University of Auckland
 Coat of arms of the University of Auckland | |
Other name | Auckland University (AU) |
|---|---|
| Motto | |
Motto in English | By natural ability and hard work |
| Type | Public flagship research university |
| Established | 1883[1] |
| Affiliations | ACU, APAIE, APRU, Universitas 21, WUN |
| Endowment | NZD $423.4 million (net assets of the University of Auckland Foundation, 31 December 2025)[2] |
| Budget | NZD $1.63 billion (group revenue, year ended 31 December 2025)[2] |
| Chancellor | Cecilia Tarrant[3] |
| Vice-Chancellor | Nic Smith[4] |
Academic staff | 2,454 (FTE, 2025)[2] |
Administrative staff | 3,796 (professional staff, FTE, 2025)[2] |
Total staff | 6,250 (FTE, 2025)[2] |
| Students | 39,183 (EFTS, 2025); 49,901 (headcount, 2025)[2] |
| Undergraduates | 28,266 (EFTS, 2025)[2] |
| Postgraduates | 10,913 (EFTS, 2025)[2] |
| 2,359 (EFTS, 2025)[2] | |
| Location | , New Zealand |
| Campus |
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| Student Union | AUSA |
| Student Magazine | Craccum |
| Colours | Auckland Dark Blue and White |
| Website | auckland |
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The University of Auckland (UoA; Māori: Waipapa Taumata Rau) is a public research university in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest 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.[6][7] In its early years the college operated from a disused courthouse and jail.[8][9] The university became an autonomous institution under the University of Auckland Act 1961, and is now administered under that Act together with the Education and Training Act 2020.[2] The university's Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau, was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in 2021.[10]
The university is the largest in New Zealand by enrolment. In 2025 it recorded 39,183 equivalent full-time students (EFTS), an increase of 2,580 EFTS or 7.1 per cent on 2024, and a total student headcount of 49,901.[2] Teaching and research are centred on three main campuses in central Auckland: City (the historic core), Grafton (home to the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences), and Newmarket (acquired in 2013 on the former Lion Breweries site).[11][12][13]
Following a restructuring in 2025, the university teaches and conducts research across six faculties, alongside institutes and centres; the City Campus hosts the majority of students and faculties.[2][14]
History
[edit]Origins
[edit]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 four 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); and William Steadman Aldis, professor of mathematics (Cambridge).[a][16] 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
[edit]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 (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 (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.[1]
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
[edit]
The University of New Zealand was dissolved in 1961, and the University of Auckland was empowered by the University of Auckland Act 1961.[17]
The university was gifted its Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau, by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in 2021.[18]
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.[1]
Growth and consolidation
[edit]
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.[19]
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.[20]
On 1 September 2004, the Auckland College of Education merged with the university's School of Education (previously part of the Arts Faculty) to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work.[21][22] The faculty was based at the Epsom Campus of the former college,[23] with an additional campus in Whangārei.[24] It existed as a separate faculty until 2025, when it was merged into the new Faculty of Arts and Education.[2]
Stuart McCutcheon became vice-chancellor on 1 January 2005. He was previously the vice-chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington.[25] He succeeded John Hood, who was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford.[26] On 16 March 2020, McCutcheon was succeeded by Dawn Freshwater, the first female vice-chancellor in the university's history.[27]
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, EQUIS and AACSB).[28]
In 2009, the university embarked on a NZ$1 billion 10-year plan to redevelop and expand its facilities.[29] The $240 million Grafton Campus upgrade was completed in 2011.[30] 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.[31] The Faculty of Engineering and the School of Chemical Sciences moved into the new faculties in 2015.[1] The NZ$200 million new Science Centre was opened in July 2017.[32] The NZ$280 million new Engineering Building was completed in 2019.[33] In 2017, work started on the building of a new $116m medical school building in Grafton Campus.[34] In 2019, work began on the redevelopment of the University Recreation Centre in the City Campus.[35][36] 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.[37]
2025 faculty restructuring
[edit]In 2025 the university consolidated its academic units into six faculties. The Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education and Social Work were merged with the Elam School of Fine Arts, the School of Music and the Dance Studies programme to form a new Faculty of Arts and Education. At the same time, Engineering, Architecture and Planning, and the Design programmes were brought together as a single Faculty of Engineering and Design. The university described the changes as creating a broader platform for partnerships and transdisciplinary research, and as helping it to remain a comprehensive institution at a time when the funding environment for the humanities, arts and social sciences was deteriorating.[2]
Organisation and administration
[edit]Governance
[edit]The University of Auckland is governed by its Council, which is made up of elected and appointed representatives and is chaired by the chancellor. The chancellor, currently Cecilia Tarrant, is a lay member of Council and the position is largely titular; Tarrant was reappointed as the Council's alumni representative and as chancellor for a further term in 2025.[2]