UNIVERSITY ENTRY

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 12

UNIVERSITY ENTRY

Limit “Against

Current”

“If New Zealand were to embark on rigorous restriction of entry to the universities, it would be swimming against the current in the rest of the Commonwealth, excepting Britain,” said the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury (Professor N. C. Phillips) on his return last evening from the Commonwealth universities’ congress in Sydney. This trend arose from the greater numbers seeking university education and the desire of most countries to provide it, he said. Considering the diversity of the Commonwealth, including new nations, it was surprising how many problems were similar.

Professor Phillips said that growth of numbers was a pressing problem everywhere and many were considering some sort of collegiate organisation to combat the impersonality of large institutions.

Such colleges could perform a sociological function rather than the tutorial role of, say, Oxford and Cambridge; but they could help to create true universities.

“Many delegates shared my view that indefinite expansion of a single students’ union has to be watched," said Professor Phillips. “When too large, it cannot provide the personal interaction which is so desirable.”