Source: Radio New Zealand
Queenstown. 123RF
The University of Otago will offer two new qualifications in Queenstown as part of a long-term plan to build a campus in the resort town.
The university will begin teaching an undergraduate degree in entrepreneurship and a postgraduate qualification in digital technology.
Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson said the university was starting small and expected about 50 to 60 students to enrol.
The university hoped to build accommodation for about 500 students by 2030 and offer executive education programmes – short, industry-focussed courses, Robertson said.
“I’m excited by the fact that we’re on track to have students there next year,” he said.
“This is the second fastest growing region in New Zealand. It’s an international destination. It’s in the Otago province and we do see it as a place where over the next couple of decades we’ll be able to grow our presence.
“Dunedin will always be the home of the University of Otago but Queenstown is a growth area and, if we do fast forward 20 or so years, you can certainly see the potential there for a large scale campus.”
The university was in the process of finalising temporary premises in Queenstown for the first courses, Robertson said.
A property at Jack’s Point – donated by the Jardine family to the university’s Foundation Trust – would host academic retreats, conferences and engagement events from next year.
The university said it expected to eventually support between 1000 and 3000 students in Queenstown. However, Robertson said that was a very long-term goal.
“We’re conscious that we need to build this up in a sustainable way. We’re initially funding the establishment but, like all programmes at our university, what we offer in Queenstown will need to fund itself and so it will need to grow over time.”
The university would focus on international students and the courses offered in Queenstown would be designed with technology companies, Robertson said.
In a statement, the university said Palo Alto Networks would be co-developing and delivering programmes related to cybersecurity.
“We’re designing curriculum with industry and other academic institutions rather than trying to drop an existing programme in,” Robertson said.
“One of our mantras was we weren’t going to replicate what we do in Dunedin. Our long-term plan for Queenstown is to be adding value. We’ll still be delivering our courses in Dunedin but we wanted to do something different. Technology Queenstown (a not-for-profit agency) wanted to be a partner and we believe we’re both fulfilling a need but also creating some demand because of the location and because of the kinds of courses.”
The university appointed Professor Richard Barker as a full-time Queenstown establishment director last year.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand