Victoria University of Wellington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Victoria University of Wellington

Te Herenga Waka  (Māori)
Motto	Latin: Sapientia magis auro desideranda
Motto in English	Wisdom is more to be desired than gold
Type	Public
Established	1897; 128 years ago (1897)
Academic affiliation	ACU, AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS
Endowment	NZ$83.6 million (31 December 2021)
Budget	NZ$460.5 million (31 December 2021)
Chancellor	Alan Judge
Vice-Chancellor	Nic Smith
Academic staff	1,147 (2021)
Total staff	2,329 (2021)
Students	23,090 (2021)
Location	Wellington , New Zealand 41°17′20″S 174°46′06″E / 41.28889°S 174.76833°E / -41.28889; 174.76833
Campus	Urban
Student magazine	Salient
Colours	Green and white

Victoria University of Wellington (Māori: Te Herenga Waka), also known as "VUW" or "Vic", is a public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was started in 1897 by a special law from the Parliament. For a while, it was part of the larger University of New Zealand.

The university is well-known for its courses in law, arts, and some science subjects. It offers many other courses too. Most first-year courses are open to everyone. However, getting into the second year of some programs, like law or engineering, can be harder.

Victoria University has a strong reputation for its research. It was ranked very highly in New Zealand for research quality in 2012 and 2018. Globally, it was ranked among the top 250 universities by the QS World University Rankings in 2020.

History of Victoria University

Victoria University of Wellington was first called Victoria University College. It was founded in 1897. The name honored Queen Victoria on the 60th anniversary of her becoming queen. In 1961, the University of New Zealand was dissolved. At that point, Victoria University of Wellington, or "Vic," began to award its own degrees.

How the University Started

In 1868, the New Zealand government passed a law to help set up universities. This law also created scholarships for students to study in Great Britain. Soon after, the University of Otago was founded, followed by Canterbury College.

Later, in 1878, a special group looked at higher education in New Zealand. They suggested creating four university colleges, including one in Wellington. This idea was delayed a bit due to money problems. However, in 1882, the parliament passed a law for Auckland University College.

As Wellington grew, and the economy improved, the idea for a college there became stronger. Robert Stout, who was the Premier and later the Chief Justice, was a big supporter. He believed a college in Wellington could be great for studying law, political science, and history.

Robert Stout, a key person in starting Victoria College

Founding the College

In 1897, the Premier, Richard Seddon, decided it was time to establish a college in Wellington. He had just received an honorary law degree from the University of Cambridge in Great Britain. He thought creating a college would be a good way to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee year.

When he introduced the Victoria College Bill, Seddon said it was clearly needed. The college would be managed by a council of 16 people. Their first meeting was held on May 23, 1898.

First Professors

The first professors at Victoria College were:

• John Rankine Brown – Professor of Classics (ancient Greek and Roman studies)
• Hugh Mackenzie – Professor of English language and Literature
• Thomas Easterfield – Professor of Chemistry and Physics
• Richard Cockburn Maclaurin – Professor of Mathematics

Wellington Girls High School building, where early classes were held

Early Days of Learning

For its first ten years, Victoria College didn't have its own buildings. Classes were held at Wellington Girls High School and another school building.

The professors worked to create a special identity for the college. In 1902, they chose the motto "Sapientia magis auro desideranda," which means "Wisdom is more to be desired than gold." In 1903, the college got its own badge and colors: dark green and gold. These colors were inspired by the gorse plants on nearby Tinakori Hill.

The college also planned to start a law program. They wanted it to be the best in the country. They hired more professors, including George von Zedlitz for modern languages and Harry Borrer Kirk for biology.

The 1903 plan for the University Campus at Kelburn

Kelburn Campus Development

The university council looked at a 13-acre site for a permanent campus in 1889. This site was popular, but getting the land was difficult. In 1901, a wealthy farmer named Charles Pharazyn offered to donate money if the college was built on a hilly 6-acre plot in Kelburn. This was convenient because Pharazyn also had a financial interest in the Wellington Cable Car, which was being built nearby. The Cable Car still helps students get to the university today.

Construction began in 1902. The main building was designed in the Gothic Revival style. The governor of New Zealand, Lord Plunket, laid the foundation stone on August 27, 1904.

The Hunter Building, a key building at Victoria University

The building opened on March 30, 1906. It was named after Thomas Alexander Hunter, a respected professor. Over time, more parts were added to the building as the college grew.

University Growth

In 1960, a branch of Victoria University was opened in Palmerston North. This branch later joined with Massey College and became Massey University in 1964.

Victoria University has grown beyond its first campus in Kelburn. It now has campuses in Te Aro (for Architecture and Design) and Pipitea (near Parliament, for Law and Business). The university also has research centers in Lower Hutt and a creative center in Miramar. In 2015, Victoria opened a new campus in Auckland to meet growing demand.

Name Change Discussion

In 2018, there was a discussion about changing the university's name to "University of Wellington." The Vice-Chancellor, Grant Guillford, said this would help avoid confusion with other universities named "Victoria" around the world. The university council agreed to this idea and also decided to use a new Māori name, Te Herenga Waka.

However, many people, including students and former students, strongly disagreed with the name change. Out of 2,000 public comments, 75% were against it.

The Te Toki a Rata building, completed in 2017

On September 24, 2018, the university council voted to change the name. But on December 18, 2018, the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, said no. He explained that the change didn't have enough support from staff, students, or alumni. In May 2019, the university council decided not to fight the Minister's decision.

Even though the name didn't officially change, the university has started using "Wellington's University" in many of its materials. They also changed names of some departments to include "Wellington Uni-Professional." In 2021, the university spent money on a new sign that highlights the word "Wellington."

Financial Challenges in 2023

In May 2023, the university faced financial difficulties. Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith announced a significant budget shortfall. This was mainly due to fewer students enrolling and less government funding. The number of students dropped by over 2,600 from 2022 to 2023.

To deal with this, the university planned to reduce staff numbers. However, in June 2023, the New Zealand Government announced more funding for universities starting in 2024. This extra money helped the university save some of the planned job cuts. In October 2023, Victoria University also started selling some properties to help with its finances.

Campuses and Facilities

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington's Kelburn Campus: the Hunter Building

Victoria University of Wellington's Pipitea Campus: the Faculty of Law

Victoria University of Wellington's Kelburn Campus

Victoria University of Wellington has three main campuses in Wellington city. It also has a smaller location in Auckland.

Wellington Campuses

• The main campus is in Kelburn, New Zealand. It overlooks the city center. This is where the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Engineering, Education, and Health are located. It also has the main library, administrative offices, cafes, a bookstore, health services, childcare, and a sports center. The Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association is also here.
• The Pipitea campus is home to the Wellington School of Business and Government and the Faculty of Law. It's located near the New Zealand Parliament Buildings. This campus has its own libraries for business and law students.
• The Te Aro Campus houses the Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation. It has a special library for architecture and design.

Auckland Location

The School of Business and Government offers some courses at its Auckland location, which is in the city center.

Other University Facilities

The Victoria University Coastal Ecology Laboratory helps with research on marine life and coastal environments. It's located on Wellington's south coast.

The Miramar Creative Centre is near the Wētā Workshop buildings. This center helps students get experience and connect with New Zealand's film, animation, and game design industries.

University Library

The university library started in 1899. Its collections are spread across four locations: Kelburn Library, Law Library, Architecture and Design Library, and Commerce Library. The library also has many digital resources, including e-books and online journals.

The library holds about 1.3 million printed books. It also provides access to 70,000 online journals and 200,000 e-books. It is one of only three libraries in New Zealand that officially stores documents from the United Nations System. The J. C. Beaglehole Room keeps special historical documents and rare books.

The New Zealand Electronic Text Centre (NZETC) is a digital library with important New Zealand and Pacific Island texts. The library also has online places where the university's research is shared freely.

Campus Improvements

Te Huanui and 320 The Terrace

In 2014, the university bought the abandoned Gordon Wilson Flats building. The university wanted to use the site to create a link between the city and the Kelburn campus.

The Gordon Wilson Flats, with Victoria University of Wellington's Kelburn Campus visible on the hill above

There was a big discussion about whether to keep or demolish the flats. Some people wanted to keep them because of their architectural history. Others wanted them removed because they looked run-down. In 2016, the city council approved demolition, but a court later said the building's heritage status should remain.

In 2018, students used special technology to create a virtual reality model of the flats. This allowed people to explore the building as it was and how it looked then.

In 2020, Victoria University shared plans for "Te Huanui." This plan involves demolishing the Gordon Wilson Flats (but keeping nearby McLeans Flats). The area would become a new entrance to the Kelburn campus, with an outdoor plaza and new teaching spaces. It would also include a pedestrian and elevator link up to the campus.

National Centre for Music

In 2019, Victoria University, working with the New Zealand School of Music, signed an agreement to create a new National Music Centre. This center will be located in the Wellington Town Hall once its renovations are finished.

Renovation work commencing on Wellington Town Hall

Ngā Mokopuna

Ngā Mokopuna, also known as The Living Pā, is a new development at the Kelburn campus. It involved removing old buildings and creating a new one based on sustainable design principles.

Ngā Mokopuna, Kelburn Parade

The building opened in late 2024. It was designed to be a "living building," meaning it meets very high environmental standards. It is one of only a few buildings in the world to have this special certification.

Organisation and Leadership

From 1938 to 1957, the main leader of the university was called the principal. Since 1957, this role has been called the vice-chancellor.

Here are some of the people who have led the university:

• Tommy Hunter, 1938–1951
• Jim Williams, 1951–1968
• Danny Taylor, 1968–1982
• Ian Axford, 1982–1985
• Les Holborow, 1986–1998
• Michael Irving, 1998–2000
• Stuart McCutcheon, 2000–2004
• Pat Walsh, 2005–2014
• Grant Guilford, 2014–2022
• Nic Smith, 2023–present

Professor Nic Smith became the Vice-Chancellor in January 2023.

The university is managed by its University Council, which has 20 members. These members include people elected by staff and students, and others appointed by the Minister of Education.

For New Zealand residents, most courses are open for entry. However, some courses, like Performance Music, require an audition. Also, getting into the second year of certain degrees, like Law or Criminology, requires selection.

The university also owns the New Zealand School of Music.

University Faculties

Faculty of Law on the left, Houses of Parliament on the right.

The university is divided into several faculties, which are like different schools for different subjects:

• Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation
• Wellington School of Business and Government
• Wellington Faculty of Education
• Wellington Faculty of Engineering
• Wellington Faculty of Graduate Research
• Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Wellington Faculty of Science
• Wellington Faculty of Health

Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law is located in the beautifully restored Old Government Buildings. This location is very close to the Parliament and courts, which is great for law students. The faculty is highly ranked globally for law studies and is known for its strong research.

Research Centres and Institutes

Victoria University Coastal Ecology Laboratory

Victoria University has more than 40 research centers and institutes. These are places where experts do special studies and research. Some of them include:

• MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
• Robinson Research Institute
• Ferrier Research Institute
• Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
• Victoria University Coastal Ecology Laboratory
• Centre for Strategic Studies New Zealand
• Adam Art Gallery
• Antarctic Research Centre
• International Institute of Modern Letters
• New Zealand India Research Institute

Academic Reputation

Victoria University of Wellington is highly regarded both in New Zealand and around the world.

In 2024, it was ranked among the top 250 universities globally in an overall ranking that combines different university lists. In the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, it was ranked 240th globally. The university also achieved high rankings in the Times Higher Education and Academic Ranking of World Universities lists for 2024 and 2025.

Student Life

Offices of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association

Student Groups and Media

• Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA): This is the main student organization that represents students and offers services.
• Salient: This is the university's student magazine, where students can read news and articles about campus life.

Student Accommodation (Halls of Residence)

The university offers various places for students to live, called halls of residence. Some are managed by the university, and others are privately run.

Victoria operated halls

• 222 Willis Apartments (students cook for themselves)
• Boulcott Hall (meals provided)
• Capital Hall (meals provided)
• Joan Stevens Hall (meals provided)
• Katharine Jermyn Hall (meals provided)
• Te Puni Village (meals provided)
• Weir House (meals provided)
• Willis St: Cumberland House (meals provided)
• Willis St: Education House (students cook for themselves)
• University Hall (students cook for themselves)
• University Hall: Whānau House (students cook for themselves)

Privately operated halls

• Victoria House (meals provided)
• Everton Hall (students cook for themselves)

Notable Academics and Staff

A graduation ceremony at Victoria University of Wellington

Notable Alumni

Many famous people have studied at Victoria University of Wellington.

New Zealand Prime Ministers who attended Victoria University of Wellington

Chris Hipkins

Bill English

Geoffrey Palmer

Jack Marshall

Images for kids

• 

  Panorama of the view from the fifth floor stairwell of the Cotton Building, Kelburn campus

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Victoria en Wellington para niños

• Tertiary education in New Zealand