This is a list of the universities in New Zealand, of which there are eight. As of 2024, all universities are public. All of the universities, with the exception of AUT, are descended from the former University of New Zealand, a collegiate university that existed from 1870 to 1961. In 2021, universities provided tertiary education to over 182,900 students or 142,720 equivalent full-time students (EFTS). [1]
Arms | University | Main campus | Established | University status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland University of Technology | Auckland | 1895 | 2000 | |
Lincoln University | Lincoln | 1878 | 1990 | |
Massey University | Palmerston North | 1928 | 1963 | |
University of Auckland | Auckland | 1883 | 1883 | |
University of Canterbury | Christchurch | 1873 | 1873 | |
University of Otago | Dunedin | 1869 | 1869 | |
University of Waikato | Hamilton | 1964 | 1964 | |
Victoria University of Wellington | Wellington | 1897 | 1897 |
Name | Main campus | Established | Student headcount (2024) | Equivalent full-time students (2024) | Staff (FTE, 2013) [2] | Government funding ($ millions, 2013) [3] | Funding (NZD) per student | Students per staff member |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland University of Technology | Auckland | 2000 i | 25,270 [4] | 18,565 [4] | 2,143 | 150 | 7,963 | 8.8 |
Lincoln University | Lincoln | 1878 | 4,220 [5] | 3,070 [5] | 610 | 41 | 12,662 | 5.3 |
Massey University | Palmerston North | 1927 | 26,505 [6] | 16,250 [6] | 2,994 | 185 | 9,849 | 6.4 |
University of Auckland | Auckland | 1883 | 45,755 [7] | 35,295 [7] | 4,909 | 389 | 11,819 | 6.7 |
University of Canterbury | Christchurch | 1873 | 20,825 [8] | 16,975 [8] | 1,907 | 152 | 12,739 | 6.3 |
University of Otago | Dunedin | 1869 | 21,315 [9] | 18,564 [9] | 3,838 | 271 | 14,731 | 4.9 |
University of Waikato | Hamilton | 1964 | 14,065 [10] | 10,485 [10] | 1,520 | 102 | 10,257 | 6.6 |
Victoria University of Wellington | Wellington | 1897 | 20,605 [11] | 15,875 [11] | 1,886 | 159 | 9,501 | 9.1 |
Total | 135,079 | 19,807 | 1,449 | — | — | |||
Average | 16,885 | 2,475 | 181 | 11,190 | 6.7 |
The top-level divisions (faculties, colleges) of each university can vary widely from university to university. While all universities have faculties of science, for instance, fewer have faculties of education. The table below summarises the faculties and colleges of every university in New Zealand: [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [ excessive citations ]
Subject area | University of Otago | University of Canterbury | Lincoln University | Victoria University (Wellington) | Massey University | University of Waikato | AUT | University of Auckland |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arts | Division of Humanities | College of Arts | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences | College of Humanities and Social Sciences | Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao – Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies | Faculty of Culture and Society Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development | Faculty of Arts | |
Sciences | Division of Sciences | College of Science | Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty of Environment, Society, and Design | Faculty of Science | College of Sciences | Division of Health, Engineering, Computing and Science | Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences | Faculty of Science |
Business | Otago Business School (Division of Commerce) | UC Business School | Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce | Victoria Business School | Massey Business School | Waikato Management School | Faculty of Business, Economics and Law | University of Auckland Business School |
Health Sciences | Division of Health Sciences | Faculty of Health | Faculty of Health | College of Health | Division of Health, Engineering, Computing and Science | Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences | Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences | |
Medicine | Otago Medical School Faculty of Dentistry | School of Medicine | ||||||
Engineering | College of Engineering | Faculty of Engineering | College of Sciences | Division of Health, Engineering, Computing and Science | Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies | Faculty of Engineering | ||
Law | Faculty of Law | Faculty of Law | Faculty of Law | Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences | Faculty of Business, Economics and Law | Auckland Law School | ||
Fine Arts, Architecture | Ilam School of Fine Arts | School of Landscape Architecture | Faculty of Architecture and Design | College of Creative Arts | Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies | Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries | ||
Education | College of Education | Faculty of Education | Faculty of Education | Institute of Education | Division of Education | Faculty of Culture and Society | Faculty of Education and Social Work |
These three ranking systems are regarded as the most influential and widely observed international university rankings. [20] [21] [22]
According to QS World University Rankings: [23]
Institution | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Auckland | 65 | 61 | 68 | 82 | 83 | 94 | 92 | 82 | 81 | 82 | 85 | 83 | 81 | 85 | 87 | 68 |
University of Otago | 124 | 125 | 135 | 130 | 133 | 155 | 159 | 173 | 169 | 151 | 175 | 176 | 184 | 194 | 217 | 206 |
Massey University | 283 | 299 | 302 | 329 | 308 | 343 | 346 | 337 | 340 | 316 | 332 | 287 | 272 | 284 | 292 | 239 |
Victoria University of Wellington | 227 | 229 | 225 | 237 | 237 | 265 | 275 | 229 | 228 | 219 | 221 | 215 | 223 | 236 | 275 | 241 |
University of Waikato | 378 | 314 | 316 | 357 | 374 | 401–410 | 401–410 | 338 | 324 | 292 | 274 | 266 | 375 | 373 | 331 | 250 |
University of Canterbury | 186 | 188 | 189 | 212 | 221 | 238 | 242 | 211 | 214 | 214 | 231 | 227 | 270 | 258 | 284 | 256 |
Lincoln University | — | — | — | — | — | 481–490 | 411–420 | 373 | 343 | 319 | 317 | 356 | 387 | 372 | 368 | 362 |
Auckland University of Technology | — | — | — | — | 451–500 | 471–480 | 501–550 | 481-490 | 441-450 | 441-450 | 464 | 442 | 437 | 451 | 486 | 407 |
According to THE World University Rankings: [24]
Institution | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Auckland | 145 | 173 | 161 | 164 | 175 | 172 | 165 | 192 | 201-250 | 179 | 147 | 137 | 139 |
University of Otago | — | 201–225 | 226–250 | 226–250 | 251-275 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 201-250 | 301-350 |
Victoria University of Wellington | — | 251–275 | 251–275 | 276–300 | 276-300 | 351-400 | 351-400 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 401-500 |
University of Canterbury | — | 301–350 | 301–350 | 301–350 | 301-350 | 401-500 | 351-400 | 351-400 | 301-350 | 301-350 | 401-500 | 501-600 | 601-800 |
University of Waikato | — | 301–350 | 301–350 | 301–350 | 351-400 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 351-400 | 401-500 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 401-500 | 401-500 |
Massey University | — | 350–400 | 351–400 | — | — | 501-600 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 601-800 | 601-800 | 601-800 |
Auckland University of Technology | — | — | — | — | — | 601-800 | 501-600 | 401-500 | 301-350 | 251-300 | 251-300 | 201-250 | 251-300 |
Lincoln University | — | — | — | — | — | — | 401-500 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 501-600 | 601-800 | 501-600 | 401-500 |
According to Academic Ranking of World Universities: [25]
Institution | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Auckland | 201–250 | 202–301 | 203–300 | 201–300 | 203–304 | 201–302 | 201–302 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 151–200 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 201-300 | 151-200 | 201-300 | 201-300 | 201-300 | 201-300 | 201-300 | 201-300 |
University of Otago | 351–400 | 202–301 | 301–400 | 201–300 | 305–402 | 201–302 | 201–302 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 201–300 | 201-300 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 |
Victoria University of Wellington | — | — | 401–500 | 401–500 | 403–510 | 402–503 | 402–501 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | — | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 301-400 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 401-500 |
University of Canterbury | — | — | 401–500 | 401–500 | 403–510 | 402–503 | 402–501 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | — | 301-400 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 401-500 | 401-500 |
Massey University | 351–400 | 404–502 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 305–402 | 303–401 | 402–501 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | 401–500 | — | — | — | 501-600 | 501-600 | 601-700 | 601-700 | 701-800 | 601-700 |
Lincoln University | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 601-700 | 701-800 | 801-900 | 801-900 | 701-800 | 701-800 |
The University of Waikato | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 601-700 | 701-800 | 701-800 | 701-800 | 701-800 | 701-800 |
Auckland University of Technology | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 901-1000 | 701-800 | 901-1000 | 701-800 | 701-800 |
Institution | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland University of Technology | $2.0 [26] | $2.1 [27] | $2.4 [28] | $2.4 [29] |
Lincoln University | $0.47 [30] | $0.71 [31] | $0.97 [32] | |
Massey University | $48 [33] | $55 [34] | $56 [35] | $56 [36] |
University of Auckland | $223 [37] | $251 [38] | $293 [39] | $269 [40] |
University of Canterbury | $137 [41] | $142 [42] | ||
University of Otago | $242 [43] | $258 [44] | $280 [45] | $261 [46] |
University of Waikato | $5.3 [47] | $8.8 [48] | $14 [49] | $13 [50] |
Victoria University of Wellington | $70 [51] | $74 [52] | $84 [53] | $75 [54] |
Victoria University of Wellington is a public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand.
Massey University is a university based in New Zealand, with significant campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Massey University has approximately 27,533 students, 18,358 of whom study either partly or fully by distance. Research is undertaken on all three campuses and people from over 130 countries study at the university. Data from the 2017 annual report shows that 42% of the domestic students are based in Auckland, 38% in Palmerston North and 20% in Wellington.
The University of Otago is a public research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in Oceania.
The University of Waikato, established in 1964, is a public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in numerous disciplines such as education, social sciences, and management and is an innovator in environmental science, marine and freshwater ecology, engineering and computer science. It offers degrees in health, engineering, computer science, management, Māori and Indigenous Studies, the arts, psychology, social sciences and education.
Auckland University of Technology is a university in New Zealand, formed on 1 January 2000 when a former technical college was granted university status. AUT is New Zealand's third largest university in terms of total student enrolment, with approximately 29,100 students enrolled across three campuses in Auckland. It has five faculties, and an additional two specialist locations: AUT Millennium and AUT Centre for Refugee Education.
The University of Auckland is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially located in a repurposed courthouse, the university has grown substantially over the years. As of 2024, it stands as the largest university in New Zealand by enrolment, teaching approximately 43,000 students across three major campuses in central Auckland.
The New Zealand University Games is a multi-sport competition held annually in each March / April between teams fielded from a large number of New Zealand Universities and tertiary institutions. It was formerly known as the Easter Tournament.
Sir David John Moxon is a New Zealand Anglican bishop. He was until June 2017, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Representative to the Holy See and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome. He was previously the Bishop of Waikato in the Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki, the archbishop of the New Zealand dioceses and one of the three primates of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. In the 2014 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Anglican Church and was made Knight of the Order of St John in the 2024 Special Honours.
Dame Farah Rangikoepa Palmer is a professor at Massey University and a former captain of New Zealand's women's rugby union team, the Black Ferns.
The New Zealand Tertiary Education Union is the main trade union in the New Zealand tertiary education sector, with over 10,000 members employed within the sector across New Zealand. Its membership includes academics, researchers, teachers and workers employed in all occupations in universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology, wānanga, other tertiary education providers and allied organisations.
William Grant Guilford is a retired New Zealand academic, specialising in veterinary nutrition. He is currently Chair of the New Zealand Veterinary Association. He was previously Head of the Institute of Veterinary, Animal Sciences at Massey University, Dean of Science at the University of Auckland and Vice-Chancellor of Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.
Tania M. Ka'ai, sometimes known as Tania Kaai-Oldman, is a New Zealand education academic. She is a full professor of language revitalisation at the Auckland University of Technology.
Open access in New Zealand consists of policies and norms affecting making research outputs, data, and education materials openly available. This is influenced by tertiary education institutions as well as national government and changing international norms. The New Zealand Government has applied open access principles to its own work, adopting the New Zealand Government Open Access Licensing Framework (NZGOAL). It has not mandated that these apply to schools or the tertiary sector or to research funding agencies. Some tertiary education institutions have developed their own open access guidelines or policies but neither of the two major research funding agencies in New Zealand—the Marsden Fund and the Health Research Council—have done so, unlike Australia, Canada, Europe or the United States.
Helen Nicholson is a New Zealand medical academic specialising in male reproductive health. She is a full professor and served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago between March 2023 and June 2024.
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.
Mahsa Mohaghegh (McCauley) is an Iranian-born New Zealand computer engineer specialising in artificial intelligence and natural language processing. She is a professor of information technology and software engineering at Auckland University of Technology.
Priscilla M. Wehi is a New Zealand ethnobiologist and conservation biologist. As at July 2021 she is an associate professor at the University of Otago and on the first of that month officially undertook the role of director of Te Pūnaha Matatini, a centre of research excellence in complex systems and data analytics. During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand Te Pūnaha Matatini scientists have developed mathematical models of the spread of the virus across the country that influence the New Zealand government's response to the outbreak. In 2021 Wehi was awarded the Hill Tinsley Medal.
Anita Gibbs is a New Zealand academic, and is Professor of Criminology and Social Work at the University of Otago, specialising in sociology, the impact on people of complex social systems such as mental health and criminal justice systems, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.