A NEW DEGREE?

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17941, 8 December 1923, Page 17

A NEW DEGREE?

MOTION BY TECHNICAL COLLEGE BOARD. The question of establishing a new degree in the University of New Zealand was the subject of a brief discussion at the meeting of the Technical College Board of Governors last evening. The discussion arose out of the following clause in the report of the chairman (Mr C. H. Opie): —

"One of the marked tendencies in higher education for some years past has been towards the inclusion of a wider range of subjects in the list of those regarded as having educational value. The few subjects that comprised the curriculum of many secondary schools have been added to extensively in almost all cases both in Britain and in other parts of the Empire. In the Universities greater attention has been given to the importance of the study of commerce, architecture, engineering, and agriculture, and it would be to the credit of the New.Zealand University if provision could be made for- the introduction of a degre3 requiring high mechanical skill, as well as wide knowledge of at least one of the crafts. Persons qualifying for such a degree would require for entrance to the University a matrices tion examination with a wider range of subjects, but the innovation would have the advantage of encouraging and helping some of the best brains in the country that at present are' not receiving sufficient recognition."

The chairman said that they practically asking for a new degree requiring a high standard of mechanical skill. He moved that the Minister of Education be asked to take steps for the establishment of such a degree. The motion was carried unanimously.