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, mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment =
NZD The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; sign: $, NZ$; code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New Zea ...
$293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor =
Dawn Freshwater Dawn Freshwater is a British academic, university professor, mental health researcher, and the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. Early life and education Freshwater was born in a mining family in Nottingham, with tw ...
, city =
Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
, country = New Zealand (Māori: ''Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa'') , academic_staff = 2,402 (FTE, 2019) , administrative_staff = 3,567 (FTE, 2019) , students = 34,521 (EFTS, 2019) , undergrad = 25,200 (EFTS, 2019) , postgrad = 8,630 (EFTS, 2019) , type =
Public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
flagship
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
, campus = Urban,
City Campus: 16 ha (40 acres)
Total: 40 ha (99 acres) , free_label = Student Magazine , free = Craccum , colours = Auckland Dark Blue and White
, affiliations = ACU, APAIE,
APRU APRU (the Association of Pacific Rim Universities) is a consortium of 61 leading research universities in 19 economies of the Pacific Rim. Formed in 1997,
, Universitas 21, WUN , website
Auckland.ac.nz
, logo = File:University of Auckland.svg The University of Auckland is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
based in
Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
. It is the largest, most comprehensive and highest-ranked university in New Zealand and consistently places among the top 100 universities in the
QS World University Rankings ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Originally it was housed in a disused courthouse. Today, the University of Auckland is New Zealand's largest university by enrolment, hosting about 40,000 students on five Auckland campuses. The City Campus, in the Auckland CBD, has the bulk of the students and faculties. There are eight faculties, including a law school, as well as three associated research institutes.


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 (Vice Chancellor of the University of New Zealand 1885–1903). Housed in a disused courthouse and jail, it started out with 95 students and 4 teaching staff: Frederick Douglas Brown, professor of chemistry (London and Oxford); Algernon Phillips Withiel Thomas, professor of natural sciences (Oxford); Thomas George Tucker, professor of classics (
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
); and William Steadman Aldis, professor of mathematics (Cambridge). 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. From 1905 onwards, an increasing number of students enrolled in commerce studies.


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 Depression. At this point, the college's executive council issued several resolutions in favour of academic freedom after the controversial dismissal of
John Beaglehole John Cawte Beaglehole (13 June 1901 – 10 October 1971) was a New Zealand historian whose greatest scholastic achievement was the editing of James Cook's three journals of exploration, together with the writing of an acclaimed biography of Co ...
(allegedly for a letter to a newspaper where he publicly defended the right of communists to distribute their literature), which helped encourage the college's growth. In 1934, four new professors joined the college: Arthur Sewell (English),
H.G. Forder Henry George Forder (27 September 1889 – 21 September 1981) was a New Zealand mathematician. Academic career Born in Shotesham All Saints, near Norwich, he won a scholarships first to a Grammar school and then to University of Cambridge. Af ...
(Mathematics), C.G. Cooper (Classics) and James Rutherford (History). 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 the University of Auckland.


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. 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 Colin John McCahon (; 1August 191927May 1987) was a prominent New Zealand artist whose work over 45 years consisted of various styles, including landscape, figuration, abstraction, and the overlay of painted text. Along with Toss Woollaston an ...
. 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 Dame Marie Mildred Clay (; née Irwin; 3 January 1926 – 13 April 2007) was a researcher from New Zealand known for her work in educational literacy. She was committed to the idea that children who struggle to learn to read and write can be he ...
and
Patricia Bergquist Dame Patricia Rose Bergquist (née Smyth, 10 March 1933 – 9 September 2009) was a New Zealand zoologist who specialised in anatomy and taxonomy. At the time of her death, she was professor emerita of zoology and honorary professor of anatomy ...
, the first two female professors, were appointed.


Growth and consolidation

Queen Elizabeth II 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 The Auckland College of Education, earlier known as the Auckland Training College and the Auckland Teachers' Training College, was a teachers' college in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. It was established in 1881 and was based in the Aucklan ...
merged with the university's School of Education (previously part of the Arts Faculty) to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work. The faculty is 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 (PhD, Hon. LLD), who was appointed vice-chancellor of the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
. On 16 March 2020, McCutcheon was succeeded by Professor
Dawn Freshwater Dawn Freshwater is a British academic, university professor, mental health researcher, and the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. Early life and education Freshwater was born in a mining family in Nottingham, with tw ...
, 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" (
AMBA Amba or AMBA may refer to: Title * Amba Hor, alternative name for Abhor and Mehraela, Christian martyrs * Amba Sada, also known as Psote, Christian bishop and martyr in Upper Egypt Given name * Amba, the traditional first name given to the fir ...
, EQUIS and AACSB). 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 has begun with the redevelopment of the University Recreation Centre in the City Campus. The University of Auckland has also built multiple student accommodation buildings, and it became the largest provider of student accommodation in New Zealand.


Administration

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 Dawn Freshwater is a British academic, university professor, mental health researcher, and the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. Early life and education Freshwater was born in a mining family in Nottingham, with tw ...
, who is the university's sixth vice-chancellor, and the first female 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 (from 1923), or a chairman (1883–1923).


Schools and faculties

*
Faculty of Arts A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...
* Business School * Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries * Faculty of Education and Social Work * Faculty of Engineering * Auckland Law School * Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences *
Faculty of Science Faculty may refer to: * Faculty (academic staff), the academic staff of a university (North American usage) * Faculty (division), a division within a university (usage outside of the United States) * Faculty (instrument), an instrument or warrant ...


Coat of arms

The
blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The ...
of the arms of the University of Auckland is: Azure between three mullets argent an open Book proper edged and bound Or with seven Clasps on either side Or, on a chief wavy also argent three Kiwis proper. A "mullet" is a five pointed star; when there are three they are depicted with two above and one below. Their colour is silver ("argent"). "Proper" indicates that the specified item is to be shown in its natural colours – for the book, this would be black and white. The edge ("edged") and binding of the book is in gold ("Or") and is bound with seven clasps on either side. A "chief" is a broad strip at the top of the shield. The university's motto is ''Ingenio et labore'' which may be translated from
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
as "By natural ability and hard work."


Campuses and facilities


Campuses

The University of Auckland has a number of campuses in
Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
, and one in Whangārei in the Northland Region. #The City Campus in the Auckland CBD has the majority of the students and faculties. It covers 16 hectares and has a range of amenities including cafes, health services, libraries, childcare facilities and a sports and recreation centre. #The Grafton Campus, established in 1968, is opposite
Auckland City Hospital Auckland City Hospital is a public hospital located in Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest hospital in New Zealand,Largest hospital in New Zealand...' - News-Medical.Net, Tuesday 29 June 2004 as well as one of the oldest medical fac ...
in the suburb of Grafton, close to the City Campus. The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy and School of Optometry and Vision Science are based here, along with th
Eye Clinic
#The Epsom Campus is the main teacher training campus, offering programmes in teacher education and social services. It was formerly the
Auckland College of Education The Auckland College of Education, earlier known as the Auckland Training College and the Auckland Teachers' Training College, was a teachers' college in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. It was established in 1881 and was based in the Aucklan ...
's main campus, until the college merged with the university's School of Education in September 2004 to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work. There were plans to close down the Epsom Campus in 2020 and relocate the Faculty of Education and Social Work to the City Campus. Later, the closure of the Epsom Campus was postponed to late 2023, with teaching to resume at the City Campus's refurbished Building 201 in 2024. #The Newmarket Campus was acquired from Lion, when operations ceased at its Newmarket brewery in 2010, selling the site to the university in May 2013. The university has built an engineering research space and a civil structures hall. This new campus houses the Faculties of Engineering and Science. #The Tai Tokerau Campus in Whangārei offers teacher education courses to the Northland community. #The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences also has several satellite campuses and research facilities including the Waitemata Health Campus (which services
North Shore Hospital North Shore Hospital is a large public hospital in Takapuna, New Zealand, serving the northern part of Auckland. Located on Shakespeare Road near Lake Pupuke, it is administered by the Waitemata District Health Board, which provides health serv ...
and Waitakere Hospital), the Freemasons' Department of Geriatric Medicine at North Shore Hospital, the South Auckland Clinical Campus at
Middlemore Hospital Middlemore Hospital is a major public hospital in the suburb of Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. The hospital has approximately 800 beds. There are 24 operating theatres across two sites. History In 1943, during World War II, construction comm ...
, and the Waikato Clinical School. #The Leigh Marine Laboratory is effectively the marine campus and hosts postgraduate teaching and research at the
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve is a protected area in the North Island of New Zealand. The reserve covers an area of , extending from Cape Rodney to Okakari Point, extending 800m offshore. Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island lies within the ...
(Goat Island) near Warkworth. Situated on the east coast, about 100 km north of the city of Auckland, it has access to a wide range of unspoiled marine habitats. #The South Auckland Campus - Te Papa Ako o Tai Tonga opened in February 2020 in Manukau, and replaced the Faculty of Education courses that were offered at
Manukau Institute of Technology Established in 1970, Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) ( mi, Te Whare Takiura o Manukau) is a large Category One institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand. Category One is the highest possible educational rating as evaluated by the ...
(MIT) prior to the opening of the campus. #Goldie Estate – Wine Science Centre. In July 2011 Kim and Jeanette Goldwater gifted a 14-hectare winery in Waiheke Island to the university. The Wine Science Centre currently hosts the university's Wine Science courses. 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. Former campuses #The Tāmaki Innovations Campus was located in the east Auckland suburb of St Johns. It was a predominantly postgraduate campus offering training and research security in health innovation and "biodiversity and biosecurity innovation." The Tamaki campus was closed down in 2020 and its former programs were relocated to the city, Grafton, and Newmarket campuses.


Overseas facilities

The University of Auckland Innovation Institute China (UOAIIC) UOAIIC was established by the University of Auckland and UniServices, the commercialisation arm and knowledge transfer company of the University of Auckland, in 2017 in the Chinese city of
Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also Chinese postal romanization, romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the prov ...
. The Institute occupies a 2800m² physical space in the Hangzhou Qiantang New Area. UOAIIC is led by Dr Yuan Li. It organises annual conferences and meetings for the university to seek commercial opportunities for its research in China. Aulin College Aulin College, based in
Harbin, China Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, China, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and lar ...
, was set up by the University of Auckland and the Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) of China in 2019. The name 'Aulin' is a combination of the word "Au" (from the name "Auckland") and "Lin", which is the Chinese word for farming and agriculture. In September 2019, Aulin College had its first intake of undergraduate students. Aulin College offers Bachelor's and master's degrees in Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Technology. Graduates will receive degrees from both the University of Auckland and NEFU.


Libraries

The University of Auckland Library system consists of the General Library and seven specialist libraries: the Business and Information Centre, Davis Law Library, Leigh Marine Laboratory Library, the Philson Library, the
Sylvia Ashton-Warner Sylvia Constance Ashton-Warner (17 December 1908 – 28 April 1984) was a New Zealand novelist, non-fiction writer, poet, pianist and world figure in the teaching of children. Her ideas for a child-based or organic approach to the teaching of ...
Library on the Epsom and Tai Tokerau campuses, and the Tāmaki Library and Information Commons. In mid-2018, Vice-Chancellor McCutcheon announced that the university would be closing its Fine Arts, the Architecture and Planning, and Music and Dance Libraries. Their collections were merged into the General Library's collections. The General Library Special Collections stores several rare books, manuscripts and archives and other material relating to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Some notable manuscript collections include the Western Pacific Archives (which contains British colonial records relating to that region between 1877 and 1978), the poet Robin Hyde's papers, and the archives of the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre, local Labour Party branches, and the New Zealand Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The Special Collections also has several published collections including the Patterson Collection (which contains books on biblical studies, classics, and ancient history), children's author
Betty Gilderdale Betty Albertina Gilderdale (née Harrington; 26 July 1923 – 9 July 2021) was an English-born children's author from New Zealand. She was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2014 for her services to children's literature. B ...
's collection of New Zealand children's books, the Philson Library's collections of pre-1900 medical books, and the Asian Language Collection (which contains 230 titles of rare Chinese books). Some notable microtext collections include the Māori Land Court Minute Books and the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau series.


Research institutes

* Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) * Liggins Institute * Public Policy Institute (PPI)


Student accommodation

The University of Auckland provides a range of accommodation options for students. Several hundred live in Residential Halls and Apartments, which provide, food, accommodation, and social and welfare services alongside self-catered, private residences. The university ceased leasing Railway Campus in November 2008. The university has four residential halls including Grafton Hall, O'Rorke Hall, University Hall–Towers, and Waipārūrū Hall. These halls are full-catered and are aimed at first–year university students. In addition, the university runs nine self-catered student residences including Te Tirohanga o te Tōangaroa, Carlaw Park Student Village, Grafton Student Flats, 55 Symonds, University Hall–Towers, UniLodge Auckland, UniLodge on Whitaker, Waikohanga House, and the Goldie Estate Homestead on Waiheke Island. These halls and student residences are located in the Auckland CBD area near the university.


Art Collection

Established in 1966 by Keith Sinclair and Bob Chapman, Th
Art Collection
is one of the university's most valuable and cherished assets. However, its most poignant value lies in its use as a resource for teaching, learning and research. Available on loan to departments and faculties on all campuses, the Collection has been built up over forty years to include major works by significant artists such as Frances Hodgkins,
Colin McCahon Colin John McCahon (; 1August 191927May 1987) was a prominent New Zealand artist whose work over 45 years consisted of various styles, including landscape, figuration, abstraction, and the overlay of painted text. Along with Toss Woollaston an ...
, Billy Apple and
Ralph Hotere Hone Papita Raukura "Ralph" Hotere (11 August 1931 – 24 February 2013) was a New Zealand artist. He was born in Mitimiti, Northland and is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's most important artists. In 1994 he was awarded an honorary d ...
. Outcomes from postgraduate research on the Collection have included a thesis on its own history as an entity, monograph exhibitions on individual artists, and surveys of the impact of the evolution of the Collection on Auckland's dealer galleries, resulting in the exhibitions and publications Vuletic and His Circle (about the Petar/James Gallery) in 2003 and New Vision Gallery in 2008.


Student body


Students' association

The Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) is the representative body of students, formed in 1891. AUSA publicises student issues, administers student facilities, and assists affiliated student clubs and societies. AUSA produces the student magazine '' Craccum'', and runs the radio station ''
95bFM 95bFM is a New Zealand student radio station. It operates in Auckland on a Schedule 7 (educational purposes) semi-commercial licence. The station is based in the Student Union Building at the University of Auckland, is owned by a trust on behalf o ...
''. The name of the alumni association is the University of Auckland Society.


Academics


Admission

Since eliminating open entry in 2009, all applicants must have a university entrance qualification. Domestic students are required to achieve the NZQA University Entrance Standard, while international students must achieve an equivalent approved qualification in their country. Admission to the university also requires applicants to meet the preset academic and English language entry requirements specific to the degree for which they are applying. Some programmes also have a preset number of places available within the degree. To be guaranteed entry students must achieve a rank score as well as meet any additional requirements. All students who did not complete their high school education or equivalent in English are also required to provide a valid IELTS score (minimum of 6.0) or equivalent.


Rankings

The University of Auckland is New Zealand's leading university. It is the highest ranked New Zealand university in the QS World University Rankings and Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities, and along with the University of Otago and the Auckland University of Technology is included in the Times Higher Education top 250. QS World University Rankings 2010
QS World University Rankings ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
ranked University of Auckland 68th overall in the world, scoring very consistently in the subject rankings: 51st in Arts & Humanities, 55th in Engineering & IT, 41st in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 68th in Natural Sciences and 38th in Social Sciences. 2011 QS World University RankingsQS World University Rankings 2015/16
Top Universities. Retrieved on 1 October 2015.
ranked the University of Auckland 82nd overall in the world. In the subject rankings, it ranked less than the previous year: 55th in Arts & Humanities, 62nd in Engineering & IT, 50th in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 73rd in Natural Sciences, 41st in Social Sciences and 33rd in Accounting & Finance. 2014 QS World University Rankings ranked the University of Auckland 92nd overall in the world. In the subject rankings, it continues getting less than previous years for most areas: 91st in Natural Sciences, 66th in Engineering & IT, 74th in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 30th in Social Sciences and 35th in Arts & Humanities. 2015 QS World University Rankings ranked the University of Auckland 82nd overall in the world. In Faculty rankings, the university was placed 28th in Arts and Humanities, 34th in Social Sciences and Management, 59th in Engineering and Technology, 70th in Life Sciences and Medicine, and 134th in Natural Sciences. 2016 QS World University Rankings ranked the University of Auckland 81st overall in the world. The University of Auckland is ranked first in New Zealand in 35 of the 40 subjects, featuring in the top 50 in 15 subjects: Archaeology (20), Education (23), Development Studies (26), Psychology (29), English Language and Literature (31), Nursing (32), Law (32), Accounting and Finance (34), Geography (38), Civil and Structural Engineering (41), Architecture (44), Anthropology (44), Social Policy (49), Linguistics (49), Business and Management Studies (50). University Impact Rankings In 2020, the University of Auckland is ranked Number 1 globally in the University Impact Rankings by Times Higher Education. The result recognised the university's performance against the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
' Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the university's commitment to sustainability and making positive social impacts. PBRF rankings The University of Auckland is a research-led university, and had the second highest ranking in the 2006 and 2012 Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) exercises and the fourth highest ranking in the 2018 PBRF exercise. The Performance Based Research Fund exercises are conducted by the government and evaluate the quality of researchers and research output of all tertiary institutions in New Zealand. In the previous PBRF evaluation in 2003, when the university was ranked the top research university in New Zealand, the Commission commented: "On virtually any measure, the University of Auckland is the country’s leading research university. Not only did it achieve the highest quality score of any TEO ertiary education organisation but it also has by far the largest share of A-rated researchers in the country."


CECIL

CECIL (CSL, short for Computer Supported Learning) was the university's learning management and
course management system A virtual learning environment (VLE) in educational technology is a web-based platform for the digital aspects of courses of study, usually within educational institutions. They present resources, activities, and interactions within a course struc ...
before Canvas and was developed in-house. It had more than 44,000 log-ins per day (2008 April). Cecil support staff worked with academics on research into cheating detections during online assessment,Detecting Cheaters using a Learning Management System
Cecil. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
productivity improvement using a learning management system (LMS),Increasing Teaching Productivity with EuropeMMM
Cecil. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
and effectiveness of tools in LMS.On-Line Course Surveys: Do Incentives Work
Ed/ITLib Digital Library, AACE. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
Cecil contains many of the features of similar systems such as
Sakai Project Sakai is a free, community source, educational software platform designed to support teaching, research and collaboration. Systems of this type are also known as Course Management Systems (CMS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), or Virtual Le ...
and WebCT. Cecil also provides interactive tools for collaboration and other tools specific to the university.Cecil Training
Cecil. 6 November 2008.
In 2014, a review of learning and teaching technology was initiated, seeking to replace Cecil. The review determined that Canvas (a learning management system developed by
Instructure Instructure, Inc. is an educational technology company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is the developer and publisher of Canvas, a web-based learning management system (LMS), and MasteryConnect, an assessment management system. ...
) would be implemented prior to the commencement of the 2016 academic year, and CECIL now acts as an archive for old courses.


Controversies

Restructuring measures In April 2016, Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon announced that University of Auckland would be selling off its Epsom and Tamaki campuses in order to consolidate education and services at the city, Grafton, and Newmarket campuses. The Epsom Campus is the site of the University of Auckland's education faculty while the Tamaki campus hosts elements of the medical and science faculties as well as the School of Population Health. In mid-June 2018, McCutcheon announced that the university would be closing down and merging its specialist fine arts, architecture, and music and dance libraries into the City Campus' General Library. In addition, the university would cut 100 support jobs. The Vice-Chancellor claimed that these cutbacks would save between NZ$3 million and $4 million a year. This announcement triggered criticism and several protests from arts faculty and students. Students objected to the closure of the Elam Fine Arts Library on the grounds that it would make it harder to access study materials. Thousands of dissenters circulated a petition protesting the Vice-Chancellor's restructuring policies. Protests were also held in April, May, and June 2018. Fossil fuel divestment controversy In April 2017, more than 100 students from the Auckland University Medical Students Association marched demanding the removal of coal, oil and gas from the university's investment portfolio. In May 2017, 14 people from student group Fossil Fuel UoA occupied the Clocktower, urging current Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon to issue a statement in support of divestment from fossil fuels. After twelve hours, they were forcibly removed by police. The following day over two hundred students and staff marched to demand divestment from fossil fuels and more than 240 members of staff from 8 faculties signed an open letter supporting divestment to the Boards of the University of Auckland Foundation and School of Medicine Foundation. Today, the University of Auckland Foundation has a Responsible Investment Policy. The foundation has now effectively eliminated fossil fuels from its investment portfolio. As at 31 December 2021, only 0.005% (31 December 2020 0.49%) of the foundation's investments were held in companies deriving revenue from fossil fuels. Vice Chancellor's house In early December 2020, the Auditor-General's Office released its report criticising the University of Auckland's decision to purchase a NZ$5 million house in Auckland's Parnell suburb for Vice Chancellor
Dawn Freshwater Dawn Freshwater is a British academic, university professor, mental health researcher, and the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. Early life and education Freshwater was born in a mining family in Nottingham, with tw ...
, ruling that the university had not been able to show a "justifiable business purpose" for purchasing the house apart from Freshwater's personal benefit. The purchase of the house had been criticised as frivolous by student unions. In October 2020, Vice Chancellor Freshwater had recommended that the university's board sell the house to pay off debt and because COVID-19 social distancing restrictions had made it impossible to host functions there.


Notable people


Notable alumni


Academia

* Alexandra Brewis Slade, anthropologist *
Margaret Brimble Dame Margaret Anne Brimble (née MacMillan, born 20 August 1961) is a New Zealand chemist. Her research has included investigations of shellfish toxins and means to treat brain injuries. Early life, family, and education Brimble was born in A ...
, organic chemist * Dianne Brunton, ecology academic, professor at Massey University * Jemma Field, historian * Colleen M. Flood, professor at University of Ottawa and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada * Rom Harré, Oxford philosopher *
Christian Hartinger Christian G. Hartinger (born 1974) is an Austrian-born New Zealand bioinorganic chemistry, bioinorganic chemist known for his work in ruthenium anti-cancer drugs, metal-based anticancer drugs. In 2022 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Socie ...
, inorganic chemist * Harry Hawthorn, Canadian anthropologist * John Hood, former Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
* Susan Kemp, social work academic * Charlotte Macdonald, historian * Diane M. Mackie, social psychologist *
Susan Moller Okin Susan Moller Okin (July 19, 1946 – March 3, 2004) was a liberal feminist political philosopher and author. Life Okin was born in 1946 in Auckland, New Zealand. She attended Remuera Primary School and Remuera Intermediate and Epsom Girls' ...
, philosopher * Janis Paterson, academic
developmental psychologist Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development ...
, founding director of the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families Study * Peter C. B. Phillip *
Elizabeth Rata Elizabeth Mary Rata (born 1952) is a New Zealand academic who is a sociologist of education and a professor in the School of Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland. Her views and research on Māori education and the place ...
, professor of education * Papaarangi Mary-Jane Reid, public health academic * Graham Smith, academic *
Rory Sweetman Rory Sweetman (born 1956) is a professional New Zealand historian. He teaches at the University of Otago in modern Irish history and has published widely on New Zealand’s ethnic and religious past. Early life Sweetman was born in Ireland and sp ...
, historian * Ronald Syme, pre-eminent New Zealand classicist of the 20th century *
Tarisi Vunidilo Tarisi Vunidilo is a Fijian archaeologist and curator who specialises in indigenous museology and heritage management. Biography Vunidilo was born in Suva, Fiji. Her parents are from the southern Fijian island of Kadavu. She also studied for ...
, Fijian archaeologist and curator * Rorden Wilkinson, political economist * David Wills, translator of Jacques Derrida


Art

* Vidyamala Burch, writer and mindfulness teacher * Gill Gatfield, sculptor * Bob Kerr, artist and author * Rachael McKenna, photographer *
Constant Mews Constant Mews (born 1954), D. Phil (''Oxon'') is Professor of Medieval Thought and Director, Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology, Monash University, Melbourne. He is an authority on medieval religious thought, especially on the medieval p ...
, authority on medieval religious thought *
Cheryll Sotheran Dame Cheryll Beatrice Sotheran (11 October 1945 – 30 December 2017) was a New Zealand museum professional. She was the founding chief executive of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and was credited with the successful completion of ...
, founder of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa


Business

*
Vincent Cheng Vincent Cheng Hoi-Chuen GBS OBE JP (, 16 July 1948 – 28 August 2022) was a Hong Kong banker who was HSBC Holdings plc. He was also chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, the Asia-Pacific branch of HSBC and fou ...
, chairman of
HSBC HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. In 2021, HSBC had $10.8 tr ...
*
Shayne Elliott Shayne Elliott (born 1963/64) is a New Zealand banker, and the chief executive officer (CEO) of ANZ Bank. Career Prior to joining ANZ Bank, Shayne Elliott was a senior executive at EFG Hermes, and worked for Citi bank. He joined ANZ Bank in J ...
(born 1963/64), New Zealand banker * Paul Huljich, CEO of Best Corporation, author * Ross Keenan (born 1943), businessperson * Jane Taylor, chair of
New Zealand Post NZ Post ( mi, Tukurau Aotearoa), shortened from New Zealand Post, is a state-owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand. The New Zealand Post Office, a government agency, provided postal, banking, and telecommuni ...
and
Landcare Research Landcare may refer to: *Australian Landcare Council, a now superseded Australian government body *Landcare in Australia, umbrella approach promoting land protection in Australia * Landcare Research, New Zealand *The Landcare movement in Australia ...


Film and television

* Philippa Boyens,
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning screenwriter * Niki Caro, film director, producer and screenwriter. * Jacqueline Feather, screenwriter * Lucy Lawless, actress * Yasmine Ryan (ca. 1983 – 2017), journalist * Christine Tan, CNBC news anchor


Music

*
Marcus Chang Marcus Chang (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Chong Li̍p-ngong; born 28 May 1983) is a Taiwanese actor and singer-songwriter. He made his acting debut with the 2014 film '' Café. Waiting. Love.'' He is best known for his leading roles in the television ser ...
, Taiwanese singer-songwriter & actor *
Gary Chaw Gary Chaw (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Tshâu Kak; born 9 July 1979 in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia), also known as Gary Cao or Cao Ge or by his alter ego Cao Xiaoge, is a Malaysian Chinese singer-songwriter based in Taiwan, who has had achieved success i ...
, singer-songwriter * Gareth Farr, composer *
Tim Finn Brian Timothy Finn (born 25 June 1952) is a New Zealand singer and musician. His musical career includes forming 1970s and 1980s New Zealand rock group Split Enz, a number of solo albums, temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowd ...
, musician * Jeffrey Grice, pianist * Anthony Jennings, harpsichordist, organist, choral and orchestral director * Ashley Lawrence, conductor * Marya Martin, flautist *
Douglas Mews Douglas Christopher Mews (born 1956), is a New Zealand classical organist and harpsichordist and he is also a composer. He holds the position of City Organist, Wellington, New Zealand. He is the brother of Constant Mews. Biography Mews was born in ...
, early music specialist * Shirley Setia, singer and actress * Wilma Smith, Fijian-born concert violinist and music teacher


Politics and law

*
Jan Beagle Jan Margaret Beagle is a diplomat from New Zealand who has been serving as the Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) since 2020. From 2017 until 2019, she was the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations f ...
, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations * Simon Bridges, former
Opposition Leader The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
, former leader of the New Zealand National Party *
Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...
, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, former Administrator of the
United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
* Colin Craig, businessman and leader of the Conservative Party of New Zealand * Jennifer Curtin, public policy *
Sian Elias Dame Sian Seerpoohi Elias (born 13 March 1949) is a New Zealand former Government official, who served as the 12th Chief Justice of New Zealand, and was therefore the most senior member of the country's judiciary. She was the presiding judge o ...
, New Zealand Chief Justice 1999-2019 * Jeanette Fitzsimons, New Zealand politician and environmentalist *
Lowell Goddard Dame Lowell Patria Goddard, (born 25 November 1948) is a former New Zealand High Court judge, from 1995 to 2015. She is thought to be the first person of Māori ancestry to have been appointed to the High Court. In 1988, she was one of the fi ...
, Judge * Jonathan Hunt, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Order of New Zealand * Sir Kenneth James Keith, New Zealand Judge appointed to the International Court of Justice *
David Lange David Russell Lange ( ; 4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. Lange was born and brought up in Otahuhu, the son of a medical doctor. He became ...
, former Prime Minister of New Zealand * Viliami Latu, Tongan Minister of Police * Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa *
Leslie Munro Sir Leslie Knox Munro (26 February 190113 February 1974) was a New Zealand lawyer, journalist, diplomat and politician. Law and media Munro studied at Auckland Grammar School and the University of Auckland, where he graduated with a Master of ...
, former New Zealand's permanent representative to the United Nations, former President of the Trusteeship Council, former President of the United Nations General Assembly, three times President of the Security Council * Shai Navot, former leader of The Opportunities Party * Winston Peters, politician and leader of the NZ First party *
Anthony Randerson Anthony Penrose Randerson (born 1949) is a New Zealand retired jurist. In 1990/91, he chaired the group that considered Geoffrey Palmer's bill that became the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). In 2019/20, he chaired the group that recommended ...
, New Zealand Chief High Court Judge from December 2004 to February 2010. Now a Judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal * Mike Rann, former Premier of South Australia, and future Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom * Anand Satyanand, Governor General, New Zealand 2006-2011 * Peter Thomson, Fijian diplomat, Fiji's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, former President of the General Assembly of the United Nations *
Taufa Vakatale Mereia Taufa Vakatale, O.F. (born 1938) is a Fijian former politician and educator. She served in the Cabinet of Fiji under the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) during 1993–1995 and 1997–1999. In 1997, she became Fiji's first female Depu ...
, former Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji *
Vangelis Vitalis Vangelis (Evangelos) Vitalis is a New Zealand diplomat and trade negotiator currently working as the Deputy Secretary for the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Prior to taking up his role in Wellington in 2017, Vangelis was New Ze ...
, diplomat * Helen Winkelmann, New Zealand Chief Justice 2019–present


Science and technology

* Penelope Brothers, chemist * Howard Carmichael, physicist *
Helen Danesh-Meyer Helen Victoria Danesh-Meyer is a New Zealand ophthalmology academic, and as of 2018 is a full professor at the University of Auckland. Academic career After an undergraduate at the University of Otago followed by a 2004 MD titled '' 'The eval ...
, ophthalmology academic * Lynnette Ferguson * Crispin Gardiner, physicist *
Ross Ihaka George Ross Ihaka (born 1954) is a New Zealand statistician who was an Associate Professor of Statistics at the University of Auckland until his retirement in 2017. Alongside Robert Gentleman, he is one of the creators of the R programming l ...
, statistician * Sir Vaughan Jones, Fields medallist * Sir Harold Marshall, acoustician and architect * Stephen Parke, physicist * Richard John Pentreath, British marine scientist *
William Sage Rapson William Sage Rapson (14 August 1912 – 25 June 1999) was a New Zealand and South African chemist. His initial career was in organic chemistry but he moved into inorganic chemistry with particular emphasis on gold. His research interests ranged ...
, chemist *
Daniel Frank Walls Daniel Frank Walls FRS (13 September 1942 – 12 May 1999) was a New Zealand theoretical physicist specialising in quantum optics. Education Walls gained a BSc in physics and mathematics and a first class honours MSc in physics at the Univers ...
, physicist * Jennifer Mary Weller, anaesthesiology academic * Anne Wyllie, microbial disease epidemiologist


Sports

*
Jo Aleh Joanna Ayela Aleh (born 15 May 1986) is a New Zealand sailor. She is a national champion, a former world champion, and an Olympic gold medallist. Aleh competes in the two-woman 470 dinghy, a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a cen ...
(born 1986), sailor, national champion, world champion, and Olympic champion * Russell Coutts (born 1962), yachtsman * Richard de Groen (born 1962), Test cricketer and Olympic and Commonwealth Games administrator *
Mahé Drysdale Alexander Mahé Owens Drysdale (born 19 November 1978) is a retired New Zealand rower. Drysdale is a two-time Olympic champion and a five-time world champion in the single sculls. He is a seven-time New Zealand national champion and five-time ...
(born 1978), Australian-born New Zealand rower * Gavin Hastings (born 1962), Scottish rugby player * Michael Jones (born 1965), rugby player and coach *
Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino (born 6 April 1983) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year. In 2011, he was named the New Zealand Rugby player of the year, finishing ahead of Richie McCaw ...
(born 1983),
American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internatio ...
n-born New Zealand rugby player *
Eliza McCartney Eliza McCartney (born 11 December 1996) is a New Zealand track and field athlete who competes in the pole vault and won the bronze medal in this event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She is the current New Zealand and Oceania record holder at , an ...
(born 1996), New Zealand Olympic pole vaulter * Jean Spencer (born 1940), United Kingdom-born New Zealand Olympic gymnast


Notable faculty

Until his death in 2009, the longest serving staff member was Emeritus Professor of Prehistory, Roger Curtis Green, BA BSc ''(New Mexico)'', PhD ''(Harv.)'', FRSNZ, MANAS. He had been on the staff 1961–66 and from 1973 onwards. The longest serving, non-'retired' staff member is Bernard Brown,
ONZM The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...
, LLB (Hons) ''(Leeds)'', LLM ''(Sing.)''. He has been a full-time senior lecturer in the faculty of law 1962-65 and 1969 onwards.
William Phillips William Phillips may refer to: Entertainment * William Phillips (editor) (1907–2002), American editor and co-founder of ''Partisan Review'' * William T. Phillips (1863–1937), American author * William Phillips (director), Canadian film-make ...
, the influential economist largely famed for his Phillips curve, taught at the university from 1969 until his death in 1975. The programming language R, widely used by statisticians and data scientists, was developed at the university by Robert Gentleman and
Ross Ihaka George Ross Ihaka (born 1954) is a New Zealand statistician who was an Associate Professor of Statistics at the University of Auckland until his retirement in 2017. Alongside Robert Gentleman, he is one of the creators of the R programming l ...
in the 1990s. According to the
Association of University Staff of New Zealand The Association of University Staff of New Zealand (AUS) was a national trade union in New Zealand. At its peak, it represented 6500 workers employed in New Zealand universities. In 2009 it merged with the Association of Staff in Tertiary Educa ...
(AUS) in 2007, New Zealand universities, including the University of Auckland, had been taking a more litigious approach to managing their staff in recent years and engaged lawyers and employment advocates to handle even minor matters. The University of Auckland "paid out more than $780,000 in 2006 to settle problems it listed as including personal grievances and disputes". For example, Paul Buchanan, a popular, world-renowned lecturer on international relations and security, was summarily dismissed in 2007 because a student to whom he sent an email complained that she found his comments about her performance in his class to be offensive. He was later reinstated, but this was just a formality and he never returned to lecturing. As the AUS would not financially support a case for full reinstatement, Buchanan accepted the formal reinstatement and a nominal monetary payout as a settlement of his appeal to the Employment Court.


Demographics

The statistical area of Auckland-University, which covers the city campuses of the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Auckland-University had a population of 105 at the
2018 New Zealand census Eighteen or 18 may refer to: * 18 (number), the natural number following 17 and preceding 19 * one of the years 18 BC, AD 18, 1918, 2018 Film, television and entertainment * ''18'' (film), a 1993 Taiwanese experimental film based on the short ...
, a decrease of 6 people (−5.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 9 people (9.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 63 households, comprising 57 males and 48 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.19 males per female. The median age was 29.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 6 people (5.7%) aged under 15 years, 54 (51.4%) aged 15 to 29, 39 (37.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 6 (5.7%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 28.6% European/
Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Z ...
, 8.6%
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, 5.7% Pacific peoples, 62.9% Asian, and 11.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 80.0, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.7% had no religion, 25.7% were Christian, 11.4% were
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, 5.7% were
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, and 11.4% were
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
. Of those at least 15 years old, 54 (54.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 0 (0.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 9 people (9.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 45 (45.5%) people were employed full-time, 18 (18.2%) were part-time, and 6 (6.1%) were unemployed.


Notes


References


Sources

* A Complete Guide To Heraldry by A.C. Fox-Davies 1909.


External links

*
University of Auckland Act 1961
{{Authority control 1883 establishments in New Zealand Albert Park, Auckland Auckland CBD Auckland, University of Universities in New Zealand