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1869

Founded

21,240

Students

37

Programmes to choose from

Overview

About University of Otago

The University of Otago (Māori: Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka) is a public research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was established by ordinance of the Otago Provincial Council in 1869 and opened for teaching in 1871, making it New Zealand's oldest university. Between 1874 and 1961 Otago was part of the University of New Zealand and conferred degrees in its name. In July 2023 the university adopted the Māori identity Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka as part of a major rebrand, with the changes taking effect from May 2024.

As of 2024, Universities New Zealand reported a student headcount of 21,315 (18,564 equivalent full-time students). The university is centred on its Dunedin City campus and teaches across additional campuses in Christchurch and Wellington for health sciences.

Memberships & networks

  • Matariki Network of Universities

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Key facts

Founded

1869

Type

Public university

Location

Dunedin City, New Zealand

Students

21,240

Reported 2019

Academic staff

6,400

Reported 2025

Motto

“Sapere aude”

Programmes with us

37

Programmes

37 programmes to choose from

Health & Life Sciences · Computing & Technology · Engineering · Business & Management · Design, Hospitality & More

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Fees & entry

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Location

Dunedin City

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Useful links

Overview text adapted from Wikipedia (University of Otago), CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Ulrich Lange, Dunedin, New Zealand, CC BY-SA 3.0