Otago University medical school admissions policy to be challenged in court

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The way Otago University selects students for its medicine program is set to be challenged in court. University leaders have also confirmed for the first time that the legal challenge has implications for its Mirror on Society policy, which promotes giving priority to students from pathways such as Māori and Pasifika. The university will oppose the court action. The denials were issued amid discussions about whether the university should bring in caps on the number of students accepted through the minority pathways.

Vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne, pro vice chancellor Paul Brunton, Māori development director Tuari Potiki and Pacific development director Tasileta Teevale issued a joint statement. Part of the context of the recent discussions is a current court challenge to the university's regulations and processes for medical admissions. While the university rejects the criticism of its existing processes, the legal challenge has highlighted the importance of ensuring that all admission decisions including those through Mirror on Society pathways are transparent and legally robust. It has recently become clear that the challenge will argue that the university's ability to admit students through Mirror on Society pathways is limited by the proportions of relevant groups in society as a whole. The intention of the discussion document was to allow us to pause and take stock of where we are and how we will move forward.

It is understood the university will be challenged about choosing to accept more students through the affirmative pathways than their proportion of the population. University representatives previously said the legal action did not relate to the Mirror on Society policy or equity pathways, which no longer seems to be the case.