Victoria’s Story
Victoria began teaching as Victoria College in 1897. This was the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and Victoria was named in her honour.
Victoria University is characterised by the depth, consistency and effectiveness of our culture of domestic and international engagement. Our commitment to reciprocal, high-quality relationships springs from identifying and understanding the need for New Zealand to achieve sustainable development.
Victoria has developed close ties with a wide range of businesses and government organisations, and several recent initiatives are aimed at improving the University’s engagement with industry.
Victoria’s historic strength in public policy has been fully demonstrated by substantial contributions to major government projects, and entrepreneurship education is an emerging strength on which we intend to build. Victoria also gives high priority to engagement with Māori and Pacific communities.
We aim to produce graduates whose learning has been developed inside and outside of the classroom, experientially, and informed by a global perspective.
Victoria University is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most prestigious tertiary institutions with a proud tradition of academic excellence. Discover more about Victoria University’s 115 years of rich history.
Victoria at a glance
Victoria’s rankings, plus some statistics.
Research
Victoria is New Zealand’s top ranked University for research quality.
Global rankings
Victoria consistently ranks among the world’s best universities across a range of subjects.
Our Law Faculty is in the top 50 in the world according to QS, which ranks Victoria in the top 4 percent of the world’s universities. We also rank comfortably within the top 100 universities in the world in Education, Arts and the Humanities, and in the top 150 universities in the world in Earth Sciences. In addition, Victoria Business School is among a small group of institutions with the ‘triple crown’ of international commerce accreditations.
Our students
We have about 3,000 international students from more than 100 countries.
Equivalent Full-time Students (EFTS):
- Government-funded – 15,217
- Full-fee – 1,637
Levels:
- Undergraduate – 14,075
- Taught postgraduate – 1,681
- Research postgraduate – 1,099
- Total – 16,855
Our staff
About half of our academic staff were born outside New Zealand.
Full-time Equivalent (FTE):
- Male – 855
- Female – 1,030
- Total – 1,885
Globally connected, nationally engaged
As well as welcoming students from more than 100 countries, Victoria has a range of internationally focused research centres that generate a host of exciting ventures (including research collaboration) with leading universities around the world, as well as with governments and private sector entities.
We connect and engage with the Government, the business sector, the community and other academic institutions throughout New Zealand.
We are committed to building and maintaining relationships that enhance our contributions to society and support its aspirations.
Being located in New Zealand’s capital city, the University plays an important role by contributing to public policy in local and global issues. New Zealand’s only School of Government undertakes teaching and research on public policy and public administration/management.
Faculties, schools and institutes
Victoria has nine faculties, of which seven conduct teaching and research. These are divided into schools, many of which are closely aligned with the University’s numerous research centres and institutes.
Campuses
Kelburn Campus
Home of schools with interests in science, engineering, and humanities and social sciences, and of the University’s administration.
Te Aro Campus
Home of the Schools of Architecture and Design.
Pipitea Campus
Home of the schools specialising in the study of law, government andcommerce.
Karori Campus
Home of the schools specialising in teacher education and education studies.
Victoria’s history
Victoria began teaching as Victoria College in 1897. This was, the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and Victoria was named in her honour.
Early years
For the first few years, lectures took place in rented accommodation in the city while a debate raged over where the new university’s home should be built. Eventually, the College Council decided to build on ‘six vertical acres’ in Kelburn, the site of the Kelburn Campus today.
Research
Research at Victoria began in 1899 following the arrival of the University’s four pioneering Professors—Thomas Easterfield, Hugh Mackenzie, Richard Maclaurin and John Rankine Brown.
Growth
In 1904, the first stage of what is today known as the Hunter Building was begun, and the building was opened in 1906 by the Governor of New Zealand, Lord Plunket.
A pattern of growth was quickly established. Student numbers rose from 254 in 1905 to over 700 in 1923, with three additions made to the building over this period. A reputation for fine teaching and research also grew, thanks to the efforts of early academics such as Professors ‘Tommy’ Hunter, J.C. Beaglehole and George von Zedlitz.
In 1961, the University of New Zealand system was dissolved, and on 1 January 1962, Victoria College became Victoria University of Wellington.
Expansion
The University incorporated the Wellington College of Education as the Faculty of Education. The following year, Victoria and Massey Universities set up the New Zealand School of Music, a centre of musical excellence that combined the institutions’ music programmes.
Today
From a single campus in Kelburn with fewer than 260 students, Victoria has grown into a network of campuses, research centres, institutes and partnerships worldwide.
Campus plaques are located across the University offering insights to those who have contributed to Victoria since it was established in 1897.
