(NB: When I refer to UTAS in my writings I am referring only to the management clique who make the big decisions for the University, not to UTAS staff generally, who continue to do a great job).
Introduction
The following tables and graphs on student commencements at UTAS in the period 2013 to the end of 2022 are entirely derived from data collected and published by the Commonwealth Department of Education.
- The terms used are explained in detail in Appendix 1.
While there are undoubtedly all sorts of complexities beneath the data presented here, including the impacts of COVID, major trends are clear.
First, there was a significant decline in the percentage of Tasmanian students who enrolled at UTAS in the period 2013 to the end of 2022.
In other words, Tasmanians are increasingly choosing to attend other universities either by moving interstate or enrolling on-line at mainland universities.
This confirms anecdotal evidence, and looks like major failure on what should be the key performance indicator for UTAS – the extent to which Tasmanian university students choose to undertake their study at UTAS (this is vital to ensuring that high achievers are not lost to the State).
Second, the decline in the percentage of Tasmanian students enrolling at UTAS has coincided with a large increase in external (on-line) study.
UTAS cannot compete with other universities with its on-line offerings
It really needs to start playing to its greatest competitive strength – by offering face to face learning opportunities across all courses, and with a full range of student amenities at the uniquely located and beautiful Sandy Bay campus, to create an attractive and active student environment.
- UTAS should provide both face to face and on-line learning, so that mode of learning is a matter of choice for students, rather than – as frequently seems the case in regard to on-line learning – the only possible or practical option.
I note in this regard a comment by a reader of an earlier column:
“Online learning at reputable mainland Universities is a bigger threat to Utas than having its campus at Sandy Bay. Furthermore, universities like the USQ and CQU are leading the nation in their engagement of disadvantaged learners, and first in family to obtain a degree – the very problem Utas and its revolving door of Pro Vice Chancellors and strategic planners have specifically identified for about 15 years. CQU and USQ have led the nation once more, and I can confirm as a student of both Unis they are well populated with Tasmanians.” (My bolding).
Third, the College of Business and Economics is in a mess in the Hobart CBD. Enrolments have plummeted among domestic students and external study predominates. I also understand that notionally internal students work on-line when they can, due to the parking issues in the CBD.
None of the blame for this is on staff; rather the mess is entirely due to the VC’s obsession with moving the southern campus to the Hobart CBD.
The College needs to return to Sandy Bay, where it was thriving (pre-COVID) in facilities that were built for purpose in the Centenary Building in 2016.
The VC will fight tooth and nail to keep the College in the CBD as, along with his bogus $500 million STEM proposal, he seeks to use the College as a way to maintain/increase leverage for CBD relocation.
I will publish blog posts on the College of Business and Economics mess and the VC’s bogus $500 million STEM proposal soon, but here are some comments on the College provided to me by a Nepalese student:
“I was in the College of Business and Economics which was held in different campuses in the city
Each semester has 4 subjects and some of them were taught in different locations in the city area
We paid so much money and most of the classes were online and recorded lectures were given from 2020 for 2022 classes and the lecture materials were outdated
Most of my classes were in city and at different locations and some of the classes were only taught once a month and only few were every week
Uni provided limited study materials such as lecture slides or other journals
There was one subject and we are required to run the formula to a software to get answers and uni didn’t even pay for the subscription and asked the students to do this on our own, we had to because we would have failed the finals if we didn’t
Teachers were experienced and they were all good” [my bolding]
The Commonwealth Department of Education will publish student commencement data for 2023 in about September 2024, but UTAS would have data for 2023 and 2024 (year to date), where it is not reliant on other universities, now.
It is a matter of public interest and importance that UTAS publish that data immediately.
Tasmanian students increasingly choosing other universities ahead of UTAS
While not a smooth line, there has been a pronounced trend down in the percentage of commencing students with permanent residence in Tasmania (that is, Tasmanians) who commenced at UTAS in the period 2013-2022.
- The decline from 82.1% in 2013 to to 70.2% in 2022 meant nearly one in three Tasmanians chose another university ahead of UTAS in 2022.
Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests the trend is continuing.
Study at UTAS is increasingly external (on-line)
The decline in the percentage of Tasmanian students enrolling at UTAS coincided with a large increase in external (on-line) study.
- This is clear in the following table (and graph), as external study increased from 32.5% in 2013 to 70.6% in 2022.
- There was a (COVID) bump in 2020 when the figure reached a high of 73.7%, but after dropping to 65.8% in 2021 the figure increased again in 2022.
- Note that “domestic students” is a broader category than Tasmanians (see Appendix 1). However, Tasmanians are a large (albeit steadily declining) proportion of domestic students at UTAS.
The College of Business and Economics is in a mess
There was a very large – if uneven – decline in commencements by domestic students in Business and Economics between 2013 and 2022.
- The Commonwealth Department of Education publishes data for a number of broad fields of study, including Management and Commerce. I have taken this to equate to UTAS’ Business and Economics. To the extent it does not, I’m confident the trends presented here apply.
The decline in commencements by domestic students in Business and Economics largely coincided with an increase in external study and, latterly, with the move of students from purpose built accommodation in the Centenary Building at Sandy Bay, which opened as recently as March 2016, to rented accommodation in the Hobart CBD. The move will have impacted student data in 2021 and 2022.
Appendix 1: Terms Used
Higher education
This list from 2020 is most recent list of higher education institutions I have identified.
UTAS is the only listed higher education institution in Tasmania.
Commencing students
“Commencing students are persons who have enrolled for the first time in a particular course at a particular higher education institution during the reference period [ie the stated calendar year].” (Source here, Explanatory notes tab)
Domestic Student
“Domestic student is a student who is an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen, permanent humanitarian visa holder or other permanent visa holder.” (Source here, Explanatory notes tab)
Overseas students
“Overseas students include students who have temporary entry visas, or are diplomats or a dependent of a diplomat (except New Zealand) and reside in Australia during the unit of study, and non-domestic students residing outside Australia during the unit of study.” (Source here, Explanatory notes tab)
Mode of attendance
“Internal mode of attendance is where
- the study is undertaken through attendance at the higher education provider on a regular basis; or
- for higher degree unit enrolments, where regular attendance is not required, but the student attends the higher education provider on an agreed schedule for the purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
External mode of attendance is where lesson materials, assignments, etc. are delivered to the student, and any associated attendance at the institution is of an incidental, irregular, special or voluntary nature.
Multi-modal mode of attendance is where study is undertaken partially on an internal mode of attendance and partially on an external mode of attendance.” (my bolding)
(Source here)