Kia ora tātou
It has been a week of outstanding achievement across many areas of the University.
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 THE announced new rankings, and I am pleased to report that we have maintained a strong position among the world’s best universities. Our ranking has moved to =152 from =150 the previous year, however we have improved our relative position given the growth in the number of universities evaluated and against increasing global competition. This is no small achievement and is an excellent result for the University, reflecting our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and research impact on a global scale. You can read more about the result on our News pages<https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/10/09/THE-world-university-rankings-UOA-number-one-NZ.html>.
2024 Blues Awards Congratulations to all our students honoured at the 2024 Blues Awards last week. They received nine major awards and 116 Blues across four categories – Arts and Cultural, Business and Innovation, Service and Leadership, and Sports. Find out more on our News pages.<https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/awards-and-prizes/blues-awards/2024-blues-awards-winners.html>
Transition to new faculty arrangements The transition to creating a new faculty and integrating the School of Architecture and Planning and the Design Programme with the Faculty of Engineering is progressing. Consultation on the proposed academic leadership and professional staff structures has closed, with outcomes to be communicated in late October. The Faculty Transition Leadership Team is also working on several initiatives, including operational continuity plans, scholarships, hiring and grant processes and new faculty names. Updates are available on the transition to new faculty arrangements intranet page<https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/intranet/stay-informed/improvement-projects-programmes/transition-new-faculty.html>.
Update from Council meeting This week, the University Council considered Senate’s advice to pause the Curriculum Framework Transformation (CFT) programme. Council acknowledged the concerns raised by Senate members. Council noted that some policy and regulatory approvals are already in place for the 2025 academic year, while others are pending for elements including the transdisciplinary courses and expanded learning components. Council has requested further advice from management, Senate and faculty sub-committees on the direction and benefits of the CFT programme for its March 2025 meeting. While preparatory work will need to continue in the meantime, such advice is required before further policy and regulatory decisions are made.
Ngā mihi nui Dawn
Professor Dawn Freshwater Vice-Chancellor