TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS; University of Otago

Age: Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university.

Campuses: Four main campuses – Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.

Vice-Chancellor: Professor David Skegg

Student population: Total enrolments were 19,853 last year. There are 17,449 EFTS and 1875 international students. Student to staff ratio is 16.1:1.

Research: Otago is New Zealand’s most research-intensive university, according to a 2006 Ministry of Research, Science and Technology report.

Signature courses: Otago has one of two medicine courses in New Zealand (taught at its Dunedin, Wellington and Christchurch campuses). Otago has the only school of dentistry and the only medical radiation therapy programme (taught in Wellington) in New Zealand, a surveying programme and bachelor of physical education course. Other key courses include law, physiotherapy, contemporary music and applied science.

Recent additions: Honours degrees in Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish, bachelor of oral health, bachelor of social and community work, bachelor of arts major in sociology, bachelor of science major in electronics.

Links with industry and business: Otago is committed to commercialising its intellectual property and building research links with the private sector. The Otago School of Business has developed its executive mentoring programme, which links second- year BCom (Hons) and master of business students with senior managers at several New Zealand businesses.

Overseas standing: International research and student exchange programmes and agreements with universities throughout the world. Otago is one of only two New Zealand universities to be ranked in world’s top 100 (The Times Higher Education Supplement, 2006).

Cost of courses: This year arts, languages, theology, mathematics, education all $3755; commerce, teaching $3585; law $4443; computer science, design, geography, information science, music, science $4545; physical education $4527 – $5606; health sciences, pharmacy, surveying $5606; medicine $10,780; physiotherapy years two and three $4849, year four $6061; dentistry $10,780.

Financial health: An operating surplus of $16.65 million last year.

Cost of living: Flatting is about $90 a week for a room in an unfurnished five-bedroom flat.

Clubs and sports: There are close to 100 clubs and societies.

Student services: Include schools liaison officers, careers adviser, childcare, chaplains, disabilities services and sign- language interpreter, Maori and Pacific Islands centres, student health and counselling, financial advice, academic and course advice, sports centre and recreational service.

Glittering alumni: Former Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, Graeme Hart, film- maker Duncan Sarkies, Graham Henry, Anton Oliver, Alison Holst, Bill English, Bill Manhire, Sir Garfield Todd, Lord Porritt, Ian Fraser, Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa), Fred Hollows, Martin Snedden, Janet Frame, Lloyd Geering, Fiona Farrell and Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes.

* Webwatch: www.otago.ac.nz

* Telephone: (0800) 808 098

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