education export competitors Canada, the United States and Britain, because they were able to complete their masters programmes much quicker.

He said his organisation's research proved international students, especially those from booming markets such as India, would like shorter masters programmes.

The Government has highlighted education exports as the nation's fourth most important money generator behind agriculture, resources and tourism.

On Friday Mr Stevens spoke to Government representatives about the importance of flexibility around masters programmes to increasing revenue from education export.