Institutes don’t want “failure” label
Tertiary leaders are voicing concerns over data which will compare the performances of different tertiary institutions.
Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) tables will measure how many students are finishing their courses and gaining a qualification.
Tertiary Education Union (TEU) national president Dr Tom Ryan says tables are misleading.
“They will rank tertiary education institutions against each other even though they may have completely different types of students and teach different kinds of courses and programmes."
"They are inaccurate because institutions are not supposed to focus on competing against each other but rather to provide a comprehensive national tertiary education system with a range of opportunities for all learners."
"They are damaging and demoralising because institutions that are ranked poorly are likely to be unfairly branded as 'failing'. It can take institutions many years to throw off the tag of a 'failed institution'.”
“Such a negative reputation will make it much harder for an institution to improve its performance. Students do not want their institution named and shamed. Extensive overseas research and experience shows that league tables undermine education."
The tables will show statistics from individual courses, but it is the individual institutes’ total completion rates which are expected to be most widely publicised.
Qualifications at certificate level are often shown to have lower completion rates, meaning institutes which offer mostly degree courses will look better.
The tables will also omit information about the numbers of extra mural and part time students at different institutes, factors associated with low completion rates.
Chief Executive of the TEC Dr Roy Sharpe said it would be up to each institution to explain its circumstances, although the TEC would provide some individual information with the data.