Universities want cash report now

By STUART DYE education reporter

The Tertiary Education Commission is under increasing pressure to publish a report which decides how much Government money universities get.

The commission is refusing to release the report until a High Court judge decides whether an appendix comparing New Zealand and British universities is legal.

But some tertiary institutions say that should not prevent the rest of the report being published.

Richard Bedford, vice-chancellor of Waikato University, said it was time to "get the information out there".

Regardless of whether the comparison was allowed finally or not, the report could easily proceed, he said.

The two universities behind the court action - Auckland and Victoria - also say the rest of the report should be released.

"We would definitely like to see the results out now - there's no reason a small appendix should delay the rest of it," said a spokesman from Auckland.

Professor Judith Kinnear, vice-chancellor of Massey University, is keen to see the results as soon as possible.

"This will allow us to continue to build on our areas of research strength and to provide the best possible environment to train New Zealand's future star researchers."

But the commission said it would be "extraordinary" to publish anything ahead of the legal decision.

"That was the whole base of our argument - that the comparison is an integral part of the report," said commission chairman Dr Andrew West.

The report - Performance-Based Research Fund - has been delayed because of the legal fight for a ban on the international comparison, which Victoria and Auckland call "flawed and unfair".

Justice Hugh Williams reserved his decision on the international comparison at a hearing in the High Court at Auckland on Tuesday, leaving thousands of university staff facing a nervous wait for the results.

They will receive an individual grade from A (excellent) to R (research inactive).

The results will determine how much money each institution receives.