Posted on 3 March 2020
Fee-paying students at one of New Zealand’s largest tertiary education organisations will have no increase in tuition costs next year.
National distance learning provider, Open Polytechnic, enrols over 31,000 students throughout New Zealand and will hold its 2016 tuition fees at this year’s level.
Council Chair Murray Bain says the decision reflects Open Polytechnic’s commitment to making high quality flexible learning as accessible as possible for New Zealanders.
“We deliver world-class distance learning with tuition fees below the tertiary sector average and our goal is to continually strengthen that position for the benefit of our learners and partners.
“The tertiary sector is under funding pressure but the CPI has only increased by 0.4 per cent in the year to June 2015, and Open Polytechnic’s overall financial performance means we can hold fees for our learners.”
Mr Bain said that Open Polytechnic was also making significant investment in technology and digital transformation to enhance the student experience and expand the services it offers to other organisations.
In July Open Polytechnic launched its new iQualify online learning platform and is transitioning its courses onto the new system.
iQualify is also being sold to other organisations as a commercial product, along with content and learning design services.
“The Open Polytechnic has been focused on removing barriers to higher education and delivering a motivating distance learning experience throughout its almost 70 year history,” says Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Caroline Seelig. “Holding fee increases for fee-paying students in 2016 is another example of our commitment to helping lower financial barriers to study for our mainly adult learners.”
Open Polytechnic also offers fee-free courses in a number of subjects. In 2016 these courses will have the institution’s administration fee added to recoup processing costs for student enrolments in these courses.