To commemorate the scheme’s 25th birthday, SIT held a celebration at Hansen Hall last Thursday, inviting community and business leaders, staff and students to celebrate the milestone together with guest speaker and scheme instigator, Minister for Tertiary Education and MP for Invercargill, Hon Penny Simmonds.
SIT has been swimming against the tide in the tertiary education space for a quarter of a century with the Zero Fees Scheme, which began under Ms Simmond’s leadership as the “very new” CEO of SIT in 2000. She recalled the scheme’s genesis was through her attendance at a three-week leadership course at Macquarie University (Sydney) and coming home with the idea of SIT students completing their study without being charged tuition fees.
After months of considerable debate and guidance from Invercargill’s business leaders, the new concept was given the green light and SIT presented it to southern funders and businesses. The community was invited to partner with SIT to raise the funds needed and they responded generously, supporting it to the tune of $7.25 million over three years to get the scheme started in 2001.
Ms Simmonds shared with the audience, “There was a moment of reflection after the decision had been made to go ahead, when Mayor Tim and I looked at each other, and said, imagine if we make it zero fees and still no one wants to come here, it's going to be really embarrassing!”
However, SIT’s Zero Fees Scheme was a winner and the rest is history; it increased SIT student numbers by 46% the first year and 29% in the second year. By 2004, SIT’s Zero Fees Scheme was self-sustaining, and since then it has provided an estimated 420,000 New Zealanders the opportunity to gain a debt-free education.
“It was an exciting time; I don't think I'll ever have anything as dramatic in my life as that…” Ms Simmonds said.
SIT’s current CEO, Bharat Guha, was there at the formation of the Zero Fees Scheme as the institute’s Chief Financial Officer and shares that SIT is currently working towards ensuring the Zero Fees Scheme is a permanent feature of SIT. “Our goal is to ensure SIT Zero Fees remains for the next 25 years and that Southland has full access to it; that’s what we’re here for,” he says. Through increasing international student numbers, more industry engagement and research funding, Mr Guha expects the scheme to remain, in keeping with the institute’s long-term goals. He concluded the event with an acknowledgment of all people who had made it all possible. “To our council, staff, students, industry partners and members of the community, thank you for making SIT such a special place. We are committed to the region, and we are committed to growing the region.”