New Zealand

New Zealand: Host Institutions

The University of Auckland
University of Canterbury, Christchurch
Lincoln University, Christchurch
Massey University, Palmerston North
University of Otago, Dunedin
Victoria University of Wellington
The University of Waikato, Hamilton

The University of Auckland

The University of Auckland, established in 1883, is New Zealand’s largest university. The main campus extends over eight city blocks and covers nearly 40 acres. The university conducts teaching and research within faculties of Arts, Business and Economics, National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries, Education, Engineering, Law, Medical and Health Sciences, and Science. UC students can find strong course work in Pacific studies, chemistry, history, Maori studies, mathematics and statistics, and many other fields.

Auckland, with over one million people, is New Zealand’s largest city, housing over a quarter of the country’s population. It is located on the North Island on an isthmus between the Waitemata and Manukau harbors. The harbor is one of the city’s major features. Auckland is a major business and manufacturing center, built on the sloping hills of extinct volcanoes. Its famed War Memorial Museum contains some of the most comprehensive Maori arts and crafts collections in the world.

University of Canterbury

The University of Canterbury, established in 1873, is situated on a spacious campus in suburban Christchurch, about three miles from the city center. Over 13,000 students are enrolled in the university’s nine faculties. The university has strong science and engineering departments. In addition to the broad range of course work available, UC students can benefit from courses related to New Zealand (European and Maori studies) and courses in Pacific art, literature, history and culture, and Antarctic studies. The university operates an astronomical observatory and a number of field stations around New Zealand’s South Island.

Christchurch, with a population of over 300,000, is the largest city on the South Island. It is British in character and has many old buildings, gardens, museums, and churches. Christchurch offers excellent access to recreational resources, including national parks for skiing, boating, and hiking.

Lincoln University

Lincoln University, located outside of Christchurch in a rural area of rich farmland, was established as an agricultural school in 1878. The university enrolls approximately 4,000 students in divisions of Animal and Food Sciences; Applied Management and Computing; Commerce; Environmental Management and Design; Human Sciences; and Soil, Plant and Ecological Sciences. About 700 of Lincoln’s students are international students, representing over 50 countries. Strong course work is available for UC students in agriculture, business and management studies, viticulture, and environmental and ecological sciences.

Lincoln is located about 20 minutes by car from the city of Christchurch in a small township (population 1,500). The township offers students a range of shops and essential services, including banks, a service station, supermarket, bakery, post office, and a student pub. In addition, the surrounding area has an impressive range of outdoor recreational activities in both the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean.

Massey University

Massey University was established in 1927 in Palmerston North. The original campus, located alongside the Manawatu River, is within walking distance from the Palmerston North city center. The university has a large student body spread across three campuses, with about 9,000 students attending the Palmerston North campus. Massey offers course work within the colleges of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Sciences. UC students can find strong course work in agriculture, Maori studies, and Pacific studies.

Palmerston North is located on the North Island, 90 miles from Wellington. Its population is about 70,000. Palmerston North was settled over 100 years ago to service New Zealand farming country, and has become a prosperous industrial, educational, and commercial center.

University of Otago

The University of Otago, New Zealand’s first university, was established in 1869. It is located in a residential district close to Dunedin’s town center. Otago enrolls over 17,000 students in divisions of Commerce, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Sciences. A comprehensive range of course work is available across the areas of the humanities, business, sciences, and health sciences. Many past UC students have been majors in psychology, chemistry, the liberal arts, and the biological sciences.

Dunedin is a typical New Zealand town, a mixture of old and new, surrounded by rolling green countryside. It is a historical coastal city of 120,000 people. Originally a planned Scottish settlement, it grew rapidly with the discovery of gold in the 1860s. The town center contains many old churches, mansions, museums, and a large harbor. Dunedin’s heritage includes gold rush days, early Maori culture, the whaling industry, and the early Scottish farmers. Dunedin has a variety of marine wildlife, including seals, penguins, and a world famous colony of Royal Albatross.

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University was established in 1897. The main campus is located in Kelburn, a residential area of Wellington about one mile from the city center. The Law Faculty, part of the Faculty of Commerce and Administration, and Schools of Architecture and Design, are located in the heart of the city. In addition to institutes and research facilities, the university has faculties of Architecture, Commerce and Administration, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, and Science. UC students can find strong course work in English and New Zealand literature, indigenous studies (including Maori, Pacific, and Asian studies), linguistics, environmental and ecological sciences, geography, political science, and theater and film.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is located at the southwestern tip of the North Island. Students interested in observing New Zealand politics will find Wellington a particularly good choice. Wellington is an intellectual and cultural center, and has numerous museums and art galleries, drama and musical societies, and professional theater companies.

The University of Waikato

The University of Waikato was established in 1964, and enrolls about 12,000 students. Fifteen percent of these students identify themselves as Maori, and some 800 are international students from 50 countries. The university is organized into schools of studies in Arts and Social Sciences, Management, Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Science and Technology, Teacher Education, and Law. EAP students enroll in one school of studies and select courses from offerings in that school. Of particular note for UC students are courses in environmental and ecological sciences; Pacific, Maori, and indigenous studies; communication studies; electronic commerce; and women and gender studies.

Hamilton is located on the North Island in a prosperous dairy-farming district. Lakes, rivers, beaches, caves, and mountains in the surrounding area offer a wide range of recreational and adventure opportunities. Hamilton’s Museum of Art and History holds a valuable collection of Maori artifacts and chronicles Hamilton’s past as a military settlement.