EIT’s performance in 2018 was very strong.
EIT has released its Annual Report for 2018 today, highlighting a year of growth from one of New Zealand’s leading institutes of technology.
The report features strong educational performance with a 94 percent student programme satisfaction rate and an 84 percent course completion rate at Level 4 and above.
In 2018 EIT registered the highest number of students in its history with 4,794 equivalent full-time students (EFTS) and 10,325 individual students in total, 1000 more compared to 2017.
More domestic students than ever before chose to study where it suited them, including more online learning and studying in remote community locations and at regional learning centres. A new expanded regional learning centre in Hastings was opened in 2018 and has become an important place of delivery. A map in the report highlights the extensive off-campus delivery outreach EIT has within its communities, such as on farms and marae.
“EIT had another very strong and high performing year across multiple fronts, this, at a time when many institutions in the tertiary sector have been struggling,” says chief executive, Chris Collins. Despite the down turn in student numbers elsewhere, the student numbers at EIT have grown in both domestic (EFTS 4,122 up from 3,999) and international students numbers (EFTS 672 up from 519).
Alongside growth in student numbers, EIT is financially strong, with net assets of $ 152 million and no debt. Our campuses and regional learning centres compare favourably in the sector. Over the past five years government funding has fallen from 62 to 57 percent of revenue. Despite the size of this challenge EIT reported a net surplus once again, albeit small. Mr Collins noted that in 44 years EIT has never made a loss.
The report also documents EIT’s staff supporting priority learners such as Māori, Pasifika and under 25-year-olds, including NEET youth (not in education, employment, or training). Achievement for Māori students was strong and rates have hit new record levels. In 2018, half of EIT’s domestic equivalent full-time students were Māori, and in Tairāwhiti, 76 percent, one of the highest levels of Māori participation in the NZ tertiary education sector.
The report notes EIT’s strong collaboration with other New Zealand ITPs. Furthermore it provides an overview of the broad variety of applied research for industry which is carried out at EIT.
The report also covers EIT’s other strong links with local industry which ensured that once again students in 2018 were offered more work placements, internships and opportunities to learn “outside the classroom”. At the same time the active collaboration between EIT, business, community and industry helped in developing an array of new innovative programmes and pathways.
“It is the staff and network of community, business and industry support which makes EIT the success it is today,” says Mr Collins.