The South Island is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island and sparsely populated Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south by the Foveaux Strait and Southern Ocean, and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres (58,084 sq mi), making it the world's 12th-largest island, constituting 56% of New Zealand's land area. At low altitudes, it has an oceanic climate. The major centres are Christchurch, with a metropolitan population of 521,881, and the smaller Dunedin. The economy relies on agriculture, fishing, tourism, and general manufacturing and services.
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of 415,100, and a metropolitan population of over half a million. It is located in the Canterbury Region, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains. It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay, and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula. The Avon River (Ōtākoro) winds through the centre of the city, with a large urban park along its banks. With the exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. Christchurch has a reputation for being an English city, with its architectural identity and nickname the 'Garden City' due to similarities with garden cities in England, but also has a historic Māori heritage. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall.
Unitec Institute of Technology is the largest institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand. 16,844 students study programmes from certificate to postgraduate degree level across a range of subjects.
The Universal College of Learning (UCOL) is a New Zealand Government ITP with campuses located in Palmerston North, Whanganui, Masterton and Levin. Jasmine Groves is the institute's current Operational Lead.
The Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), formerly the Christchurch Technical College, was an institute of technology in Christchurch, New Zealand. It merged with Aoraki Polytechnic and became Ara Institute of Canterbury in 2016.
Otago Polytechnic is a public New Zealand tertiary education institute, centred in Dunedin with additional campuses in Cromwell and Auckland. Otago Polytechnic provides career-focused education and training, offering a range of New Zealand accredited postgraduate qualifications, degrees, diplomas and certificates at levels 2–10. In November 2022, it became a business unit of the national mega polytechnic Te Pūkenga, ending its existence as an independent entity.
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand or Open Polytechnic is a government-owned tertiary education institution operating as the specialist national provider of open and distance learning (ODL). On 1 April 2020, The Open Polytechnic became a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga alongside the 15 other institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs).
NorthTec is a tertiary education provider in northern New Zealand, with its main campus in Raumanga, Whangārei. NorthTec provides programmes ranging from foundation, certificate, diploma and degree levels. The degrees are nationally monitored and so can lead to postgraduate study at universities and other organisations. NorthTec works closely with local and national industries.
Established in 1970, Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) (Māori: Te Whare Takiura o Manukau) is a Category One Institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand.
Aoraki Polytechnic was a public New Zealand tertiary education institution. Aoraki Polytechnic's main campus was based in central Timaru, South Canterbury, South Island. It also had campuses offering a variety of programmes in Ashburton, Oamaru, Christchurch and Dunedin. In March 2016, Aoraki Polytechnic merged with the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology to form Ara Institute of Canterbury.
The Waikato Institute of Technology, also known as Wintec, is an institute of technology based in New Zealand's Waikato region. Wintec offers over 130 degrees, diplomas and certificates. Wintec specialises in applied tertiary training for nurses, social workers, midwives, graphic designers, performing artists, engineers, trades people, early childhood teachers, horticulturists, arborists and sport scientists. Programmes range from Level 1 to Level 9.
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology is a New Zealand tertiary education institute with campuses in Rotorua, Tauranga, and other towns in the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato regions. It was formed in May 2016 after the amalgamation of Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology. Toi Ohomai is the third largest of the 16 ITPs in New Zealand.
Whitireia New Zealand, previously called Whitireia Community Polytechnic and Parumoana Community College is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, a government-owned and funded vocational education provider in New Zealand. Whitireia was established as an independent tertiary education institute in 1986 on the shores of Porirua Harbour. Since 2015 it has shared its leadership council and chief executive with WelTec. In 2020 it became a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga following a merger with 15 other New Zealand tertiary education institutes. As of 2022, Whitireia and WelTec share 7,700 students, with campuses in Wellington, Petone and Porirua.
The Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) is a government owned tertiary education institution with three campuses: Hawke’s Bay, Auckland, and Gisborne, New Zealand. It is also referred to as EIT Hawke's Bay, EIT Tairāwhiti, and EIT Auckland. EIT serves as the main regional higher education centre for the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne regions.
Deon William Swiggs is a New Zealand politician serving as the Environment Canterbury Councillor representing the Christchurch West/Ōpuna Regional Constituency. He previously served as the Christchurch City Councillor representing the Central ward from 2016 to 2019. Prior to Swiggs being elected, he was most well known for his participation in Rebuild Christchurch, an organisation founded after the 2010 Canterbury earthquake.
Tertiary education in New Zealand is provided by universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, private training establishments, industry training organisations, and wānanga. It ranges from informal non-assessed community courses in schools through to undergraduate degrees and research-based postgraduate degrees. All post-compulsory education is regulated within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, a unified system of national qualifications for schools, vocational education and training, and 'higher' education. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is responsible for quality assuring all courses and tertiary education organisations other than universities. Under the Education Act 1989, The Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) and the Academic Quality Agency (AQA) have delegated authority for quality assurance of university education. The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is responsible for administering the funding of tertiary education, primarily through negotiated investment plans with each funded organisation.
Hana Merenea O'Regan is a Māori language advocate and academic in New Zealand. She is a member of the Ngāi Tahu iwi (tribe).
Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology is the largest vocational education provider in New Zealand. In February 2019, the Government announced that the country's sixteen Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) would merge to form the new organisation; the merger was effective on 1 April 2020. In addition to the polytechnics, Te Pūkenga also took over responsibility for industry training and apprenticeship training from nine industry training organisations (ITOs). Te Pūkenga's head office is located in Hamilton and with Peter Winder serving as acting chief executive.
