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Auckland University of Technology
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The Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is the newest university in New Zealand. It was formed on 1 January 2000 when the Auckland Institute of Technology was granted university status. Its primary campus is on Wellesley Street in Auckland's Central business district (CBD). A secondary campus is at Akoranga on the North Shore. AUT also has a Technology Park in Penrose, Auckland.
was originally founded as Auckland Technical School in 1895, offering evening classes only.
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Encyclopedia
The Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is the newest university in New Zealand. It was formed on 1 January 2000 when the Auckland Institute of Technology was granted university status. Its primary campus is on Wellesley Street in Auckland's Central business district (CBD). A secondary campus is at Akoranga on the North Shore. AUT also has a Technology Park in Penrose, Auckland.
History
AUT was originally founded as Auckland Technical School in 1895, offering evening classes only. Daytime classes began in 1906 and its name was changed to Auckland Technical College. In 1913 it was renamed Seddon Memorial Technical College. In the early 1960s educational reforms resulted in the separation of secondary and tertiary teaching; two educational establishments were formed; the tertiary (polytechnic) adopting the name Auckland Technical Institute (ATI) in 1963 and the secondary school continuing with the same name. For three years they co-existed on the same site, but by 1964 the secondary school had moved to a new site in Western Springs and eventually became Western Springs College. In 1989 ATI became Auckland Institute of Technology (AIT), and the current name was adopted when university status was granted in 2000.
University Population
In 2006 AUT had 22,000 students. A significant proportion were studying Bachelors degree or above (64.2%) and were full-time (64%), giving a total of 15,382 full time equivalent students. Approximately 2,980 international students attended the university in 2006. In 2006 there were 942 full time equivalent academic staff and 828 full time equivalent administrative and support staff.
General Information
The process through which AUT was recognised as a university was controversial, as (for instance) it had an inadequate library at the time, and some students were given access to the University of Auckland's library as a stopgap measure. AUT's library grew rapidly and its size was not a significant factor with respect to the disciplines in which AUT taught and researched.
Despite controversial beginnings, the university is now well established. It promotes itself as an advocate of innovative approaches to teaching, learning and research. In particular its focus is on providing a pragmatic 'real world' approach, ensuring excellence in learning, teaching and developing outstanding graduates for practice in their chosen fields. In practice this reflects the continuing survival of vocational type courses and an emphasis upon student development towards employment. For this reason links with employers continue to be fostered.
AUT claims that it maintains very high levels of graduate employment in comparison to other NZ universities, though the statistical basis for this claim has been disputed.
Since becoming a university, AUT has invested heavily in infrastructure, staffing and programmes. It is half way through its $245 million building programme on both the Wellesley and Akoranga Campuses. Since 2000, new engineering, design, library, and business buildings have been constructed.
Campuses
AUT has two campuses - Wellesley (Auckland CBD) and Akoranga (North Shore). Both campuses have student accommodation next door for a relatively small number of students. AUT runs a shuttle bus between these 2 campuses. AUT also maintains its own technology park in Penrose, Auckland City. Plans are also in place for a third campus in Manukau City.
Wellesley Campus
The Wellesley campus spreads over several sites in the heart of central Auckland. The main campus is situated on Mayoral Drive, Wellesley Street, Symond and St Paul Street. The Faculties of Applied Humanities, Business, Design and Creative Technologies, and Te Ara Poutama, and the Applied Sciences division share this location.
The Applied Humanities and Design and Creative Technologies faculties also share a building on the corner of Wakefield Street and Rutland Street.
Akoranga Campus
The Akoranga campus is located on Akoranga Drive on the North Shore. The Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences (including the Sport and Recreation division) and School of Education share this campus, which has attractive park-like grounds. AUT's main sport and recreation centre is located at this campus.
Technology Park
The AUT Technology Park is located in Penrose, Auckland. It is used for developing innovative start-up businesses and for postgraduate student research. AUT also has several internationally prominent IT research centres situated at this tech park. These are the Knowledge Engineering and Discovery Research Institute (KEDRI), Institute of Information Technology Research (IITR), Software Engineering Research Lab (SERL) and the Centre for Research on Information Systems Management (CRISM).
Faculties
AUT is divided into five faculties. These are:
Applied Humanities
- School of Education Te Kura Matauranga
- School of Hospitality and Tourism
- School of Languages
- School of Social Sciences
Business
Delivers papers and programmes in the following subject areas:
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Business Economics
- Commercial Law
- Design
- Electronic Business
- Finance
- Human Resource Management and Employment Relations
- Information Technology
- International Business
- Maori Development
- Management
- Marketing
- Retailing
- Sales
- Sport and Recreation Management
- Taxation
- Tourism
Design and Creative Technologies
- School of Art and Design
- School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
- School of Communication Studies
- School of Engineering
Health and Environmental Sciences
- Division of Applied Sciences
- Division of Health Care Practice
- Division of Public Health and Psychosocial Studies
- Division of Rehabilitation and Occupation Studies
- Division of Sport and Recreation
Te Ara Poutama
Programmes
AUT offers a wide range of postgraduate and undergraduate degrees, as well as diplomas and certificates. Programmes are offered in the areas/fields of applied sciences, art and design, business, communication studies, computer and information sciences, education, engineering, health care practice, hospitality and tourism, languages, mathematical science, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, oral health, paramedic and emergency services, physiotherapy, podiatry, psychology, psychotherapy, public health, rehabilitation and occupational studies, social science, sport and recreation, and Te Ara Poutama (Maori Studies).
Since the start of 2009 AUT also offers a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, although there had been some opposition to this within the academic community.
AUT summer school offers over 150 papers for study.
Research
Being the newest University, and therefore with a less mature research culture, it came last among the universities in the 2003 Performance Based Research Fund research evaluation exercise. The 2003 PBRF evaluation exercise had counted research conducted by AUT before it became a university as well as post-2000 work, which reflected a period of transition for the institution. The 2007 PBRF exercise assessed all the universities on an equal footing, with AUT having been a university throughout the whole of the assessment period (2000-2005). However, AUT again came last among the universities in the 2007 Performance Based Research Fund research evaluation exercise.
AUT is investing heavily in research and has established new research centres and institutes to further its research profile. Large numbers of leading local and international researchers and experts have been recruited by the university. Research partnerships and exchanges have also been established with some of the worlds leading universities. AUT's growing research profile and reputation has seen an increase in research programme enrolments and external funding.
AUT presently has 17 key research institutes:
- Biotechnology Research Institute
- Centre for Work and Labour Market Studies (CWaLMS)
- Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technology (CAMTEC)
- Centre for Corporate Governance
- Creative Industries Research Institute
- Earth and Oceanic Sciences Research Institute
- Engineering Research Institute
- Geoinformatics Research Center (GRC)
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies (IBTec)
- Institute of Culture, Discourse and Communication
- Institute for Information Technology Research (IITR)
- Institute of Public Policy
- Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand (ISRRNZ)
- Knowledge Engineering and Discovery Research Institute (KEDRI)
- National Institute for Public Health and Mental Health Research (NIPHMHR)
- New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI)
- New Zealand Work and Labour Market Institute (NZWaLMI)
Within these key research institutes exist a large number of research centres and units.
Pedagogy (Principles and methods of instruction)
AUT differentiates itself from traditional universities in its approach to teaching and learning. A 'student-centred' approach is adopted by the university where students are actively engaged in their learning. High levels of communication occur between students and lecturers. This learning environment allows students to ask lecturers questions, work co-operatively with fellow students and receive feedback. This is achieved by having small interactive classes as opposed to traditional university lecture theatres. This is primarily a legacy of the polytechnic origins of the university, and whether it will continue to be a distinguishing feature will depend upon financial and other factors.
Notable Alumni
Art + Design
- Dan Buckley (Founder & Head Designer, Huffer Clothing)
Business
Media & Communications
- Carol Hirschfeld (Executive Producer, Campbell Live, TV3)
- Pippa Wetzell (Host of Breakfast, TVNZ)
- Charlotte Glennie (Asia correspondent, ABC)
- Duncan Garner (Political Editor, 3 News, TV3)
- Jesse Peach (Former journalist, 3 News, TV3)
- Joel Defries (Former presenter, Select Live, C4)
- Dominic Bowden (Television host, NZ Idol, The Next Greatest American Band)
Technology
Social Organisations
AuSM
AuSM (Auckland Student Movement) is the student union at AUT.
Army Of Tomorrow
The Army Of Tomorrow is an active group made up primarily of student teachers, who socialise and organise parties and sports events. Founded by AUT's Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education July 2005 intake, the organisation is also dedicated to ongoing self-reflection in teaching and learning issues.
SoSE
The Society of Student Engineers (SoSE) was formed in 2004 by Kevin Dwyer and is a student-lead organisation that assists engineering students to develop networks, and to extend themselves both professionally and personally. This is achieved by organising regular events such as engineering competitions, guest lectures by industry professionals, industry tours, and popular social events.
Vesbar
AuSM run the campus bar, called Vesbar, at the Wellesley Campus.
AuSM also opened a second bar called Vesbar @ Sports Cafe at the Akoranga Campus on February 20, 2007.
External links
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