Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato (Māori) | |
 Coat of Arms of the University of Waikato | |
| Motto | Māori:Ko te tangata |
|---|---|
Motto in English | For The People |
| Type | Publicresearch university |
| Established | 1964; 61 years ago |
| Endowment | NZ$13.6 million (31 December 2021)[1] |
| Budget | NZD $263.6 million (31 December 2020)[2] |
| Chancellor | Susan Hassall |
| Vice-Chancellor | Neil Quigley |
Administrative staff | 1,499 (FTS, 2020)[2] |
| Students | 10,537 (EFTS, 2021)[3] |
| Location | ,, New Zealand 37°47′13″S175°18′50″E / 37.78694°S 175.31389°E /-37.78694; 175.31389 |
| Campus | Suburban 65 ha (160 acres) |
| Student Magazine | Nexus |
| Colours | UW Red, Gold and Black |
| Affiliations | ACU,ASAIHL, AACSB,AMBA,EQUIS |
| Website | www |
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TheUniversity of Waikato (Māori:Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato), established in 1964, is apublicresearch university located inHamilton,New Zealand. An additional campus is located inTauranga.[4]The university performs research in numerous disciplines such aseducation,social sciences, andmanagement and is an innovator inenvironmental science, marine and freshwater ecology,engineering,computer science andartificial intelligence.It offers degrees inhealth, engineering, computer science,management,Māori andIndigenous Studies,the arts,psychology, social sciences and education.[5]
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In the mid-1950s, regional and national leaders recognised the need for a new university and urged the thenUniversity of New Zealand (UNZ) and the government to establish one in Hamilton. Their campaign coincided with a shortage of school teachers, and after years of lobbying, Minister of EducationPhilip Skoglund agreed to open a teachers' college in the region.In 1960, the newly established Hamilton Teachers' College, joined by a fledgling university (initially a branch of the University of Auckland), opened a joint campus at Ruakura
In 1964, the two institutions moved to their new home, and the following year the University of Waikato was officially opened by then Governor-General SirBernard Fergusson.[6]
At that time, the university comprised a School of Humanities and a School of Social Sciences.[6] In 1969 a School of Science was established.[7] This was followed by the creation of the Waikato Management School in 1972,[6] Computer Science and Computing Services in 1973,[6] and the School of Law in 1990.[8]
In 1990 the Hamilton Teacher's college merged with the University of Waikato.[9] Since 1993, the University has been developingWeka, one of the first open-sourceAI andmachine-learning workbench used in research and teaching.
From the beginning, it was envisaged that Māori studies should be a key feature of the new university,[6] and the Centre for Māori Studies and Research was established in the School of Social Sciences in 1972.[6] A separate School of Māori and Pacific Development was formally established in 1996 and in 2016, became Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies.[10] In 1999, the original Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences were merged to form the School of Arts and Social Sciences.[11]
In 2018 the university was reorganised under a divisional structure which resulted in its Schools and Faculties being brought under four Divisions and a School; Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences, Division of Education, Division of Health, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Waikato Management School and the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies. Although the university has had a presence in Tauranga since the 1990s, it officially opened its dedicated Tauranga campus in 2019 located in Tauranga's CBD. This added to the university's presence in the Bay of Plenty with the Adams Centre for High Performance in Mount Maunganui and the Coastal Marine Field Station in Sulphur Point on the Tauranga Harbour. In November 2020, the university also opened a new algal research and aquaculture facility in Sulphur Point.
In July 2023, the Pā was opened in the heart of the University, following years of preparation and construction. The structure's name, thePā, refers to a fortified Māori village/settlement, occurring mainly north of New Zealand'sLake Taupō. Key components of this structure include theMarae, inside which is aWharenui (meeting house), and the Student Hub, which includes study and meeting spaces, food and beverage retail stores, a social space, and a multi-purpose stage.[12]
In October 2016, Waikato University and theWaikato District Health Board made a joint bid to the New Zealand Government to establish a third medical school in Hamilton. While the bid was opposed by theUniversity of Auckland and theUniversity of Otago (which host New Zealand's two medical schools), it was supported byHamilton East Member of Parliament (MP)David Bennett of theNational Party.[13] On 10 April 2017, several local and regional territorial councils voiced support for the proposed Waikato medical school at a meeting of the Waikato Mayoral Forum in Hamilton.[14] In November 2017, the Waikato District Health Board reiterated its support for the third medical school and outlined its proposal. The Waikato proposal envisioned a four-year graduate entry program focusing on clinical training and supporting local clinical services.[15]
In late June 2018, Waikato District Health Board interim chief executive Derek Wright confirmed there was no update on the third medical school apart from an indication that the Government would not make a decision on the proposal until 2019. Wright stated that district health board would continue lobbying for the Waikato medical school proposal.[16] In 2019, theLabour-led coalition government rejected the idea of establishing a third medical school and instead supportedHealth MinisterDavid Clark's proposal for multi-disciplinary training hubs in rural areas. In November 2019, the National Party released a discussion document on education supporting the Waikato proposal during the lead-up to the2020 New Zealand general election. National's proposal was supported by Waikato University Vice Chancellor Neil Quigley, the Waikato District Health Board, and the New Zealand General Practice Network.[17]
In May 2021, the university School of Health's leadership DeanSarah Strasser and rural health Professor Roger Strasser revived the medical school proposal and proposed partnering withMāori,Pasifika and the rural community to improve local access to health services. This announcement came in light of the Labour Government's plans to reform the 20district health boards into aTe Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) andTe Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority). The Health MinisterAndrew Little did not rule out the Waikato medical school proposal during a rural health conference inTaupō but stated that work was needed. The National Party's health spokespersonShane Reti supported the revived Waikato proposal, stating it was an opportunity to train rural doctors and partner with Māori communities.[18]
In early July 2023, the National Party made campaign pledge to build the Waikato medical school during the leadup to the2023 New Zealand general election.[19][20] In September 2023,Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported that Vice-Chancellor Quigley had worked with several National Party figures including health spokesperson Reti, former National cabinet ministerSteven Joyce and his lobbying firm Joyce Advisory to develop National's Waikato medical school policy. Waikato University then hired Joyce's former press secretary and political advisor Anna Lillis to promote the school. In response,Tertiary Education Union's Waikato University organiser Shane Vugler criticised the university leadership for compromising its political independence. According RNZ, Quigley had told a senior National MP that the Waikato Medical School could be a "gift" for a future National government.[21] In June 2023, RNZ had also reported that Waikato University had paid nearly NZ$1 million in consultancy fees to Joyce Advisory.[22] In response to media coverage, Luxon defended Waikato University's process for establishing a third medical school, and emphasised that National and Waikato had supported the proposal for several years.[23]
On 21 July 2025,Health MinisterSimeon Brown announced that theSixth National Government would be contributing NZ$82.5 million to the establishment of Waikato's medical school. Waikato University would be contributing $150 million to the medical school's establishment with the help of philanthropists. This fell short of National's 2023 campaign promise to invest $280 million in the establishment of the medical school.[24]
The University of Waikato operates from two campuses, Hamilton, and Tauranga. Undergraduate degrees are also offered through a joint-institute on a satellite campus atZhejiang University City College inHangzhou.[25]
The main Hamilton campus is spread over 64 hectares of landscaped gardens and lakes, and includes extensive sporting and recreational areas. Originally farmland, the campus was designed by architect John Blake-Kelly in 1964. The open space landscaping contains extensive native plantings, including a fernery, centred around three lakes.[6]
The University of Waikato previously shared campuses withToi Ohomai Institute of Technology in Tauranga at Windmere in the central city. In March 2019, the university opened a stand-alone campus in the central city.[26]
The Student Centre officially opened in 2011 by Waikato alumnus Governor-General Jerry Mateparae.[27]
The university is organised around faculties and schools, grouped in divisions; as of 2024:[28]
The chief executive of the University of Waikato is the vice-chancellor, currently Professor Neil Quigley, who was appointed to a five-year term in 2014 and another in 2019. The university is governed by a council, headed by the university's chancellor, who is currently Mrs Susan Hassall.[29]
Te Rōpū Manukura was formed in 1991 as a consultative body to the university council. Te Rōpū Manukura is currently made up of members from over 20 differentiwi within the catchment area of the university.
The following list shows the university's chancellors:[30]
| Name | Portrait | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denis Rogers |  | 1964–1969 |
| 2 | Bruce McKenzie | | 1970–1972 |
| 3 | Henry Bennett | | 1973–1978 |
| 4 | Douglas Arcus | | 1979–1980 |
| 5 | David Tompkins | | 1981–1985 |
| (3) | Henry Bennett | | 1986–1987 |
| 6 | Joy Drayton | | 1988–1991 |
| 7 | Gerald Bailey | | 1992–1997 |
| 8 | Caroline Bennett | | 1998–2002 |
| 9 | John Gallagher | .jpg) | 2003–2005 |
| 10 | John Jackman | | 2006–2007 |
| 11 | Jim Bolger | .jpg) | 2007–2019 |
| 12 | Anand Satyanand | .jpg) | 2019–2025 |
| 13 | Susan Hassall | .jpg) | 2025–present |
The university has several research institutes and research centres, as well as numerous other research groups and projects; as of 2024:[31]
Research institutes
Research centres
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World[32] | 701–800 (2025) |
| CWTS World[33] | 1100[a] (2024) |
| QS World[34] | =281 (2026) |
| THE World[35] | 401–500 (2026) |
| USNWR Global[36] | =722 (25/26) |
| National – Overall | |
| ARWU National[37] | 5 (2025) |
| CWTS National[38] | 6[a] (2024) |
| QS National[39] | 6 (2026) |
| THE National[40] | 3–4 (2026) |
| USNWR National[41] | 7 (25/26) |
In the 2024Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which measures aggregate performance across the QS, THE and ARWU rankings, the university attained a position of #391 (5th nationally).[42]
In the 2026Quacquarelli SymondsWorld University Rankings (published 2025), the university attained a tied position of #281 (6th nationally).[43]
In theTimes Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 (published 2025), the university attained a position of #401-500 (tied 3–4th nationally).[44]
In the 2025Academic Ranking of World Universities, the university attained a position of #701-800 (5th nationally).[45]
In the 2025–2026U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities, the university attained a tied position of #722 (7th nationally).[46]
In theCWTS Leiden Ranking 2024,[a] the university attained a position of #1100 (6th nationally).[47]
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Waikato Management School
Division of Arts, Law and Social Sciences
Division of STEM
Division of Education
Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Studies
The University of Waikato's official website lists other notable alumni, referred as "Distinguished Alumni" by the university.[49]
Media related toUniversity of Waikato at Wikimedia Commons
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