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The Ministry of Education has released data on tertiary education enrolments in 2009. A set of updated statistical tables are available, accompanied by a short report on enrolment trends.
Tertiary education enrolments - 2009
The tertiary education enrolment data for 2009 shows that more New Zealanders are studying at higher levels and there has been a strong upward movement in international student numbers.
- In 2009, there were 467,000 students enrolled in formal tertiary study 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.
A report on trends in enrolments, covering choice of provider, qualifications taken, and other important characteristics of people undertaking tertiary education study, is available on EducationCounts tertiary publications.
The updated statistics are available on EducationCounts tertiary statistics.
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