Improving Access and Success

1. Improving Access and Success Trudie McNaughton Pro Vice-Chancellor, Equal Opportunities The University of Auckland Forum on Higher Education and Social Inclusion Melbourne 16 July 2008

2. Equity and Excellence at The University of Auckland • Equity non-negotiable in NZ context • Formal recognition of special relationship with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi • Statutory obligations • University’s own commitments to equitable student access and success • Public expectations, national identity

3. The University of Auckland Commitment • Providing equal opportunities to all who have the potential to succeed in a university of high international standing (Strategic Plan 2005-2012) • Tertiary Education Commission approved Investment Profile • University Charter • Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce Report

4. New Zealand Policy Context • Strong focus on economic transformation, productivity and labour market participation • Skills Strategy – limited focus on “higher skills” • Tertiary policy - Tertiary Education Strategy

5. New Zealand Policy Context ctd • Schools Plus policy under development– limited focus on universities compared with other tertiaries • Ka Hikitia; Managing for Success, Māori Education Strategy

6. Goals of Ka Hikitia: Managing for Success, Māori Education Strategy include • Increase Māori school leavers qualified to attend university from 14.8% in 2006 to 30% by 2012. • Increase the first year degree programme retention rate for 18–19 year-old Māori students from 81% in 2006 (based on the 2005 cohort) to 88% in 2012 (based on the 2011 cohort).

7. UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce Context • Strategic Plan – increase student numbers by average 1% pa, shift student profile so postgraduate students move from 18% to 22% of total • TEC funding only for agreed number of students • Tertiary policy of differentiated tertiary sector • UoA limited entry for undergraduates from 2009

8. UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce Context ctd • Māori and Pacific school students disproportionately concentrated in low decile schools and leave school with lower levels of achievement than peers • UoA admits a high proportion of Māori and Pacific students who gain University Entrance.

9. UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce • Commitment to equity and excellence • International benchmarking to establish principles for admissions system • Admission on achievement AND potential

10. Ambitious goals for Māori and Pacific student admissions • Two stages: • Match the proportion of Māoriand Pacific school leavers admitted with proportion of such students in Auckland and Northland gaining University Entrance (retaining current special admissions student numbers) • Match the proportion of enrolled Māoriand Pacific students with proportion of Māoriand Pacific people over 15 in University’s regional population within five years

11. UoA response to challenge of educational inequities • Senior positions Pro V-C Māori Pro V-C EO, and specialist resources eg in EO Office • EEO initiatives to increase staff diversity • Teaching and learning to meet diverse student needs • Enhance data on students with disabilities and low SES students participation, retention and achievement • Research eg Starpath Project • Knowledge transfer eg policy makers, education sectors • Develop Māori and Pacific student recruitment strategy and admission processes in an inclusive manner, with case management approach to equity groups

12. UoA response to challenge of educational inequities • Scholarships • Retention and enhancement of learning and other support structures • Admissions system to include single ranking system to measure academic achievement and other factors such as interviews, portfolios, differential rank scores, targeted admissions schemes

13. UoA response to challenge of educational inequities • Publish indicative rank scores annually • Students admitted with low rank scores be required to participate in learning support programmes and their performance monitored

14. UoA response to challenge of educational inequities • Foundation programmes; guarantee those who complete successfully a UoA place • Work with other tertiaries on pathways from foundation and diploma programmes to degree study at UoA • Targeted admissions schemes to assist in meeting goals for under-represented groups • Monitoring implications of limited entry, including changes to unsatisfactory progress regulations

15. E koe koe te tui, e ketekete te kaka, e kuku te kereru. The tui sings, the kaka chatters and the pigeon coos. A reflection of the richness diversity brings. (Whakatauki - Māori proverb).