With universities across Australia facing significant competition with the introduction this year of a new demand driven higher education market, the University of New England has not only held on to its current enrolment figures but has increased student enrolments across the board, including internal, external, distance education and overseas enrolments, said UNE Chancellor Richard Torbay, at a press conference held last Friday.
“A more than 10 per cent equivalent full time student load increase is welcome news and one that puts UNE at the top of many universities in the deregulated higher education environment,” Mr Torbay said.
“Full credit must go to the Vice Chancellor and the university community that have worked very hard for almost three years getting ready for this.
“And I have to say that the partnerships that we have embarked upon have been successful and aggressive in the context of the new environment.”
The Chancellor went on to discuss UNE’s $38 million capital investment programme that has seen part of these funds used in the college redevelopment which will improve the on-campus experience.
“Our iconic colleges at UNE are being met with renewed interest, recording the highest number of new students in residence for the past decade,” Mr Torbay said.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jim Barber, said that UNE’s specialist fields of research had been given a boost, with the University’s research income having steadily improved since 2008.
Last year, UNE received more than $32 million for research projects, with much of the research carrying over into 2012.
“UNE also entered 2012 with an improved financial position, after recording a profit in excess of $10 million for 2011,” Professor Barber said.
“This is an encouraging result compared to previous years when we have posted operational losses.”
The Vice-Chancellor further outlined the marketing strategy that he believes has significantly contributed to the healthy position that UNE finds itself in for 2012.
“We have shifted our marketing spend away from traditional media, like print, TV and radio,” Professor Barber said.
“We still have some of that, but we have to remember that 80 per cent of our students are online so we have really gone aggressively after the online marketing strategies.
“What we are finding though, for our on-campus students, is that we get on the road and send people to the schools.
“So the combination of the direct approach in schools and really cranking up the digital is in a nut shell our marketing strategy.”
Story: Jo Harrison
