University of Waikato
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37°47′13″S 175°18′50″E / 37.78694°S 175.31389°E
Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | |
 | |
| Motto | Māori: Ko te tangata |
|---|---|
Motto in English | For The People |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1964 |
| Chancellor | Jim Bolger, ONZ |
| Vice-Chancellor | Roy Crawford |
| Students | 13,089 (2010)[1] |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www.waikato.ac.nz |
The University of Waikato (informally Waikato University, or simply Waikato) ([Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)) is located in Hamilton and Tauranga, New Zealand, and was established in 1964. It has strengths across a broad range of subject areas, particularly its degrees in Computer Science and in Management. Its School of Māori and Pacific Development is acknowledged as the world centre for study in this subject area.[citation needed]
In 2007, over 12,000 students were enrolled at the University. More than a quarter of students were aged over 25, and over half were women. It has the highest proportion of Māori students on any campus in New Zealand. The Māori character of the campus is an important aspect of its overall identity.[citation needed]
In 2010, the QS World University Rankings gave Waikato 316th place, slightly down from its ranking in 2009.[2]
Out of 3,900 business schools in the world, University of Waikato is one of the 48 universities in the world to have Triple accreditation.[citation needed] In New Zealand, it is one of the two universities to have Triple accreditation and one of the three universities in Australia and New Zealand.[citation needed] The other universities are the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Brisbane Graduate School of Business, Queensland University of Technology, in Australia.
The University of Waikato in Hamilton is spread over 0.67 square kilometres (170 acres) of landscaped park-like grounds, and includes extensive sporting and recreational areas surrounding three ornamental lakes. Many sporting and cultural groups are active on campus, including various international students' clubs. The University provides study facilities including modern lecture rooms and laboratories, a library of over 1,000,000 volumes, and an extensive computer network with over 800 terminals.
The University of Waikato at Tauranga (formerly Tauranga University College) is smaller than the Hamilton campus. It offers 150 papers predominantly at undergraduate level.
Academic schools and divisions
The University consists of seven faculties and school of study:[citation needed]
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
- Faculty of Law
- Waikato Management School.
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Science and Engineering.
- Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Science.
- School of Māori and Pacific Development
These faculties and school of study offer undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees in their respective subject areas.
Waikato Pathways College specialises in preparing students, and in particular international students, for further study at Waikato.[citation needed]
Research
The University's research involvement is varied, and it is noted for research in the management disciplines of Accounting, Finance and Human Resource Management; Computer Science, Mathematics, Science, particularly in the Biological Sciences including both Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour and Cellular, Molecular and Whole Organism Biology, and Chemistry, Education and the Social Sciences.[citation needed]
The University has many research facilities, including:[citation needed]
- Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research[3]
- Stable Isotope Unit
- Management Research Centre
- Technology Management and Innovation Unit
- Centre for Labour and Trade Union Studies
- Carbon Dating Unit
- Honey Research Unit
- Thermophile Research Unit
- Antarctic Research Unit
- International Global Change Institute
- Mediarena Centre for Research[4]
Research is further reinforced by close contact between the University and commercial or governmental research facilities located on or adjacent to the campus. Significant among them are the Ruakura Research Centre (the largest agricultural and horticultural research facility in the southern hemisphere), Landcare Research, National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA Ecosystems), and the Institute of Professional Legal Studies.
Cementing the University's role as a key New Zealand research institute is UNILink, the University's own consulting division, dedicated to national and international sourcing of commercial research contracts.[citation needed] As a result the University attracts the highest percentage of research income in proportion to its student population of any university in New Zealand.
Particular strengths
The Mathematics department was rated first in New Zealand on the PBRF rankings in both 2004 and 2007.[citation needed]
The Department of Biological Sciences earned first place rankings in both panels of PBRF: Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour and Cellular, Molecular and Whole Organism Biology. Within EEB, the department has long-term FRST funding in the areas of restoration ecology in both terrestrial and freshwater systems, reaching from urban to natural ecosystems, and from molecular ecology to environmental biology.[citation needed]
The School of Māori and Pacific Development is almost certainly the leading centre of academic study of things Māori;[citation needed] Russell Bishop is the Chair Professor. Similarly, the law school is a leading centre for research into the Treaty of Waitangi. Because of the relative youth of the University, the library's holdings are relatively undeveloped, but there are significantly holdings of Tainui taonga.
The Computer Science department is particularly strong,[citation needed] with research groups in networking, machine learning (Weka), digital libraries (Greenstone), Formal methods for Software Engineering and usability.
The School of Law was founded in 1990 and follows the principles of professionalism, biculturalism and the study of law in context. The School of Law focuses on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as opposed to a more adversarial approach. As well as offering graduates their Bachelor of Laws (LLB), if students elect to take Commercial Transactions as well as Mediation: Laws, Principles and Practice, they may also apply for Associate status with the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). This gives them professional status when conducting these activities and is globally recognised.
The University is co-located with Ruakura, a centre for research in the primary industries.[citation needed]
Due to the proximity of the Waikato River and Lake Karapiro the University has excellent rowing teams and competes against University of Oxford and University of Cambridge in alternating years on the Waikato River in The Great Race.
Performance Based Research Fund Rankings
Performance Based Research Fund rankings are used to help rate different Universities in New Zealand.
In 2007, the University of Waikato was ranked fifth in New Zealand.[citation needed]
They also achieved top rankings in ten subjects areas:[citation needed]
- Accounting and finance
- Chemistry
- Communications, journalism and media studies
- Computer science, information technology, information sciences
- Ecology, evolution and behaviour
- Education
- Management, human resources, industrial relations, international and other business
- Molecular, cellular and whole organism biology
- Music, literary arts and other arts
- Pure and applied mathematics.
(Only the University of Otago received more first placings with 14 places.[citation needed]) The School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Management School and Combined School of Education were also ranked top in New Zealand.[5]
In 2006, the University of Waikato was ranked first in nine subject areas:[citation needed]
- Biology Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, score 5.9
- Biology Molecular, Cellular and Whole Organism Biology, score 5.4
- Chemistry, score 5.8
- Computer Science, Information Technology and Information Sciences, score 4.9
- Communications, Journalism and Media Studies, score 4.1
- Management, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, International Business and Other Business, score 4.4
- Accounting and Finance, score 3.5
- Pure and Applied Mathematics, score 6.0
- Music, Literary Arts and Other Arts, score 5.3
In 2004, the University came first in:[6]
- Pure and Applied Mathematics, score 5.7
- Chemistry, 5.1
- Computer Science, Information Technology and Information Sciences, 4.7
- Molecular, Cellular and Whole Organism Biology, 4.2
- Communications, Journalism and Media Studies, 3.8
- Management, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, International Business and Other Business, 3.4
- Accounting and Finance. 2.8
The 2003 evaluation rated Waikato to be fifth out of New Zealand's eight universities.[citation needed]
Academic year
The academic year runs from March to November. It is divided into two semesters by a two-week study break in June/July. Most schools within the University offer a mid-year intake so it is possible to enrol in the March–June or the July–November semesters, as well as in the year-long program. Summer School is available for many courses and allows students to accelerate the completion of their degree. The International MBA is taught over one year and begins in July.[citation needed]
The summer school semester runs from the beginning of January to the end of February.[citation needed]
International students
Waikato has a strong commitment to attracting international students.[citation needed] In 2002, the University had over 1,500 international students from more than 60 different countries, particularly from the Pacific Rim and Asia regions.[citation needed] There are also a growing number of students from diverse places such as Nepal, Eritrea, Mongolia, Ukraine, and various African countries. Many international students start at the University of Waikato by enrolling in a one-year Certificate of Attainment in Foundation Studies.[citation needed] This prepares students from a non-English background for university study in New Zealand. Courses in English for students from non-English speaking backgrounds are also offered through the University of Waikato Language Institute.[citation needed]
The University has approximately 1,000 places in accommodation available for students, a number of which are set aside specifically for international students.[citation needed] Many students choose to stay in the University Halls of Residence during their first year, and then move into a student flat (private rental accommodation) in subsequent years. Hamilton is an inexpensive city to live in for students on a limited budget.
Post Graduate Student Association
The Waikato Post Graduate Student Association[7] was a development that come about as a need in the performance Based Research Funding (PBRF) environment. The group of students looked after the Masters and PhD students interest and had Dr Peter Hodder as a contact person appointed by Professor Richard Bedford at the time Pro Vice Chancellor Academic. PGSA organizes a number of activities.[8]
Student Centre development
In November 2008, work began on one of the largest construction projects in the University's lifetime, this involved the upgrade and total rebuilding of the main library at the Hamilton campus.[citation needed]
The library which will transform into the "Student Centre" (yet to be officially named) is costing an estimated $33.4 million and is expected to take around four years to complete. The student centre will be the first library in Australasia to fully generate its own power, earning it a 5 star green building award.[citation needed]
Once finished, the Student Centre will include six levels, two new cafes, a new bookshop, and various other amenities.[citation needed] The Law Library will be situated on the 5th floor.
The Student Center and recent rebuilding of the Village Green (formerly the university shops) have been two developments which reflect the University's aim to provide the most modern facilities possible.[citation needed]
University restructuring
In August 2009, the University magazine Nexus gained information that the University was preparing to restructure its faculty and schools of study in response to a high increase in student numbers.[citation needed]
The proposed restructuring will create four new faculties of study:[citation needed]
- Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Law and Management
- Faculty of Human Development and Education
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
The faculties will contain "Schools" which were previously departments within the old school of study system.
The University of Waikato has also stated it is intending on further restricting student numbers into its programs from 2010 onwards.
Waikato University alumni
The Waikato University alumni is made up of past students at Waikato University and staff.[9] The numbers of alumni have steadily built from 1964 to number around 100,000.[citation needed]
Other notable features
The University rowing team is particularly strong. In 2002, the University started challenging a rowing team from another university to compete against it in the Great Race for the Harry Mahon Memorial Trophy.[10] This has become an important annual event in Hamilton.
| 2002 | Waikato vs Cambridge University | Won by Waikato |
| 2003 | Waikato vs Oxford University | Won by Waikato |
| 2004 | Waikato vs Cambridge University | Won by Cambridge |
| 2005 | Waikato vs University of Washington | Won by Waikato |
| 2006 | Waikato vs Cambridge University | Won by Waikato |
| 2007 | Waikato vs Harvard University | Won by Waikato |
| 2008 | Waikato vs Cambridge University (Males) | Won by Cambridge |
| 2008 | Waikato vs Sydney University (Females) | Won by Waikato |
| 2009 | Waikato vs Oxford University (Males) | Won by Waikato |
| 2009 | Waikato vs Sydney University (Females) | Won by Sydney |
| 2010 | Waikato vs Cambridge University (Males) | Won by Cambridge |
| 2010 | Waikato vs Sydney University (Females) | Won by Waikato |
Sport
The University of Waikato has a variety of different sport clubs. University Netball, Team Waikato, Rowing Club, Unicol Soccer,[11] Hockey Club and Rugby Club.[12] The University also have a wide variety of partner clubs and sports.[13]
The Don Llewellyn Sports Pavilion is the home of the University’s sport teams. It provides changing rooms for home and away teams. The Pavilion is located next to the University fields for rugby, cricket and soccer and the tennis and netball courts.[14]
The University campus swimming pools are open for public from 1 December to 31 March. The pools include a 50-meter aquatic leisure pool and a diving pool. They are unheated.[15]
There are a number of leisure sports activities close to the University of Waikato for students. The Unirec Centre provides a cardio studio with different cardio equipment, weight room, REV indoor cycling, squash courts and a sports hall.[16] The Unirec centre also offers a wide variety of exercise programmes, and is able to offer a personalised exercise programme for individuals. ASB Social Sport provides a variety of social indoor and outdoor sport.[17] The indoor social sports start in March and have six leagues that continue until the beginning of November. The indoor sports offered are netball, soccer, and volleyball. The leagues take place at the Unirec Centre. The outdoor sports offered are touch and soccer.
University sites
The University of Waikato is located on a number of different sites:[18]
- Main Hamilton Campus, on Knighton Road
- Tauranga Campus, on Durham Street
- Ruakura Satellite Campus, off Ruakura Road
Scientific instrumentation
The University has a large number of instruments available to assist research. These include:[citation needed]
- A 300 MHz and a 400 MHz NMR
- A MALDI
- ESMS
- GCMS
- LC-MS
- Malvern Mastersizer and Zetasizer
- Waters HPLC
- Tensile testers
- Viscometers
- ICP-OES
- AA
- X-ray diffraction equipment
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EDAX and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
- Liquid nitrogen, for University use only
- IR and UV/Vis Spectrometers
- FTIR Microscopy
- Stopped-flow spectrometer
- Raman spectroscopy
- Polarimetry
- Luminescence spectrometer
- Electron spin resonance
Some instruments are available for hire to external users include:
- Chemical Services Unit[19]
- Biological Services[20]
- Earth Science Commercial Services[21]
- Physics and Electronic Engineering Services[22]
- Materials and Process Engineering Equipment[23]
See also
References
- ^ Facts, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ "World University Rankings" (PDF). Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Mediarena Centre for Research, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ University of Waikato delivers substantial increase in research performance, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ University does well in PBRF, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Post Graduate Student Association, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Events, PGSA, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Alumni, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ The Great Race, New Zealand.
- ^ Unicol Soccer, UW Sport, New Zealand.
- ^ UW Sport, New Zealand.
- ^ Sports Clubs, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Sports Facities, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Sports Facilities: Campus Pool, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Unirec Centre, New Zealand.
- ^ Indoor Netball, ASB Social Sport, New Zealand.
- ^ Addresses, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Chemical Services Unit, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Biological Services, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Earth Science Commercial Services, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Physics and Electronic Engineering Services, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
- ^ Materials and Process Engineering Equipment, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
External links
