13 July 2023
By email:
[FYI request #23149 email]
Kia ora Alex
I refer to your information request dated 15 June 2023 made under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act). You have requested:
“The article below outlines that a further 50 students wil be allocated across the two medical
schools in Dunedin and Auckland.
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.odt.co.nz%2Fnew
s%2Fdunedin%2Fdoctor-training-boost-otago-medical-
school&data=05%7C01%7Coia%40otago.ac.nz%7Caf672ba66ffe45e4d5e808db6d723ae0%7C0
225efc578fe4928b1579ef24809e9ba%7C0%7C0%7C638224109610765602%7CUnknown%7CT
WFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%
7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OqEMK5kpiT0oTp7O9BoEsSuJ19DUR1o2IzB4oGxCGTs%3D&reser
ved=0
Though I understand, this is very recent, I would like to request any email transcripts, letters, or
communications that the University of Otago has received in regard to this.
Furthermore, I would like to request, if known, the increase in the number of students that wil
be allocated for the University of Otago, and how this wil be decided, for example, more
students in ELM2 for 2024 and whether it wil be through general pathways/not general,
HSFY/graduate/alternative.”
Please find below our response to your requests.
1.
I would like to request any email transcripts, letters, or communications that the University
of Otago has received in regard to [Doctor training boost for Otago Medical School].
In processing your request, we have consulted with staff whom we consider are most likely to
hold the information requested. Specifically, we have consulted with the Vice Chancellor,
Director of Strategy, Analytics and Reporting, and the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences).
We note that the University of Otago has not yet had any formal communication about the
increase in medical places with the Tertiary Education Commission (T
EC). However, there has
been some informal correspondence between the University and the TEC by way of email.
The relevant documentation is
attached and includes:
•
Email dated 15 June 2023 received by the Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Otago,
sent from the Deputy Chief Executive, Delivery Directorate, Tertiary Education
Commission.
•
Email dated 19 June 2023 sent to the Vice Chancellor, University of Auckland, by the
Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Otago.
•
Email dated 20 June 2023 received by the Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Otago,
sent from the Vice Chancellor, University of Auckland.
Some information contained within the attached documents has been redacted:
• Because it is outside the scope of your request.
• Under 9(2)(g)(i) on the basis that this is necessary to maintain the effective conduct of
public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions between staff from
the University of Otago and University of Auckland. It is important that the
Universities be able to freely express their opinions in an outspoken, sincere and
honest manner in relation to important issues that affect them. The correspondence
we have redacted contains opinion material, which was conveyed informally, in the
context of a live issue. We consider that disclosure of this information would impact
on the effective conduct of public affairs, as it would discourage future disclosure,
thereby preventing University staff from getting the information and advice they
need to do their jobs and make good decisions.
2.
Furthermore, I would like to request, if known, the increase in the number of students that
will be al ocated for the University of Otago, and how this wil be decided, for example,
more students in ELM2 for 2024 and whether it wil be through general pathways/not
general, HSFY/graduate/alternative.
The fifty additional medical school places announced by the Minister of Health on 15 June
2023 are for entry into ELM2 (i.e. the first year of admission into the Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)). No decision has yet been made about how the extra places will
be al ocated through the various entry pathways (category or sub-category). The process of
deciding how places wil be al ocated through the various pathways won’t be known until
there has been formal communication with the Tertiary Education Commission. We therefore
decline this part of your request under section 18(g) of the Act on the basis that we do not
hold the information requested and we have no grounds for believing that the information is
held by another organisation or is more closely connected with the functions of another
organisation.
I trust that this information will be helpful. In the above cases, we consider that good reasons exist
for withholding information, and this is not outweighed by other considerations which would make
it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information available.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your information request, section 28(3) of the Act
provides you with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review this response. However,
we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Ngā mihi
Jenny Shaw
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
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