The University's 14-hectare hillside campus in the suburb of Kelburn has a commanding view of the city and its magnificent harbour. Its teaching accommodation ranges from modern high-rise buildings to converted residential housing. The student population is over 10,000, including several hundred international students.

Victoria University is within 10 to 15 minutes' walking distance of the city centre, with the cable car from Lambton Quay (the main street) providing an alternative way of ascending the hill. Buses and taxis are also available. Most of the University buildings are along a street called Kelburn Parade.

Contacts

Constitution

The University is governed by a Council whose members are mostly either appointed by the Minister of Education or elected by graduates, staff and students. The Vice-Chancellor, who is the University's chief executive, is appointed by the Council and is a member of it. The annual budget is about NZ$90 million, about two-thirds of which comes from government funding based on the number of students attending.

Over 50 teaching departments and groups in the University make up six faculties: Architecture, Arts, Commerce and Administration, Education, Law, and Science. Recent years have seen a major academic expansion, notably in subject areas such as commerce and administration, Asian and Pacific languages, Maori studies, computer science, earth sciences and geophysics, environmental and conservation studies, statistics, and applied social sciences.

The University also has a number of specialised units for advanced teaching and research. They include the English Language Institute, which runs postgraduate courses for teachers of English as well as English language courses for international students. The Graduate School of Business and Government Management provides advanced courses for senior business executives and public servants. The Research School of Earth Sciences is a centre of graduate teaching and research in a wide range of earth sciences. The Institute of Statistics and Operations Research provides a statistical consulting service for university researchers and outside users, as well as operations research consultancy.

Research Organisations

The Antarctic Research Centre organises scentific expeditions to the Antarctic each year. The Coastal Marine Research Unit runs a research ship engaged in academic and contract research on marine resources and environment. Other research units include the Institute of Criminology and the Industrial Relations Centre.

In addition to its academic programme of teaching and research, Victoria University makes its expertise available to the business community and government agencies in New Zealand and overseas. A Contract Research Office has been established to facilitate research and consultancy contracts. Exchange agreements exist with universities in several overseas countries.

Facilities

Student amenities include restaurant and cafe facilities with both European and Asian food, recreation and sporting facilities, theatre, student newspaper and radio station, banks and travel service. Welfare services for students include a medical centre, counselling, chaplaincy, accommodation service and careers advisory service.

There are several halls of residence for students of the University, some of which provide hostel-type accommodation while others consist of flats and houses with up to six study bedrooms. However, residential accommodation operated by the University cannot keep up with demand, and many students live in flats in suburbs close to the campus.

Calendar

Subjects Offered

Centre staff are involved throughout the year in identifying new continuing education initiatives both in response to demand from the community or specific interest groups, and as a result of particular areas of teaching and research within the university. As well as published courses, the Centre is involved in designing and running special purpose-built education programmes to meet the needs of organisations, workplaces, or professional groups. The format of centre course provision varies widely depending on the nature of the activity, and includes part-time courses in the evenings or weekends, block courses (some residential), and seminars/conferences.

Contact the Centre for further information - in person:
1st floor, 154 Featherston Street, Wellington;
in writing: Centre for Continuing Education/Te Whare Pukenga,
Victoria University of Wellington,
PO Box 600, Wellington;
by phone: 04 - 4994745; by fax: 04 - 4966550;
or by email: continuing-education@vuw.ac.nz.

Amenities And Services

Alumni

The Alumni Office, in the Public Relations Section of Registry, welcomes inquiries from graduates, former students and friends of the University, who are invited to join the recently formed Victoria University of Wellington Alumni Association. Members of the association receive information about university activities. Graduates are also entitled to elect representatives on the University Council through the Court of Convocation's biennial elections.

Banks

Two major trading banks have full banking facilities on campus, as well as autobank machines for after-hours transactions. Bank of New Zealand, ground floor, Cotton 3. National Bank of New Zealand, Student Union Building.

Bookshop

The Victoria University Book Centre in the Student Union (phone 472-9585) stocks a wide range of teaching texts as well as general reading. Course notes are available to students at the Student Notes Distribution Centre in the Student Union.

Campus Tours

Group tours of the campus may be arranged by appointment (phone ext 5108).

Conference Faciltiies

The University offers well-equipped modern lecture rooms and theatres for conferences during evenings, weekends and university vacations. Seating capacity ranges from 15 to 350, and audio-visual facilities and full catering are available. For reservations, phone the room bookings clerk, ext 5420.

Contract Research Office

This office is responsible for identifying and facilitating opportunities for departments and research units within the University to undertake research and consultancy projects for industrial and commercial enterprises and government agencies in New Zealand and overseas. It welcomes enquiries from interested organizations (phone 499-2868).

Eating Places

There are four student restaurants and cafeterias (two in the Union building, one in the Recreation Centre and one in Kirk Building) and fast-food stalls in the quadrangle. See also Staff Club (below).

Information

The Enquiries Counter in the Registry, Hunter Building, handles enquiries from students, intending students and the public. The Public Relations Section of Registry publishes a range of periodicals and official documents such as the University's charter, budget and annual accounts.

International Students Office

This office, located at 20a Kelburn Parade, provides liaison services for international students either attending the University or interested in doing so.

Liaison Office

The Liaison Officers provide advice on courses to intending students, primarily through visits to secondary schools. Individual advice is given to both intending and current students by appointment, at 10 Kelburn Parade (phone 471-5374).

Library

The University Library in Rankine Brown building has over 800,000 volumes and 8,000 periodicals, as well as special collections including rare books and archives in the J C Beaglehole Room. The Library is open during term time 8.00am-10.30pm Monday to Thursday, 8.00am-6pm Friday, 10am-5.30pm Saturday and Sunday. During vacations and on public holidays, hours are restricted.

Marae

The university marae, Te Herenga Waka, was established in 1980 and is the focal point both for the teaching of Maori Studies and for Maori cultural and community activities on campus, including an annual University graduation ceremony. Its carved meeting house, Te Tumu Herenga Waka (hitching post of the canoes) was opened behind the whare kai at 46 Kelburn Parade in 1986. The marae is managed by the Maori Studies Department (phone 472-3964).

Museum

The Alexander McKay Geological Museum, 1st floor, Cotton Building, features displays of rocks, minerals, fossils and New Zealand's geological history. School parties are welcome by appointment (phone the secretary, Geology department, ext 8400).

Music

The University's School of Music has the finest small concert auditorium in Wellington, the Adam Room, with a seating capacity of 250. It features frequent performances by students, staff and outside artists. Such concerts are open to the public and in many cases admission is free.

Parking

Parking is very limited, but visitors on official business may obtain a temporary permit through the Works and Services Section of the Registry, ext 8829.

Recreation Centre

This consists of a large gymnasium, a dance room, weights room, long room, clinic, seminar room, sauna, changing and showering facilities. Open early morning to late evening Mon-Thurs and Sun, early morning to early evening Fri and Sat. Recreation officers assist users of the centre. The Boyd-Wilson Field is available for use by university sports clubs, as are some nearby sports grounds owned by the City Council.

Staff Club

The club provides bar service and cafeteria-style meals for staff members and their guests. Located on the first floor, Rankine Brown building, it offers a stunning view of the city and harbour and a relaxed atmosphere in which to meet colleagues.

Students Association

Offices are located on the ground floor, University Union building, (phone 473-8566). The Association is funded by an annual student fee and activities are managed by an elected executive headed by a fulltime paid president.

Theatres

The Memorial Theatre is part of the University Union. Drama productions are also staged in the covered Rankine Brown Quadrangle. The Adam Concert Room in the School of Music is considered Wellington's leading small concert auditorium. The Memorial Theatre and Adam Concert Room are both available for hire to outside groups. The Department of Theatre and Film also stages performances in its own premises.

University Union

The Union, with its cafeteria and restaurant, main hall, club rooms and Memorial Theatre, is the main social base for students. It has recently undergone a major building expansion. Facilities include student newspaper Salient, radio station, job search and travel service. Theatre, halls and rooms are available for functions by outside groups (phone 473-8566).