AUT was 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.
Why study at AUT?
Creating world-ready graduates
AUT’s mission is to create great graduates, and each member of our staff contributes to this. We offer exceptional learning experiences that prepare students to be successful wherever in the world their career may take them.
We encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and the ability to explore new technologies, challenge routine thinking, and solve problems in new ways. We embrace new technologies to lead the learning of tomorrow and prepare our students for the rapidly changing world. As a contemporary university, we also place an emphasis on working across disciplines in our research, and teaching and learning.
World-class teaching and learning
We’re proud to be one of the world’s best modern universities – Times Higher Education has ranked us as the top millennial university in Australasia and number 14 in the world. We have an overall five-star rating from university rankings organization QS, in addition to five-star ratings for Teaching, Employability, Research, Internationalisation, Facilities, Innovation, and Inclusiveness.
A global outlook
We know that to create truly great graduates, we must do more than get them ready for their careers; we must get them ready for the world.
We are consistently ranked first in New Zealand for international outlook by world rankings organizations QS and Times Higher Education. We have more than 5,000 industry partners around the world and have collaborated on research projects with 140 different countries. Our students are from 140 different countries, and half of our academic staff were born overseas, and they often share their international experience and connections with their students.
An innovative teaching and learning space
AUT’s three modern campuses have several award-winning buildings that were created using sustainable principles and feature inviting, collaborative, and functional learning areas, auditoriums, and research spaces. This includes the state-of-the-art Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences building, which has unique design features that mean it can be used as a teaching tool and ‘living lab’ where students can get hands-on experience.
World-leading staff
Our academic staff is research-active and at the forefront of their disciplines. Many of them are internationally known as experts in their fields, and organizations around the world draw on their expertise for key projects.
For example, Associate Professor Felicity Lamm was appointed as the Government’s chief advisor for health and safety, and Professor Gail Pacheco’s research is being used by the Government to address the gender pay gap.
Innovative and relevant research
AUT is ranked first in New Zealand for global research impact (the number of times our research is cited by academics globally) by Times Higher Education and the US News Global Universities Rankings.
We have more than 60 research centers and institutes delivering leading research – from space research to artificial intelligence and robotics, and ecology to physical activity and nutrition.
US News Global Universities Rankings 2021
The US News Global Universities Rankings 2021 place AUT as #389 in the world, scoring particularly well on measures of research citation impact and international research collaboration.
Ranked first in New Zealand, and 17th in the world, for research impact
We are ranked #17 in the world, and first in New Zealand, for the number of citations per paper. The percentage of publications with international collaboration puts us at #191 in the world and second in New Zealand.
Globally ranked subjects
- Clinical Medicine - #210 worldwide*
- Social Sciences & Public Health - #362 worldwide**
*Our Clinical Medicine ranking includes being placed:
- #34 globally for citation impact
- #16 globally for international collaboration
- #57 globally for the percentage of highly cited papers
**Our Social Sciences & Public Health ranking includes being placed:
- #75 globally for international collaboration
Academic Ranking of World Universities
Top in New Zealand for clinical medicine and finance
In 2020, AUT was ranked in the top 150 universities in the world for clinical medicine and the top 200 worldwide for finance; first equal in New Zealand for both subjects. AUT’s research impact in the field of clinical health was recognized, receiving a maximum of 100 points for citation impact.
New Zealand's top university for sport science
In 2018, AUT’s School of Sport and Recreation was the top-ranked sports science school in New Zealand and ranked 46th in the world. The ranking consultancy identified international collaboration and research output as particular areas of strength in sport science at AUT.
Other globally ranked subjects
In 2020 AUT also received subject rankings in:
- Business Administration – top 301-400 worldwide
- Economics – top 401-500 worldwide
- Hospitality & Leisure Management – top 76-100 worldwide
- Nursing – top 151-200 worldwide
- Public Health – top 101-150 worldwide
