Types of tertiary education institutions
Section 162 of the Education Act 1989 sets out the characteristics of tertiary education institutions applicable in 2019.1 On 1 April 2020, the Government created a new type of tertiary education institution, Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute for Skills and Technology.2 On that day, the 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics became Crown entity subsidiary companies of Te Pūkenga.
| Universities | |
| A university is characterised by a wide diversity of teaching and research, especially at a higher level, that maintains, advances, disseminates, and assists the application of knowledge; develops intellectual independence; and promotes community learning. There are eight universities: | |
| University of Auckland | Massey University |
| University of Canterbury | Lincoln University |
| University of Otago | Victoria University of Wellington |
| University of Waikato | Auckland University of Technology |
| Wānanga | |
| A wānanga is characterised by teaching and research that maintains, advances, and disseminates knowledge; develops intellectual independence; and assists the application of knowledge regarding āhuatanga Māori (Māori tradition) according to tikanga Māori (Māori custom). There are three wānanga: | |
| Te Wānanga o Raukawa | |
| Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Te Kuratini o Ngā Waka | |
| Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi | |
| Polytechnics | |
| A polytechnic (including institutes of technology) is characterised by a wide diversity of continuing education, including vocational training, that contributes to the maintenance, advancement, and dissemination of knowledge and expertise, and that promotes community learning and research, particularly applied and technological research, that aids development. There are 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics: | |
| Unitec Institute of Technology | Otago Polytechnic |
| Ara Institute of Canterbury | Southern Institute of Technology |
| Eastern Institute of Technology | Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki |
| Wellington Institute of Technology | Waikato Institute of Technology |
| Universal College of Learning | Whitireia Community Polytechnic |
| Manukau Institute of Technology | The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand |
| Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology | Tai Poutini Polytechnic |
| Northland Polytechnic | Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology |
Main campus or headquarters of the 27 tertiary education institutions
1: The Education Act 1989 was in force in 2019. That Act was repealed and replaced by the Education and Training Act 2020, which was enacted on 31 July 2020. Section 268 of the Education and Training Act describes the characteristics of universities and wānanga. It does not describe institutes of technology and polytechnics because they became subsidiaries of Te Pūkenga. Te Pūkenga operates under a charter and a more specific set of functions (see sections 315 and 316).
2: The new institution was known as the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology until an Order in Council under section 314(2) of the Education and Training Act renamed it as Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology on 21 September 2020.