University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a public research university in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest and highest ranked University in New Zealand. It was established in 1883 as Auckland University College, a constituent college of the University of New Zealand, following the passage of the Auckland University College Act 1882. In its early years the college operated from a disused courthouse and jail. The University’s Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau, was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in 2021.
As of the mid-2020s, the university is widely reported as the largest in New Zealand by enrolment, with a student population of around 44,000. Teaching and research are centred on three main campuses in central Auckland: City, Grafton, and Newmarket.
The university teaches and conducts research across six faculties, alongside institutes and centres; the City Campus hosts the majority of students and faculties.
History
Origins
The University of Auckland began as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand, founded on 23 May 1883 as Auckland University College. Stewardship of the university during its establishment period was the responsibility of John Chapman Andrew. Housed in a disused courthouse and jail, it started out with 95 students and four teaching staff: Frederick Douglas Brown, professor of chemistry ; Algernon Phillips Withiel Thomas, professor of natural sciences ; Thomas George Tucker, professor of classics ; and William Steadman Aldis, professor of mathematics. By 1901, student numbers had risen to 156; the majority of these students were training towards being law clerks or teachers and were enrolled part-time.Development of a research culture
The university conducted little research until the 1930s, when there was a spike in interest in academic research during the Great Depression. At this point, the college's executive council issued several resolutions in favour of academic freedom after the controversial dismissal of John Beaglehole, which helped encourage the college's growth.In 1934, four new professors joined the college: Arthur Sewell, H.G. Forder, C.G. Cooper and James Rutherford. The combination of new talent, and academic freedom saw Auckland University College flourish through to the 1950s.
In 1950, the Elam School of Fine Arts was brought into the University of Auckland. Archie Fisher, who had been appointed principal of the Elam School of Fine Arts, was instrumental in having it brought in.
Making a name
The University of New Zealand was dissolved in 1961, and the University of Auckland was empowered by the University of Auckland Act 1961.The university was gifted its Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau, by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in 2021.
In 1966, lecturers Keith Sinclair and Bob Chapman established the University of Auckland Art Collection, beginning with the purchase of several paintings and drawings by Colin McCahon. The Collection is now managed by the Centre for Art Research, based at the Gus Fisher Gallery. Stage A of the Science building was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on 3 May. In 1975–81 Marie Clay and Patricia Bergquist, the first two female professors, were appointed.
Growth and consolidation
opened the new School of Medicine Building at Grafton on 24 March 1970. The Queen also opened the Liggins Institute in 2002.The North Shore Campus, established in 2001, was located in the suburb of Takapuna. It offered the Bachelor of Business and Information Management degree. The faculty was served by its own library. At the end of 2006, the campus was closed, and the degree relocated to the City campus.
On 1 September 2004, the Auckland College of Education merged with the university's School of Education to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work. The faculty was based at the Epsom Campus of the former college, with an additional campus in Whangārei.
Professor Stuart McCutcheon became vice-chancellor on 1 January 2005. He was previously the vice-chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington. He succeeded Dr John Hood, who was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford. On 16 March 2020, McCutcheon was succeeded by Professor Dawn Freshwater, the first female vice-chancellor in the university's history.
The university opened a new business school in 2007, following the completion of the Information Commons. It has recently gained international accreditations for all its programmes and now completes the "Triple Crown".
In 2009, the university embarked on a NZ$1 billion 10-year plan to redevelop and expand its facilities. The $240 million Grafton Campus upgrade was completed in 2011. In May 2013, the university purchased a site for new 5.2-hectare campus on a former Lion Breweries site adjacent to the major business area in Newmarket. The Faculty of Engineering and the School of Chemical Sciences moved into the new faculties in 2015. The NZ$200 million new Science Centre was opened in July 2017. The NZ$280 million new Engineering Building was completed in 2019. In 2017, work started on the building of a new $116m medical school building in Grafton Campus. In 2019, work began on the redevelopment of the University Recreation Centre in the City Campus. The new recreation centre, Hiwa, opened in 2024. The University of Auckland has also built multiple student accommodation buildings, and it became the largest provider of student accommodation in New Zealand.
Organisation and administration
Governance
The head of the university is the chancellor, currently Cecilia Tarrant. However, this position is only titular. The chief executive of the university is the vice-chancellor, currently Professor Dawn Freshwater, who is the university's sixth vice-chancellor, and the first woman to hold the role.List of chancellors
Since 1957, when Auckland University College became the University of Auckland, the university has had 13 chancellors. Previously, the college council had been headed by a president, or a chairman.Faculties and schools
The university is made up of a number of faculties and schools.List of faculties and schools
- Faculty of Arts and Education
- Business School
- Faculty of Engineering and Design
- Auckland Law School
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
- Faculty of Science
Research institutes
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute
- Liggins Institute
- Public Policy Institute
Auckland University Press
Coat of arms
The University of Auckland's arms were granted by letters patent on 15 February 1962, and are recorded in the College of Arms, London, England.Strategic initiatives
Innovation and entrepreneurship
In 2018, the university opened the Unleash Space, a co-working area dedicated to entrepreneurial-minded students and staff featuring a maker space for designing and constructing prototypes.The University of Auckland ranked first in the 2023 Survey of Commercialisation Outcomes from Public Research for the most active startup and spinout companies, with 47 recorded.
The university hosts several initiatives to promote innovation and entrepreneurship:
- The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, an academic entity that aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship within the university. Under the leadership of director Darsel Keane and academic director Rod McNaughton, the Centre provides free co-curricular learning opportunities for students and staff. Since its founding in 2003, the Centre has supported over two hundred unique ventures and thousands of individuals including the founders of Kami, Zenno Astronautics, Tectonus, Auror, Halter, Wayve, Kitea Health, Hectre, Alimetry and Spalk.
- The Newmarket Innovation Precinct, a co-working space and research and development community for deep-tech start-ups and businesses, based in the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
- UniServices, a wholly owned university subsidiary that manages the University of Auckland’s Investors’ Fund, a contestable evergreen $41m seed/pre-seed fund, along with two investment committees: Momentum, a student-led investment committee programme, and Return on Science, a national research commercialisation programme.
- MedTech-iQ Aotearoa, New Zealand's national innovation hub for medical technology, hosted by the university’s Auckland Bioengineering Institute.
- New Zealand Product Accelerator, a government-funded research network of researchers and industry partners based at the iniversity's Newmarket Campus. NZPA manages the National Testing Register, a comprehensive catalogue of over 700 pieces of testing equipment and facilities available for commercial testing.
- Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women, a research centre focused on generating research and creating outreach activities to support women in entrepreneurship. The Centre was launched with the support of philanthropic funding from businesswoman Theresa Gattung.
Campuses and facilities
Campuses
The University of Auckland has a number of campuses in Auckland, and one in Whangārei in the Northland Region.From the start of the first semester of 2010, the university banned smoking on any of its property, including inside and outside buildings in areas that were once designated as smoking areas.