University of Auckland
The University of Auckland, established in 1883, is New Zealand's largest university, located in the vibrant city of Auckland. It comprises eight faculties, including Law, Arts, Science, Engineering, and Medical and Health Sciences, accommodating a diverse student population of over 46,000. The university transitioned from a primarily teaching institution to a research-oriented entity in the 1930s, expanding its academic offerings significantly over the decades, particularly in the arts and health sciences. The historically rich campus includes notable buildings like the Clock Tower and Old Government House.
The university is dedicated to supporting a multicultural student body, with significant numbers of Māori, Pasifika, and Asian students. It prides itself on fostering a nurturing environment, exemplified by programs aimed at enhancing the experiences of these communities. The institution has produced many distinguished alumni who have made significant contributions across various fields, including politics, arts, and sciences. Research facilities such as the Leigh Marine Laboratory and the Goldwater Vineyard enhance the educational experience, allowing students to engage in practical research and learning. The University of Auckland's commitment to quality education is reflected in its high ranking on both national and international scales.
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University of Auckland
Date founded: 1883
Colleges or faculties: Law; Arts; Science; Engineering; Business School; Education and Social Work;
Creative Arts and Industries; Medical and Health Sciences
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Type: Public
Size: 46,045 students (2023); 6,330 staff (2023)
The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s largest university. Located in the country’s most populous city, the university has an ethnically diverse student body studying a wide variety of subjects across its eight faculties. In addition to the campuses and institutes in and around Auckland, the university also has facilities further afield, including the Leigh Marine Laboratory near Warkworth and a winery on Waiheke Island that hosts the university's wine science courses.
History
The University of Auckland, originally Auckland University College, was founded in 1883 as a constituent of the University of New Zealand. The original campus consisted of a disused courthouse and jail. Four professors in natural science, mathematics, chemistry and classics were sourced from Oxford and Cambridge to form the teaching staff for the initial group of ninety-five students. The university was primarily a teaching institution until the 1930s when it branched into academic research.
The Elam School of Fine Arts was brought into the University of Auckland in the 1950s, leading to growth in the arts. When the University of New Zealand dissolved in 1961, Auckland University College was renamed the University of Auckland. The 1960s and 1970s saw expansions in the scope of the arts as well as the health sciences, with the opening of the School of Medicine Building at Grafton in 1970. There were a number of social changes during this time, including increases in the number of Māori and Pasifika students as well as female students and mature students. There was also a diversification in the staff. Marie Clay was appointed Head of the Department of Education and promoted to professor in 1975, the first female professor and first female departmental head at the university. The next female professor was Patricia Bergquist, a sponge taxonomist.
The 2000s saw the University of Auckland expand to new campuses. In 2001, the North Shore Campus was established in the suburb of Takapuna, although the campus was closed in 2006. In 2002, the Liggins Institute opened. The institute focuses on researching early life events that have long-term consequences. In 2004, the Faculty of Education was formed after a merger of the university’s school of education with the Auckland College of Education. In 2007, a new business school building was built, and in 2013, a site was bought in the suburb of Newmarket for the future expansion of the university. The schools of engineering and chemical science moved into the new faciliities there two years later.
Impact
The University of Auckland has provided a foundation for many notable alumni. Distinguished alumni can be found making outstanding contributions to the fields of academia, arts, music, business, film and television, politics and law, and science and technology. The founding chief executive of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Dame Cheryll Beatrice Sotheran, completed a Master of Arts degree at the University of Auckland before beginning her career. Sir John Hood, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford from 2004 to 2009, completed a PhD in Civil Engineering in 1976 at the University of Auckland. Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, mayor of Auckland City from 1983 to 1990 and sixteenth governor-general from 1990 to 1996 has a degree in Zoology from the university. She was the first female mayor of Auckland and the first female governor-general. Helen Clark, the thirty-seventh prime minister of New Zealand and New Zealand's fifth-longest-serving prime minister, majored in politics at the University of Auckland, graduated with an MA (Honours) in 1974. Several university alumni have gone on to become national and international champions in a variety of sport. Among these is Eliza McCartney, an Olympic medallist in track and field.
According to the QS World University Rankings (considered an official measure of university ranking), the university was ranked number one in New Zealand and sixty-fifth internationally out of more than 1,500 institutions assessed in 2024. The high-quality education provided by the university is accessed by a diverse student body. According to the 2023 Annual Report, top student ethnicities were Asian (22,532), European (14,191), Pasifika (3,834), and Māori (3,095). The number of Asian students overtook the number of European students in 2016. The university prides itself on providing exemplary support to all its students, specifically Māori and Pasifika students. The university has many Māori and Pasifika alumni who are now political leaders, including Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi (a Samoan politician and prime minister of Samoa since 1998), Taufa Vakatale (Fiji's first female deputy prime minister), and Nanaia Mahuta (a Māori member of parliament).
Besides the city campuses, the University of Auckland also teaches and conducts research out of a number of other facilities. Among these are the Leigh Marine Laboratory and the historic Goldwater Vineyard. The Leigh Marine Laboratory hosts research and postgraduate teaching at the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve, about 100 km north of the city of Auckland. The Leigh Marine Laboratory is involved in a variety of activities from charting the decline of crayfish numbers to supporting community education on science and marine topics through the Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre. The Goldwater Vineyard was gifted to the university in 2011 by Kim and Jeanette Goldwater. The 14-hectare winery is the oldest vineyard on Waiheke. The vineyard allows full immersion for students attending the university’s courses in wine science. Students are able to produce their own wine, intern for the commercial operation, and conduct research related to the grapes and the cultivation techniques.
Bibliography
Edwards, Brian. Helen: Portrait of a Prime Minister. University of Michigan, 2001.
Husband, Dale. “Nanaia Mahuta: No Silver Spoon.” E-Tangata, 28 Oct. 2014, e-tangata.co.nz/korero/no-silver-spoon/. Accessed 11 June 2024.
"Kei tua te pae: Beyond the Horizon." University of Auckland, 2023, www.auckland.ac.nz/assets/about-us/the-university/official-publications/annual-report/2023-annual-report-uoa-web2.pdf. Accessed 11 June 2024.
“QS World University Rankings 2025: Top Global Universities.” Quacquarelli Symonds, 4 June 2024, www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings?page=4. Accessed 11 June 2024.
“University of Auckland.” Te Pokai Tara Universities New Zealand, 2024. www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/universities/university-auckland. Accessed 11 June 2024.
Vance, Andrea. “Dwindling Crayfish Numbers Sparks Call for Fishing Ban.” Stuff, 16 Dec. 2018, i.stuff.co.nz/environment/109355321/dwindling-crayfish-numbers-sparks-call-for-fishing-ban. Accessed 11 June 2024.